Picking feet out

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pebbles82

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Sep 15, 2004
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I have real problems trying to pick my new ponies feet out shes very nervous so I have trying to do things really quietly
but when I pick her feet up she completely panics and kind of falls over
what can I do to get her used to her feet being picked out??

Thanks :)
 
i would stop for the minute doing anything that makes her rect so strongly - for the moment, jut stick to what she is happy with you doing, or mildly worried about., so for instance if she is fine being touched above the knee, but gets progresively more worried as you go down towards the foot, then start just touching just below the knee, when she's happy with that, move to mid-cannon, then to fetlock when she is happy with mid-cannon, and then move on to picking them up when she is happy to be touched right down t othe hoof.

if she is so scared that she is falling over and panicking, then every time she does that she is reinforcing to herself that it's a bad thing, you need to break that cycle by making it a non-scary thing to happen, so for he moment bak off picking them up, don't insist - it won;t do any harm not to have her feet picked out for a while. go slowly and gradually and take your time.
 
thanks Mehitabel I didnt know what was the best to do stop or just keep doing it until she gets used to it I know she hasnt had much contact so i will try leaving it for a few weeks and just brush around there and maybe try picking them up slightly at first
 
Definatly take it real slow, esp if she's a new pony & you dont know each other, you need her to trust you!

I bought a horse from a wild herd, who had never been on a headcollar, or had his feet picked up etc. It takes perseverance, esp if she may have had a bad experience in the past. just go her leg down slowly, getting a bit further each time, and when she trusts you pick her foot up, dont try to pick it out, just pick it up & put it straight back down. then gradualy build up the secconds you hold each foot. if she panicks put it down, then try again straigh away so she hasnt 'won'. she'll get the idea! it only took my horse a few weeks, but each one learns differently, and I guess mine had never had a bad experience, he just never learnt. take your time, dont rush her! she'll do it for you when she's good and ready! make sure you gain her trust then you'll be sorted!:)
 
My BM helped me with our foal to get her ready for her first trimming...which I dreaded because it meant the farrier was to hold up her back legs longer than normal!:eek:SCAAARY!!!

But we worked on her everyday...touching the back legs...slooowly...and just moving up to actually picking it up... later brushing, tapping at the hooves...until she got used to knowing that's all it really is.

It take A LOT of work... but I agree with all.... it's a sloooow process, but the outcome to it is rewarding! Best of all.. you do not stress the pony out during the traing process!
 
Oh, tell me about it, Morse can still be a nightmare with his feet, one day quite happy next convinced he is gonna fall over.

If I think he is really 'gonna panic' I just give it a miss or lift his foot for a moment or two, however I have found that having someone stood at his head reassuring him makes a difference, maybe try that along the line.
 
Echo whats been said take it slowly.

After the injury on chunky's leg he'd got fed up with me polticing and then got in a habit of conveniently acting like he was falling over and wanting to slam the foot down.
I kept a packet of polos handy. Pick the foot up briefly, put down, give polo.
They get him use to picking up, hold foot a few seconds, give polo and put foot down gently and then give another polo.
If he falls over or slams foot down don't give polo.

Gradually increase the time you hold foot for and keep tip-bitting with the polos. Horse should soon learn that picking foot up nicely means nice rewards. After a while you should be able to wean him off.
 
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