Handling the Horse's Legs & Feet

© Sheila D. Hardie 2001-2002. All rights reserved.

What you'll need:

• Leather halter
• 6' cotton lead rope
• Gloves
• 12' x 12' stall or other safe, enclosed area

Safety First:

When working with horses, safety should always comes first. For the horse it means a leather halter that will break (and prevent strangling) if the horse gets into too much trouble, and a cotton lead to prevent rope burns should the rope get tangled around the horse's leg or the handler's arm. For the handler it means wearing a helmet in situations where it may be called for as well as wearing suitable shoes that have a heel and offer traction. Gloves are optional but, like a helmet, they are a good idea in most situations where safety if a concern. I like to use the horse's stall (or a small pen where the horse has been fed for at least a week) for these types of lessons because the stall (or pen) is familiar to the young horse and he won't feel quite as alienated as he might if we took him to a strange location. Working in the stall also prevents the young horse from dragging the handler across the paddock in his attempts to get away. **NEVER tie the horse for these lessons! There are too many things that can go wrong, thereby making future lessons that much more difficult. Having the horse on a leadrope is actually beneficial in many cases because the horse will not feel "cornered" and is less apt to fight than if he was tied.

Getting started:

Start by quietly approaching the horse on his "near" of left side and rubbing, not patting, his shoulder or withers. Speak in a soothing voice and drag your words out a bit longer than usual (e.g. gooood booooy) and make sure that your body language conveys the same message: "We are in no hurry and I have no intention of harming you". It is rather amazing how much influence the human voice has over a horse's behavior! You may notice right away that the horse has relaxed and is more attentive to you or it may take a moment or two. Either is fine, as you don't want to rush into something the horse isn't ready for. Once he has relaxed sufficiently you may quietly halter the horse and turn him so that his head is in the center of the stall. We will assume that the horse is "okay" with having his front feet messed with and we will skip to working with the hind legs. Most young horses do not mind the front feet lifted but resist when it comes to the hind feet - if your horse has a problem with the front feet as well, just apply these same principles when working with him. We are assuming the young horse in this lesson is afraid or has not been handled much; if your youngster is used to being approached and handled then you should not have to approach him as quietly as outlined above. Use your better judgement to decide which approach is best.

Procedure:

Put the lead rope in your left hand and put your left hand on the neck, where it meets the shoulder - to "push" him away if he crowds you or to "pull" him in a circle if he tries to move away. Start moving your right hand in a circular rubbing motion down the length of his back. If he tenses up then leave your hand where it is and continue to rub in a circular motion until the horse relaxes. When he does, continue moving down his back until you get to the croup (rump). Again, if he tenses up or moves away, keep your hands on him (do not "reward" him by taking your hand away!) and continue the rubbing motion in the same spot until he is comfortable with it. Eventually he will stop moving away from your hand when he figures out that it doesn't do him any good. Remember to keep your left hand resting in front of his shoulder for control and keep speaking to him in a soothing voice - this lets the horse know that you are not intending to hurt or frighten him.

Once the horse is comfortable with your hand on his croup and hindquarter then you may proceed to move your right hand slowly down the left hind leg. Keep rubbing slowly and talking to the horse as you move your hand down his leg. Usually you will make it to the hock and the horse will jerk the foot up or circle away from you. Either way, move with him (your left hand still on his shoulder preventing him from crowding you) and keep your right hand right where it was when he started to move away. As long as he does not feel threatened or "trapped" he will not get overly excited and he will stop moving at some point. As soon as he stops moving, remove your hand and pet him to tell him he's a good boy. He has done what YOU wanted, not what HE wanted, and he should begin to understand the rules now. Start again at the croup and work your way down the leg. You may have to repeat the previous exercise a few times before he gets the hint, but most horses "get it" pretty quickly unless they have been abused in the past. In that case you may need the help of a qualified professional.

When the horse will stand still with your hand on his hock then it's time to move down the shank (hind cannon). Keeping your left hand at its previous position at the shoulder, slowly move your right hand down the outside of the hind cannon bone and give it a light squeeze. This will either get him moving away from you again (in which case you will again move with him and only remove your hand when he stands still) or he will snap his hind leg up and possibly kick out. If he kicks out of reflex then just ignore it, but if he kicks AT you purposely then give him a tug on the lead rope to let him know that you are paying attention and that kicking is unacceptable. If he snaps the leg up and holds it up while your hand is still on it then you are finished with the lesson for the time being. Praise him and let him know that he did exactly the right thing. It may take several tries to get your point across but with patience and firm kindness, you should start to see an improvement with each lesson. The key to this exercise is to keep your hand on the horse when he moves away from you. This teaches the horse that you are in control of the situation and not him - he moves away to get away from you and once he learns that moving away doesn't achieve his desired result, he will stop doing it.

Maintenance:

Remember to maintain a calm and relaxed attitude throughout the lesson even if the horse misbehaves. If you are not nervous about the lesson then the horse probably won't be either. Keep the lessons short (15 minutes at max with a youngster) and always end on a positive note - even if you only make it to the hock without him moving away, that is a big step for a young horse who doesn't like his legs touched. Repeat the lessons a few times per week and pretty soon you shouldn't have a problem picking the hind legs up. Your farrier will appreciate your efforts and you and your horse will have spent some quality bonding time together! The concept of this exercise also works well for a horse who resists being sprayed with fly repellent (use water for the first few lessons so you don't waste your good stuff) or being washed with a hose, etc.

About the author:

Sheila lives in Williston, FL and raises Arabian horses as well as the occasional Gypsy Vanner Horse. She can be reached at info@rendezvufarm.com and her website can be viewed at http://www.rendezvuonline.com.

Disclaimer: