21 December 2007 10:15
My 18-year-old mare refuses to lift her feet so I can pick them out. She isn’t shod and will need her feet trimming soon – but this will be impossible unless her behaviour changes. I haven’t had her long.
Answer
By Your Horse
Farrier Glyn Trundle advises…..
It seems unlikely that your hose has reached 18 without having her feet done, and if they have been regularly trimmed in the past I’m sure she won’t be difficult. Warn your farrier to allow plenty of time. They have a knack of being able to get all types of horses to pick their feet up anyway.
If this is your first horse she might just be testing you, turning her behaviour into a kind of game. She’s 18 years old so she’ll have learned a few tricks!
Talk to her old owner and ask her to come and give you some pointers. Also, bear in mind that as horses get older their joints become stiffer so it’s more difficult for them to stand on three legs.