I can think of one time that I kicked a horse. It was more the ribcage. I was leading 4 horses and the mare was being rude. I growled at her first with no response. Not the most elegant correction but the only one I had available. These horses were used to being led 4 at a time. If they had gotten away from me it would have been annoying but not dangerous as the entire property was enclosed.
Basically the horse needs to learn to stand.
The way I would teach it is to put them on the aisle with no crosswise (humans over rely on the crossties), and then
a combination of negative reinforcement (when the horse moves, immediately put her feet back where they were, MILD use of a chain shank is ok to correct when they move off but nothing more than what gets them to step back where they were), and positive reinforcement (when horse stands flat footed and centered with head facing front, click and treat. Head facing front is important so they never learn to mug you for treats).
I do not get hauling off and kicking the horse in the belly because in my opinion that would just get them to move MORE, which is the opposite of what you want.
Another intelligent way to stop fidgeting is to just pick up one of their feet. If you see your horse us fidgeting and the farrier/groom/vet is getting frustrated, be smart and just pick up an opposite leg without needing to be asked. Help your horse behave.
There are lots of smarter, milder, and more effective ways to handle this behavior than what the OP reports happened.
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Having shod horses for several yeas, please ALWAYS let your farrier know what you will do that may change how the horse stands.
Before you reposition a horse or pick up a foot to help it stand, be sure the farrier/vet/whoever is working with the horse know.
Here, depending on what you may do, the horse may move or change weight in a way it could affect and/or surprise the farrier, that may not know why the horse is starting to move.
The same applies to the farrier, be sure the one holding the horse knows what you are doing, is paying attention.
No surprises for the handler, the farrier or horse is best.
Some horses stand better with a helper, others without one.
Especially if the helper is going to do it’s own thing to train or trying to help while the farrier is trying to get the feet done.
Many start and train horses teaching them to be responsive, some times forgetting to teach also to stand there patiently.
Teaching to stand there is best to also be taught, is not learned near as well as a default behavior as when worked on and practiced purposefully.
Especially with eager beaver young horses as this three year old filly, that seems to be trying to cooperate.
Patience training, not an overreactive trainer, may work best for her.
One example, working in an orphanage as a student, a new aid started that was too quick to “make kids mind”.
It was explained to her the situation was not one where kids were in imminent danger and needed to get their attention immediately.
She was taught how to kindly and gently redirect kids into the desired behaviors.
This one assistant trainer in the OP’s story, that went right off to a harsh correction, if the situation presented is as told, when the horse was not acting up, but just not quietly standing there, was compounding the problem for the horse, escalating it to an objectionable level of punishment rarely acceptable, much less as a standard when handling horses.
Similar to slapping a kid on the ear for giving the wrong math answer, completely unacceptable and counterproductive.
What to do in such situations?
Maybe try to stand up for the horse, at least ask why go there, let the person know that is questionable.
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Yeah my thoughts exactly. I went to the facility pressing that I want ground work/handling/manners focused on. They pushed and pressed for under saddle training because this or that, I said I didn’t agree, and was basically told I had no clue and to trust them I have no idea what I’m doing and so let them take the lead. And here we are… a year later… nice. We move at the end of this month thank god. What a nightmare.
what did I learn that hopefully can tip off someone else in my shoes: when someone comes at you with “you don’t know the answers, only we know” RUN. Competent professionals don’t have to run their mouth by putting down clients. They let their work do the talking.
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i am! Woooohooo! Found a great new place not run by any one trainer, not a private facility.
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i would not have allowed someone to intervene. I’m the owner/trainer/and supreme goddess of all my horses…no one, no one at all, gets to take charge of anything without a long, drawn-out conversation about what will be happening. You cannot even click your tongue at my horse. I personally find it very hard to believe that anyone would take a swab and try to show me how to manhandle my horse into compliance. I’m pretty assertive, and no one would try. As for a horse standing still for all kinds of leg and hoof stuff, that needs to be trained. They are not born wanting people to handle their feet. And teaching such is a process that i wouldn’t want anyone getting in the middle of. Currently, i am teaching three of my mustangs to have their legs and feet touched and handled and i’m here to tell you that is is NOT a natural inclination for a horse to allow it’s feet administered to. It must be taught.
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I’d never in a million years let someone kick my horse, for any reason, ever. I can’t even imagine!
That being said, yes - you do sound rather passive as an owner, OP, which invariably gives people the idea that it’s okay to overstep.
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