Less Is More

The more people try to micromanage their horse’s feet, often the less control they have, and the less desirable the horse’s behavior becomes. An example I see often when I am trimming/shoeing a horse is the horse owner already knows their horse doesn’t stand well, so the owner will shorten up on the lead rope putting constant pressure on the horse in an attempt to keep the horse’s head still, expecting the horse’s body to follow suit. The horse instantly becomes anxious, and even when the horse does stand well for a moment, the owner doesn’t release the pressure. Consequently, the only way the horse gets any sense of relief is escalating how he reacts to feel safe. People are often amazed how their horse will relax and stand calmly by just dropping the rope on the ground and letting the horse be responsible for his own feet. Remember, the more you can show a horse he can safely move his feet, the less he’ll desire to move.