# She "falls" when I pick her hoof!?



## Blaze (Apr 21, 2012)

Recently my horse starts to fall when I pick her hoof (front, her right). She doesn't lead on me, it's more like she leans backwards and kind of sideways at the same time like she's about to fall or lie down. Why does she do this? She doesn't do it when I pick any of her other hooves... So I dunno, I"ll talk to my vet the next time I go into work (I work for my vet) and see what he says. Thanks


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I can't say why, but the lesson horse where I use to ride at did this with both his fronts. He didn't normally get his hooves picked after his rider switched to a new horse to lease, so it only happened when he was getting his feet trimmed/shod.

I always wondered why he did it. The only thing I could come up with was something concerning a nerve being pinched while his feet were being held up. Of course, I'm not a vet so I can't say anything with much.."truth" behind it. Hoping you get an answer, I'd like to know as well, haha.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

My coming three-year-old does the same thing with the first hoof I pick out (in our case, his left fore). He's just trying to get out of doing something he doesn't want to do and thinks that if he is a pansy about it and falls over, that I won't make him do it. Little does he realize that all that happens is he ends up on the ground and I laugh at him and call him a dork (not that he really understands, but it makes me feel better).

Do you start with your horse's right fore when you pick out her hooves?


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## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

We rescued a mini that did this with both fronts. It's behavioral. Let him fall, just get out of the way. Eventually, they will figure out that, no you don't get out of getting your feet picked. You either stand, or lay down


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

I agree with the other posters he is just trying to get out of doing it. My horse used to do this as well but he now knows that i will let him fall if he tries it.


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## Blaze (Apr 21, 2012)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> My coming three-year-old does the same thing with the first hoof I pick out (in our case, his left fore). He's just trying to get out of doing something he doesn't want to do and thinks that if he is a pansy about it and falls over, that I won't make him do it. Little does he realize that all that happens is he ends up on the ground and I laugh at him and call him a dork (not that he really understands, but it makes me feel better).
> 
> Do you start with your horse's right fore when you pick out her hooves?


No, I start with her left front leg... It's usually the 3rd leg I do (left front, left back, right front, right back). And she's fine with the other ones.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Honestly, it sounds like she's getting bored and trying to get out of just standing around while you clean her hooves out. Let her fall, then make her get back up and keep on cleaning. She'll figure it out.


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## JSMidnight (Mar 15, 2012)

Blaze said:


> No, I start with her left front leg... It's usually the 3rd leg I do (left front, left back, right front, right back). And she's fine with the other ones.



That is the same way I pick my horse's feet out and every time I would pick the right front (the 3rd one) he would try to lay down. I kept letting him try to lay down while he was tied and he figured out that its not a good idea to do that. He never did lay down, as soon as he ran out of rope he would stop.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Try switching up the sequence. I had a leaner when started with his left front. Farrier reversed the sequence-end of leaning issue.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Could there pain in her front left? When you pick up the front right, maybe she's leaning back in order to transfer weight away from the remaining front foot that's on the ground?

Is she reluctant for you to pick up the front right?


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

My horse does it on my farrier (with the back hoofs though). She is NOT trying to get away, she truly loses her balance and if not let the hoof go would fall. Today I backed her bum against the wall in shed and it went much more smoothly: I could tell it helped her with balance. She never loses balance when I mess with her feet, but then I don't extend/raise them as high as the farrier (even if I have to do the touch-up trim). 

If you horse started to do it all the sudden I wonder if it has any pain in either other front hoof or the back (and simply needs both front feet for the comfort and/or balance).


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## Azale1 (Jul 5, 2010)

xJumperx said:


> We rescued a mini that did this with both fronts. It's behavioral. Let him fall, just get out of the way. Eventually, they will figure out that, no you don't get out of getting your feet picked. You either stand, or lay down


 
I completely agree with this. If it were some kind of physical issue then he would be showing other signs of lameness. But since he isn't it is very much most likely behavioral. Let him fall. He will very quickly realize that it isn't so much fun to do this.


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## Blaze (Apr 21, 2012)

Thanks for your replies, everybody! I had somebody come out and it's completely behavioral!


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## Army wife (Apr 29, 2012)

I would check to make sure there is not any pain first. My filly tried to pull this little trick on me when she was about a year old... I knew there wasn't any pain or anything like that. I also know her well enough to know she was being a little turd. So I pushed my shoulder into her shoulder and pushed her over. Never done it since!


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

My daughter's horse did this with her right hind and with her it was 100% behavioral, however I would always rule out sudden pain before I went to behavior modification. If it just came on suddenly, she may have been sore, but got away with it because you'd drop her foot. 

With our mare, I swatted her belly, and growled at her a little and she realized I wouldn't drop her foot. It took each person who would mess with her foot to do the same though. Now my daughter can pick her feet without out her being tied, and there is no more arguement.

Remember, horses are just as good at training us as we are at training them...sometimes I think they might be better!


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