# How to stop PAWING?!?



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Not hopeless. I have a method that has worked many times, but it may seem harsh.

You get a piece of iron, one inch wide and three or four inches long. Either burn (with an ox-acetylene torch) a hole close to one end, or have a local machine shop drill a hole close to one end. 

Tie the iron to a half inch wide nylon dog collar that you can then secure above the horse or mule's knee. Have it hanging down long enough that it will bounce off its' shin. It smarts but does not harm.

I have done this when the horse was damaging trailers or themselves. I've only had to do it a half dozen times at most (with older horses with a deeply ingrained habit of pawing). It has been effective in eliminating the behavior.


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

That reminds me of my BO's method for "curing" head shaking: tie a short piece of string with a nut (the metal kind) to the brow band of the bridle. Hard head shaking (the kind that can break your nose if you are too far forward) will be quite annoying very quickly that way.


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## elkdog (Nov 28, 2016)

My Fjord pawed when I got her. I just hit her with a snowball when she does it. Or a small pebble in the summer. Nothing that hurts them but it gets their attention. It only takes a few times for them to figure it out.


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## ChestnutPony4Life (Dec 30, 2017)

If they don't stop when I firmly say "no" then I just give em a little smack on the shoulder


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## ChestnutPony4Life (Dec 30, 2017)

That won't really help in the trailer though... I'd start by getting some hefty shipping boots so they'll be protected as well as maybe not wanting to move around as much in them


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Hobble and/or tie him in the stall instead of leaving him loose.

I had someone suggest this recently who is very experienced on the track suggest this. You must teach them how to behave in a stall or trailer like you would tied to a tree, hitch rail, etc.
Also use the box stall every day to grain, saddle, unsaddle or groom. Make it part of his everyday routine. 

Once you have the box stall mastered, try hobbling in the trailer. You don't have to pull the trailer but make it part of his routine and teach him to behave inside like the box stall.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

boots said:


> Not hopeless. I have a method that has worked many times, but it may seem harsh.
> 
> You get a piece of iron, one inch wide and three or four inches long. Either burn (with an ox-acetylene torch) a hole close to one end, or have a local machine shop drill a hole close to one end.
> 
> ...


I am trying this with my inveterate pawer. She'll quit if I'm there, but as soon as I leave she'll be back at it. Just saw on of those messages memes on FB that was Brooke to a T . . .

horse: Where are you going?
owner: I'm just going to walk the course.
horse: But I'll be all ALONE
owner: there's lots of horses all around you. You'll be fine.
horse: NOOOO, I can't see you, and there's this horrible banging noise!
owner: try stopping kicking the trailer, then.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

7What boots suggested works good too, especially on horses who have the habit and know better than to paw with you in sight. Horses who are ingrained with the habit deep but have been punished with it learn to not paw if you're within reach or sight. 

The only caveat to this method is if you don't have the collar on the knee they still will paw BUT at least it won't tear apart your trailer or stall.

I've also had horses quit pawing if tied on a rubber mat and figured out they couldn't dig and and it would not produce any results, sort of speak. Usually that's when they are new to pawing and still testing if anything comes of it.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Avna said:


> I am trying this with my inveterate pawer. She'll quit if I'm there, but as soon as I leave she'll be back at it. Just saw on of those messages memes on FB that was Brooke to a T . . .
> 
> horse: Where are you going?
> owner: I'm just going to walk the course.
> ...


I was typing as you posted, I agree, your horse would be a good candidate for the collar over the knee.


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