Sunday, June 28, 2009

With in the near future I want to learn how to trim my horses feet. So I have started getting them ready so that they will be really good with handling their feet. All four of our horses are pretty good with there feet but each one of them have "issues" [for lack of a better word].

So Lord willing I am going to go out every day for the next while and spend time with each horse, picking up their feet, rubbing their legs, and just getting them used to everything.

I have done this for two days now. I pretty much know each strategy that I am going to use with each horse.

- For my Left Brain Introvert I am going to hold his feet for a short time then let him have a rest and maybe some oats or something. Prince [my LBI] will pick up and hold his foot really nicely for a little bit but then he starts struggling and wants it back. Now with his back legs I have to play more friendly before I pick them up and then do the same thing, hold it for a little bit then put it back down. Each time I will hold each foot a little bit longer till he will let me hold it for a long time and let me move it around with out him struggling and pulling his foot back.

- For my Right Brain Introvert I am just going to spent a lot of time massaging his legs even before I pick them up. Especially his back legs!! As soon has I pick them up he gets worried and freezes. His front feet are pretty good but he still get worried after a while. So Twosox will probably be the easiest because once he gets more confident then he should do really well.

- My sister's Left Brain Extrovert will be a little more tricky. I have to be quick at first then gradually lengthen how long I am holding his feet. He gets bored SO easily so that should be fun!!

- My mom's Left Brain Introvert is really good with his feet. So I have to keep it interesting and advance it before he gets bored. His back feet are a little harder to pick up then his front feet but one you are holding it he is fine. With Knightly I have to work on the pick up of his feet. Once you are holding his feet he will let you hold it no problem but it is when you ask him to pick it up he can be a little more difficult.

So I have my work cut out for me but even though I have only been doing this two days I can already see a change!!! I it will be interesting to see what they are all like after 4-7 days.

~K