My horse (Rain) will not pick up his feet. What do i do?

Question

A friend suggested that i put wieghts on his feet but someone else said that they are just 4 show. i really need an answer soon so i can help Rain so that he wont break his leg!

Answer 1

For starters, chain weighting and "rapping" (as MJ suggested) are cruel treatments for teaching a horse to pick up its feet, and if you are seen doing this anywhere near show grounds you can face serious charges. I don't necessarily disagree with weighted shoes, but your farrier may, so you will need to ask him/her before you put all your eggs in that basket. As with any behavioral issue, I always suggest that you have your horse thoroughly evaluated by you vet before beginning any rash training techniques that your yee-haw buddies have told you about. Some background information is also necessary to properly answer this question. Is your horse literally stumbling over himself because he won't pick up his feet, or are you dissappointed that he isn't high-stepping for show? Is this horse a gaited show horse, such as a Morgan, in which this high-stepped gait is "necessary" for show purposes? If you merely want your horse to high step, I will not give you any advice, seeing as I feel that this unatural movement is cruel. But if your horse cannot be ridden because he stumbles and trips over himself, then I can offer advice. If you are dealing with case B, you will need to try and determine the root cause of this behavior. Is it physical pain or just laziness, etc. When did your horse begin to drag his feet? Was it after a long turnout where he perhaps got hurt? Or did you buy him this way? Was this horse a competitive pleasure horse improperly trained to keep his feet low to the ground? Does he have a serious confirmation flaw? All of these questions need to be considered before you throw weighted shoes on your poor horse. In the meantime, don't ride and keep your horse in a small turn out pen (preferably dirt, in the event that he has foundered on grass...). Don't keep him locked in a stall 24-7 to prevent him from moving, but don't be too generous with his turnout space. Call the vet. If the vet check comes up clean, call the farrier. Sometimes vets will overlook feet problems, or will not thoroughly recognize the beginning signs of more serious hoof issues. If your farrier also gives you a clean bill of health, talk about the weighted shoes, but only as a last resort. The worst thing would be to throw heavy shoes on your horse and have him react adversely by not moving at all, or stumble because of the weight and injure himself.

Once both professionals have assured you that your horse is just being a pain in your neck, you can begin working the horse in a round pen. Work your horse without any tack for the first several sessions. Before you begin, pick up his feet as if you were going to pick them (heck, pick them!) and stretch the leg a bit. Send him on to the rail, working all three gaits. When your horse trips over himself, keep him moving if possible. Try teaching to horse to rollback (all of this can be found in a Monty Roberts technique book if you are unfamiliar with round pens). The rollback movement will force your horse to lift his feet, and be aware of where they are going. Many lazy footed horses are only that way because they have no idea where their feet are; they respond like clumsy kids, rather than graceful dancers, by dragging their feet and tripping. There are many quick fixes to this problem, such as weighted shoes, but for your horse's safety and your own, you should start from the basics and work your way back to riding. Sort of re-break your horse. If after a few weeks you aren't getting the results you want, consult the help of a professional trainer or a knowledgable neighboor. Pay attention to the little things, too. How does your horse respond to you in the round pen? Is he trying desperately to pick up his feet? Does he seem nervous or scared to do so? Or does he just ignore you because he is busy watching the pretty butterfly? Even how he moves in his turnout pen (which should be little for his safety!) can clue you in to why he is acting a certain way. Without knowing too much about your horse, this is the best advice I can give you. If you still have trouble, feel free to contact me and I will try to think of something else!

Best Luck!

Answer 2

talk to your blacksmith, he can put weighted shoes on the horse's feet for six months that will force him to pick up his feet. Then after six months and the shoes are changed, he will pick up his feet without difficulty.
BTW why did you post this in health?

Answer 3

the_only_solorose is right about the shoes, but you can also put him on a lead rope and take a thin wooden rod and tap the backside of his legs, like the back of his knees, continue this until he responds. This is training him to have a higher step in his walk.