# My horse hates the farrier! Anything I can do to improve this?



## Loyalty09 (Apr 23, 2011)

I have a weird suggestion I bet you have not tried. We have a Belgian mare at our barn who will only stand quietly if she is saddled and has some one sitting on her and some one holding her. 

Don't know why it works. She is more willing to respond to a rider and it is easier than handling her from the ground. Might want to give it a try.

Other than that....holding her feet for picking isn't enough. Hold them for extended periods of time, as a farrier would. Try to replicate any actions the farrier would do. And if you can, have a friend work on this also.


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## srh1 (Jun 3, 2012)

Also watch the behaviour of the farrier. If he's been her farrier her whole life and she hates the farrier maybe it's not just her? Some farriers have a way with horses, some dont and others only work well with certain types of horses. We had a TB mare that was just awful for the farrier, until we switched farriers. It took a few times for her to learn to behave with the new one, but she was improving everytime he came.


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

Hi there! Welcome to the forum, it's priceless!

Well, there could be several things going on here. First off sounds like you've been doing a great job with her. If she's good for you and doesn't have any other behavioral problems outside of your current farrier it could be him. She could just have his number from the past.
My gelding was a complete doll when I got him. In your pocket, puppy dog, bomb proof. I thought he just had some minor holes in his riding training. THEN, I had the vet and the farrier out! Whew! Total 180! He went from puppy dog to a snorting fire breathing MONSTER as soon as he saw ANY large boned male. My guess is he was manhandled and I know he was being ridden by a hardcore man that was at least 150 lbs. over my horses weight limit. So, after I sent him off to a trainer (who was a female) I got him home and did months of serious ground work with him. I had the vet and the farrier out multiple times, both thinking I was crazy for getting him, and finally found a new young willing patient (small boned) guy to work with his feet. This new farrier is great with him. He came out yesterday and by the third hoof Rick was sleeping. We did have some minor moments, but the farrier was PATIENT, talked to him, stroked him, and gave him his time.

So I'd suggest, if she isn't bad with anything else and she's willing for you, get a man who looks NOTHING like this farrier and go through the motions. See how she does. I'd even get a strange female to do the same, see the reaction. If she acts wonky with both those then I'd start working her hard when she acts up with some round pen work, you know the drill, make the right thing easy the wrong thing hard.
BUT, if she acts fine with the other people I'd change farriers.

Good Luck!


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## nuisance (Sep 8, 2011)

I had a mare that wouldn't let a man touch her, but gentle as a kitten with women. And, my current horse, after she injured herself, was a little demon at the vet's office. I suggested they have one of the girls catch her, she was sweet as can be. Her previous owner, MALE, use to beat her, and she's still very cautious of men.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I may be the bearer of bad news, but try a different farrier?

My horse used to try and KILL.. yes.. kill.. his old farriers and vets before I came along. He will let me know which ones he does NOT like but has begun to tolerate a lot since I've had him. 

As mentioned, some farriers handle horses different than other farriers. Maybe she needs a woman farrier for awhile (they're usually a lot more direct but in a gentler way from what I've experienced) 

Maybe she doesn't like the shoes which is why she reacts so intensely. My horse can't deal with shoes.. he had to be sedated the last time and only the fronts. Hinds.. not happening.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

maybe have a man , pick her feet to see if it is a male issue or if it is the farrier. Do you hold her hoof the way the farrier does? Maybe it stressing her joints causing her pain. You could also try some Bribes, yes bribes, while the farrier is there, if she stands quite, she gets a treat. piece of carrot or apple.
chop your carrots and apples up into small pieces . Does the farrier pet her or talk to her?


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Keep working with her hooves, pick them up, stretch her legs out and tap on the soles with your hoof pick. You keep doing this until she is perfectly behaved with you. Then if she misbehaves with the farrier, maybe it is time to try another farrier, he could be torquing her legs in a way that is painful for her. I had a mare like that, my farrier realized this and told me he made a "wimpy" tool for her (something about finishing off the clinches, he used this tool instead of the regular way he did it) and made sure he was in a position while holding her leg so he didn't hurt her. Now that's the kind of farrier you need, in fact, everyone needs.


