Found a better way to handle a nervous draft horse in tight spaces

I had a big Belgian mare in a small barn stall who kept pinning her ears and shifting when I tried to pick up her back feet. Instead of fighting her, I started by just leaning my shoulder into her hip for a full minute without even touching her leg. She relaxed, let out a big sigh, and then let me lift her foot with no fuss. It took a bit longer but saved a lot of stress for both of us. Do you have any other quiet methods for horses that are claustrophobic?

3 comments

3 Comments

barnes.stella20d ago

Yeah but being firm just makes them brace up more in my experience.

davidkim20d ago

Honestly that sounds like a lot of extra time for a horse just being a bit fussy. Most barns are tight spaces, they get used to it. Sometimes you just have to be firm and get the job done.

riverh4920d ago

That's a really smart method, letting the horse make the choice to relax. Davidkim, I get the time crunch, but isn't a few extra minutes of patience better than a fight that teaches the horse to dread the farrier? For a truly claustrophobic horse, have you tried just hanging out in the stall with them doing nothing? No picking feet, no grooming, just being a calm presence so the space itself becomes less scary. It builds trust for next time.