I have a 2 year old that will be heading to the trainer this spring. She will need shoes so Im wondering how to prepare her for the clanging and stress of having shoes put on. Any tips? I don’t want my shoer to have to wrangle with her.
The first few times we had to put shoes on a young horse, we gave him a mild sedative. He was very calm and just a bit twitchy with his legs. By the fourth visit, no sedation was required. He’s been perfect ever since. My farrier is super patient and never uses force, so that really helps keep things calm.
In comparison, there is a 24 year old mare at my place who has always been a bit of a firecracker for the farrier and it’s a bit of a production to set up the right conditions to keep her calm for the farrier. There are occasions when she skips a trim because she won’t settle and I absolutely do not want her to see the farrier as a source of discipline. But she’s like that for everything. I just wish someone had taken the time to give her a quiet introduction to being handled in strange ways by new people.
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I would make sure that you hold each leg between your legs for as long as the farrier holds them, and at the same height as your farrier. I am fairly short so I have my husband hold my horse’s feet. Which brings up another suggestion to have as many people as possible handle their feet. My mustang had stranger danger at first. Also practice bending the front legs forward, to simulate a shoeing stand.
Then I use another horse’s shoe and first tap the shoe with a hammer while standing next to the horse. Then I tap just the hoof with the hammter. Finally I fake fit the shoe to the foot and tap it with a hammer.
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When picking out his hooves, hold each one up a little longer than needed, and then progress from tapping to really banging on each one a few times with the back side of the hoof pick to simulate nails being driven.
And if your setup permits, stand him in cross ties head to head with another horse is being shod a few times to get him some experience with the farrier truck, the movements, and the noise and the smells before he is the client. Maybe the farrier would be willing to just move a little around him too. Even putting him in a stall so he can look out from a perceived safe place to watch and hear the farrier work will be of some benefit.
And pray you find a farrier who is calm and kind.
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Thats a very good idea. thank you
I can definitely do this. thank you
Thank you!
I never did anything special except make sure they hold their feet calmly when handled and I would use a hammer or hoof pick and lightly tap on the feet and get them used to the feel and sound.
Shoeing was always uneventful. A good farrier will be patient and forgiving when putting shoes on a young horse.
A farrier who “really lights up a horse” for not being perfectly behaved can undo weeks, months, and even years of patient preparation. My now-retired master farrier put it that way to me 40 years ago. Said to avoid them as his successor, and he didn’t hesitate to name who to avoid.
Another favorite quote of his was “on a good day he’ll at best be a mediocre farrier.”
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I agree. Im just now learning that people are using a mild tranq these days on some horses. It sounds like a good way to avoid that inital prospect of a bad experience.