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## mtngrl7500 (May 29, 2011)

I have no suggestion but wish you lots of luck! This brings back memories of a mare I had once that was HORRID when it came to the farrier. We always had to sedate her and it still took two people handling. She reared and flipped over one day...after that we would sedate her and lay her down. It was awful.


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

My horse isnt bad for the farrier when he is doing trims but hates getting shoes on his back feet, everytime i clean his feet out (a couple times a week) i take my hoof pick turn it to the side and bang on his hoof, as if the farrier were pounding in a nail. He is slowly getting better


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## Kato (Apr 20, 2011)

My mare got a bad trim from the male farrier who trims where I work. It was on her left rear, it was so short and painful. 

From then on that farrier was only able to ever do her front feet (and that was a fight). 

After I bought her and moved her I had a different male farrier come out. He was also able to do the fronts....althought it was a fight, slightly less so. But not the rear without sedation. Her feet were bad from not having been done so we gave her half a dose of sedation. He took the extra time to pet and talk to her as he worked. 

Since then it has been a lot of work for her to allow a man to pick up her feet. I got her go she was great for doing it for me then my BO (who is male) started helping me. Then once he was ok we got the farrier who is the BO's friend started coming down and spending time with her not doing her feet. 

Almost a full year later she can have her feet done with minimal fuss but boy it has been a journey to get there. I highly suggest trying a different farrier to see if that makes a difference. That could be a "minor" change that makes a world of difference.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

To me, the whole feed thing is rewarding her, instead of helping with this. And that is not solving problem.

Have you tried twitching her rather than sedating?

And switching farriers might be worth a shot too, as he may hold legs in odd position and put strain on horse.

But I'd sedate rather than do the feed thing, or twitch.


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## possumhollow (Apr 19, 2012)

We have one that is pain in the tush about being shod. He gets two chance; 1. to stand up and act right, 2. the twitch, and last but not least, 3. sedated.

We've tried different farriers, it doesn't matter, Flame is just a toad about it. We can usually manage the fronts, but for the hinds my husband sedates him so it's safer for all involved. BTW, Flame is 12 and we've been working with this since he was a weanling.


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## Prinella (Jul 12, 2011)

The fact that he also played up for your friend could say alot. Have a few friends play with his feet see how he goes. Make sure you can stretch his legs out like a farrier would. 

How overweight is she? I'm wondering of she's getting one over you very sneakily. Then having a tanty because the farrier holds her firm and won't let her lean
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Hjwalker (Jun 7, 2012)

FlyGap said:


> Hi there! Welcome to the forum, it's priceless!
> 
> Well, there could be several things going on here. First off sounds like you've been doing a great job with her. If she's good for you and doesn't have any other behavioral problems outside of your current farrier it could be him. She could just have his number from the past.
> My gelding was a complete doll when I got him. In your pocket, puppy dog, bomb proof. I thought he just had some minor holes in his riding training. THEN, I had the vet and the farrier out! Whew! Total 180! He went from puppy dog to a snorting fire breathing MONSTER as soon as he saw ANY large boned male. My guess is he was manhandled and I know he was being ridden by a hardcore man that was at least 150 lbs. over my horses weight limit. So, after I sent him off to a trainer (who was a female) I got him home and did months of serious ground work with him. I had the vet and the farrier out multiple times, both thinking I was crazy for getting him, and finally found a new young willing patient (small boned) guy to work with his feet. This new farrier is great with him. He came out yesterday and by the third hoof Rick was sleeping. We did have some minor moments, but the farrier was PATIENT, talked to him, stroked him, and gave him his time.
> ...


Thanks so much for this, however i cannot change farriers as my yard uses one farrier and thats just the way it is, i abide by their rules or i leave basically lol!


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

Hi, 
I know this sounds a bit weird and might cost you in the short term. Try having the farrier come out and just pick up one foot or two, clean them and then leave, no trimming not hammering just him handling her feet. Have the farrier give them a treat. We had a client try this and it does help. Beak that negative association.


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