Found a way to handle a nervous horse without fighting the feet

Had a mare last month that would clamp down the second I picked up a hoof. Tried waiting her out, tried talking soft, nothing worked. Then I remembered a guy in Kentucky saying to tap the leg with my rasp first before reaching down. One gentle tap on the cannon bone, wait for her to relax, then lift. Three taps later she let me work all four feet without a single pull. Anyone else use a pre-lift signal to get a horse to cooperate?

2 comments

2 Comments

hannah3851mo agoTop Commenter

Is it really that big of a deal if the job gets done?

aaron_gonzalez1mo ago

Hey, "waiting her out and talking soft" is exactly what I'd keep doing. You're basically teaching that horse to brace for a tap instead of actually trusting your hands, which is just swapping one bad habit for another. A rasp is a tool, not a training aid, and that mare is still gonna clamp down if you ever forget your little routine.