Conference noted::equitation

    
    
    Most of my young horses born at my home are used to having their
    feet picked up from the day they are born.  However, when I
    bought a colt from someone else this wasn't so.  He'd never had
    his feet worked with.  The best way to tackle this (according to
    my blacksmith), is to keep working with them for a little time
    every day.  I did this and at first he struggled and I would
    not persist if he got dangerous and I could have been injured.
    However, after a couple of weeks, he began to allow me to pick
    them up without fuss.
    
    Goodluck.  This isn't any earth-shattering solution but it's
    better than forcing an unwilling animal and possibly getting
    killed yourself.  If this doesn't work, you may need to ask
    for more advice.
    
    Linda
    
    

Liesl,

It may be that the reason your mare leans on you is because she's in heat.
Yes they can have heats this time of year.  But if you've owned her long
enough and she's been acting this way consistently then I guess thats not
it.  

Some tricks for getting her to pick up her foot:

First of all - don't give her a big 'build up' before asking for her foot.
With many horses you might give them a pat on the shoulder first and then
run your hand down their leg to the foot and lean against them with your
body.  She'll just anticipate what you're going to ask and get all prepared
to lean back on you!

Try using your finger nail to pinch the skin by her tendons; she'll feel a
sharpness and possibly lift her foot up right away. 

From the sounds of it this may not be enough.  You'll probably need someone's
help.  Someone should stand by her head and encourage her to stand balanced.
As soon as she leans on you it's all over.  She's a lot heavier and will win.
NEVER TRY TO LEAN BACK ON HER.  If you should manage to get her foot for a split
second then hang on to it at the hoof -- NOT above the fetlock joint.  It
weighs less this way.  And once you've got her hoof DON'T LET GO.  She may leap,
she may go down nearly to the floor... but she's got 3 other feet to hold  her
-- and they'll usually stand up before falling...  often if you let go
they WILL fall.   Speak sternly to her when she's swinging around.

Does she yield to you pushing her in general?  Try giving her some basic
manners-type lessons on moving away from your hand.  She should be willing 
to step aside when you push on her barrel or rump.  Watch out for her flanks
-- if she's mare-ish she won't like that!  Always reward her for stepping
away when you ask.  If this is also a problem then maybe tapping her with
a long dressage-length (or other) whip would help.  Ofcourse you're always
trying to make her training experiences 'happy.'  Be patient with her. Most
young horses have an automatic respect for the whip without ever having been
hit with it.

You may need to resort to using a lead shank over her nose and giving a yank 
to get her to stand on all fours properly.  

I've had this problem with my mare.  She only does the leaning bit
when she's in heat.  Some blacksmiths refused to shoe her when she was in heat
because she can be so terrible.  Now I purposely try to schedule her shoeings
around her heats.  I'd rather avoid the trauma.  When I need to pick her foot
I just trick her.  I lean on her and pretend I want her left front foot say --
and then cross over and grab her right front foot underneath.  It's not a good
horse management practice -- but it's the only way I can do it alone.  

Also -- if you have someone else you can have them 'pretend' to ask for her
right front fore while you move in and get her left front.  I must sound 
crazy.  I justify using these foolish methods by saying it's only a couple
days a month when I have to...  If it were every day though -- I think you
should try battling it out.  A good blacksmith knows tons more tricks than I
do and sometimes they will cure your horse for you.

-Melinda

    From your question, I was not sure if you are having trouble actually
    picking the foot up off the ground, or holding it up once you have
    it. If the mare won't even let you pick it up off the ground, you
    might try throwing your shoulder into hers with your weight behind
    the shove, and as she gets unbalanced, pick up the front leg on
    that side.  You might not have as much time to slide your hand down
    the leg, but if you are able to slide your hand down from the fetlock
    to the hoof, and pick up the hoof, that's enough to start.  Hold
    the hoof for a few seconds, and reward her with a carrot or grain.
    
    Do this with both front legs a few times in a row each time you
    come out to work with the horse, but see if you can eliminate the
    shove, and just try sliding your hand down the leg, and leaning
    some of your weight on her leg. With the hind legs, you might only
    need to lean your shoulder into the hindquarters as you slide your
    hand down the front of the cannon bone (or down the tendons on the
    back of the leg) towards the hoof.   You can always try pinching
    the tendon right above the fetlock as an extra reminder.
    
    The best thing you can do is reward and praise the horse when she
    shows the slighest signs of being cooperative.
    
    Good luck.

    Status report: With the help of a friend and some alfalfa cubes
    we were able to get her feet off the ground (finally) but she then
    started pawing. We held firm and went through this twice trying
    to make sure K.T. (Kansas Taffy) knew we put the foot down and not
    her. The real test will be tomorrow when I see how much she remembers
    as I try again. I can see why this is easier with a foal. My arms
    still ache, she must be testing me. Liesl
    
    

    RE: .4 
    
    Liesl, at least your making some headway on this. They do seem to
    make it hard on us sometimes, but it's worth it in the end.
    
                                         Steve_who_loves_his_Arabian
    
    
    
    

    What I usually do is to tap the back of the foot gently with the
    hoof pick or handle of the hoof knife. Most horses are sensitive
    here (tickelish), where the hair ends on the back of the fetlock
    and the hoof begins. They usually lift the heel of the foot and
    then I lift the foot by the bottom of the pastern with my fingers
    at the front of the hoof and my thumb at the back.This almost always
    works even on a horse you are teaching to lift his feet for you.
    On a green horse have your hand on the pastern first with the back
    feet, with them being unsure of what you want they most likely will
    cow kick and you can be sure the foot doesn't contact your leg.
    
    It works for me - John Perkins