Babies Don’t Know…
In just a few more months, we will have new foals on the ground and soon they will need to have their hoofs trimmed and balanced. But before we do that, we need to teach young foals how to stand for you and your farrier.
I, being a professional farrier, having been able to work with horses on a professional level for over 20 years now, have taken my knowledge along with my horsemanship skills and have applied it to my shoeing. I have also helped my clients deal with some problems and issues they have come across.
The men that I look up to and have learned from all have had one thing in common…all of them have horsemanship skills on a professional level. Can you honestly say that someone can acquire horsemanship skills from reading a book alone? Or learn this skill in a 6 to 8 week course? No, you can’t! This skill takes a lot of time spent working and dealing with horses on a regular and/or daily basis. When working with horses as long as I have and as often as I have and still do, you will come to realize that horsemanship skills becomes a part of you. Horses are so unpredictable. Each horse that we deal with from time to time is not going to respond the same as another. Now, let’s trim some babies.
A lot of farriers or people in general try to trim foals in the shed row, wash rack, round pin or even a field and that usually does not work. Put the foal somewhere where it feels safe and secure, like its stall. Hopefully you, the horse owner, will already have the foal halter broke. Once the foal is in the stall, keep everything low key and calm. Rub the foal all over from its head to its tail before you try to pick up his foot.
Something else that’s very important to remember, while working on foals or any horse for that matter, the owner should be on the same side of the horse as the farrier. Most people think they should be on the opposite side. Why? you ask…well, let me tell you. If you, the horse owner, are on one side of the foal or horse, holding him or her while I, the farrier, am on the opposite side trying to pick up the hoof, say the foal makes a wrong move and what happens? You pull the foal’s head to you, now the foal’s rear and hind legs come towards my head in a perfect kicking position. Now, if we are on the same side of the foal, or any horse, together and the foal moves, you pull the foal’s head towards you and his hind area goes away from both you and I. Both you and I are safe! Okay, back to the stall…..
We’ve got you holding the foal, you and the farrier on the same side of the foal remembering to keep calm, keeping in mind that yelling, screaming, etc. at the foal will not help matters any, and we need to trim its hoofs. If the foal walks off, try to guide its head towards the corner of the stall. This will stop the foal from being able to move around so much. One of a baby’s biggest fears is falling over, so try to get the foal as close to the wall as you possibly can. Once its hip rests on the stall wall, the foal will feel comfortable knowing it won’t fall over. You try to pick up the hoof and the foal kicks a few times, this is normal and very common. As you try to pick up the hoof again, stay calm and cool. Remember that it’s just a baby and it doesn’t know any better.
If you are having no luck picking up the foal’s hoof, this tip should assist in helping you to get the foal to pick it up. Get a cotton rope, about 10 feet long; this won’t burn the foal’s leg. Cast the rope between its hind legs enough so that you can pick up each end of the rope…use this rope to pick up the foal’s hoof by holding each end of the rope in your hand. This way you are out of danger from a kick. Do this until the foal stops kicking and that you are able to hold the hoof and leg in your hand. It is important not to give up because, like with any animal, if you give in enough, it will remember and will resist you each time. Now, trim the foal’s hoof. After you have trimmed all four hoofs, go around the foal a few times picking up each hoof to get your foal comfortable with doing so. If you can, do this for the next few days making sure the foal does not forget and within no time, you foal will stand for both you and your farrier. By starting with this tactic early on with the foal, it will make cleaning the hoof, trimming, shoeing, etc. so much easier on you and your farrier and will save you time and a possible headache.
The most important thing to remember is to be safe and stay calm with babies, because again, these foals don’t know any better until we teach them. When your foal learns early on to pick up its hoofs, the foal will think nothing of it and this will make you, your farrier and your horse safe. Remember that a horse can sense fear and nervousness so you need to feel comfortable with your horse picking up its hoofs. If you are calm, the horse should remain calm.
I hope this helpful tip will assist you, or maybe even someone you know, in some way. I feel it is important to guide and educate horse owners as much as possible. Besides the fact that it will make my life easier, it will also benefit you when handling your horse on your time. With too much knowledge, you simply can’t go wrong! Just think what better horsemanship skills we can acquire if we all work together educating one another. Remember, a mind is like a parachute, it must be opened in order for it to work. (Thank you LF for this memorable quote.)
J THANK YOU FOR
Emmet Stevens,
Professional Farrier and Horseman