How To Lift Up A Horses Hoof

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     The thought of lifting a horse's hoof can frighten some people considering that a kick from a horse is able to inflict serious injury! Although exercising caution is fine, the truth is if a person lifts up a horse's foot correctly you will give the horse no power or capability to be able to strike you.

The following is how to correctly lift up a horse's foot:

Beginning on the front foot, move toward the horse on an angle from the head so the horse unmistakably knows that you are near, this is so you will not startle the horse. Put your body even with the shoulder ensuring face its rear, facing the opposite way to the horse.

Ensuring that your feet are not against the horse's foot, begin sliding your hand along the outside of the shoulder as well as down the extant of its leg, finishing slightly higher than the ankle. Lightly grip the ankle and produce a click sound in order to get the horse to lift its foot. If the horse is properly broken, that minute signal should be more than sufficient to make the hoof to lift.

There will be a small difference involving raising a back and front hoof, although the fundamental stance and movements are almost the same. As you lift a horse's back hoof it will usually give a tiny pull that you may misread as a kick. This is an ordinary reflex movement with horses and nothing for you to be concerned about.

Also, as you lift the horse's back foot you'll need to move toward the horse a little so that your hip is under its leg. Put its leg on your thigh, grasp the foot and lightly bend it up. In doing that you afford the horse some support and even more important is that the location of the leg and the bent foot will stop the horse from kicking you.

Whilst you are initially beginning, return the feet carefully to the ground and commend the horse. The other side should be completed precisely as a mirror image, however attempt to finish at the head and begin the other side preferably than moving around the back. It's not a good idea for a novice to move toward or go around all but the most well known horses from behind in such close proximity due to the fact a horse will be close enough to kick out.

Whilst raising any foot attempt to ensure the horse is correctly standing completely on all feet so that as you raise a foot the horse is able to easily stand on its remaining three. At no stage must the horse rest its body on you! Even as you put its back leg on your thigh you're never letting the horse use you as a leaning post.

After you have raised your horse's hoof a number of times it should become extremely effortless and take no more than 5 minutes to pick up and even pick out all feet. Nearly all properly educated horses will lift their foot for you the second they sense your hand pass down their leg.

It is an extremely safe idea to have power over the horse's head whilst you are lifting its feet. This is able to be done by tying the halter to a post or getting a friend to control the horse's head. In holding the head you make sure the horse is not able walk away from you whilst you're attempting to lift his hoof and even worse bend around and have a nip of your rear!