This is my first success at getting Blondie to stand with her hind feet on the stand. She's not tied, only standing in the corner because she loves her fan. I started this training in the round pen, and I felt we might be ready to stand in the barn, today. I use no harsh methods, and no sedation. A horse needs to be able to think clearly and calmly, and that's not possible with them sedated. I help a lot of horses learn to stand, quietly, for hoof care. A draft horse is no different, except that when they don't want to do something, a lot of humans try to make them by being rough or giving them sedation, so they don't have any choice. She has a choice. All I did to get to this point was move her feet when she started to move them. I used intention and purpose when I moved her, until she found "whoa" on her own. Standing still, then, became her idea. No drama. The left hind was the first to go on the stand, so you'll see here that I give her more than a little grace when she's unsure, but she finds it and I get her trimmed. I'll repeat this daily until she goes home in a couple weeks. Her regular farrier will now be able to trim her on a good schedule so her feet stay healthy. I am not a farrier, but I do know how to trim for a balanced hoof, so I've got her headed in the right direction. I've also helped her learn something that will make her farrier's job a whole lot easier.
#honestlyhorses #hoofcare #horsetraining #hooftrimming