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Posted by Nanci on May 22, 2004 at 08:34:24:
In Reply to: help with horse posted by OneMadeForHorses on May 20, 2004 at 20:20:05:
: A friend of mine has a horse named Starfire.Star does not like people touching her hooves or her legs.Does someone know how to help with this problem?
This is a common problem, as many people never consider working with a horse's legs or feet during the training process. If Star is not violent about the process, your friend could simply rub down the legs, going a bit farther down the legs in each session - this is going to take some time and patience and reward, reward, reward good behavior. If Star is violent about it, use a stick with a glove on the end of it (stuffed to resemble a hand) and do the rubbing, stroking with that so you have some distance in case she is a striker or kicker. Work only in short, positive sessions - and don't get anyone hurt, owner or horse. There are a number of videos and/or books out there that address this particular problem - they might be helpful, but the bottom line is be consistent and don't overdo it and reward even the smallest progress. Make it a relaxing time for Star - what could have started this behavior was someone grabbing at her legs, forcing her to lift her feet, etc. Horses feel very vulnerable when they aren't in complete control of their legs and feet - they are flight animals and as such they depend on that control to get them out of situations they view as dangerous. Hope this helps. Good luck.