Most horses don’t fight the farrier out of defiance. They fight because they’re afraid, unbalanced, or simply don’t understand what’s happening.
When I first met Dodge, a six-year-old unbroken gelding, his owners told me he couldn’t have his back hooves trimmed. He’d kick out the moment anyone tried. They’d managed a few front trims over the years, but never a full farrier visit. His hind legs were off-limits, and there was some urgency – he broke off a toe and was now lame. We needed to get him ready for a farrier visit, but I wanted to do it without fear or force.
Rather than focusing on brute desensitisation or forcing compliance, I approached Dodge’s fear through balance work, proprioception, and confidence-building. Over three groundwork sessions, our goal was to help him understand his own body, accept the handling, and feel safe enough to hold a hoof without defensiveness.
Understanding the “Why” Behind a Horse’s Kick
Before I even thought about lifting a hoof, I wanted to understand Dodge’s “why.” Horses are prey animals – taking away a leg removes their ability to flee. Add a touch of pain, imbalance, or uncertainty, and that moment can feel terrifying.
In Dodge’s case, I noticed two things straight away: his clumsiness and his posture. He crossed his legs when standing and shifted awkwardly whenever I moved him. Later, it became clear that one of his front hooves was sore, which meant that every time someone tried to lift the opposite hind, he had to bear extra weight on the painful leg.
That was his “why.” His kicking wasn’t aggression. It was self-preservation.
Before we can help a horse like Dodge, we have to understand why so many horses find farrier work stressful. If you’d like to explore the deeper reasons horses resist handling and how to rebuild their confidence, I’ve unpacked this further in the Farrier Prep Guide for Horse Owners – it’s a free resource that will make your farrier day a breeze.
How I Helped Dodge In Just 3 Days
Session 1 – Building Trust and Introducing Leg Handling
Before any training, I spent a few quiet minutes just meeting Dodge – letting him sniff, breathe, and see that I was listening. It’s my way of saying hello and setting the tone for the session.
Using a carrot stick, I started with gentle rubs down each leg. If he moved, I stayed lightly in contact until he stopped, then released. Between tries, I gave him time to process.
Once he was comfortable, I swapped to a long rope, rubbing and swinging it until he accepted movement around his legs. Then I introduced the first “ask”: looping the rope around a fetlock, adding a little pressure, and releasing the moment he shifted his weight or thought about lifting.
By the end of the session, Dodge could briefly lift and set each foot down without tension. I made sure he was standing roughly square each time so the leg I asked for wasn’t carrying his full weight.
Session 2 – Deepening Understanding and Setting Boundaries
The second session followed the same process, but with more depth and intention. This time, I invited Dodge’s owner to be part of it. My goal is always to leave the human with skills, not just a horse that’s “fixed.”
By now, Dodge’s body awareness had already shifted. Early on, his legs tended to cross and tangle; now he stood more square and adjusted himself for balance. When he fidgeted, it wasn’t avoidance – it was problem-solving. I told his owner, “Let him move. He’s not trying to get away; he’s trying to find comfort.”
When Dodge kicked, I set a clear boundary by backing him up firmly, then quietly re-asking. The message was simple: kicking makes things harder; calmness makes things easy. Safety matters, and clear boundaries keep everyone safe.
The front legs were solid by this point, so I began mimicking farrier handling by holding each hoof at different angles, tapping the sole, brushing and picking. The right hind still needed patience, so we slowed things down there, respecting that every leg has its own timeline.
Session 3 – Refinement, Balance, and Preparation
By the third session, the front legs needed little warm-up. Dodge accepted handling easily and clearly understood the process.
Our focus shifted to the hind legs and to refining his balance. We practiced slow weight shifts, mindful steps over a low pole, and gentle hindquarter yields to help him stabilise. His posture changed again – more square, more aware, more confident.
We also experimented with terrain to find his most comfortable stance for farrier work. My logic said, “lower the forehand to shift weight to the front when trimming the hind legs and vice versa,” but Dodge proved otherwise. Because of slight soreness in one front hoof, he preferred a different angle. Once we found it, he settled and stood quietly, balanced and at ease.
Before finishing, I spent time preparing his owner. We talked about what the farrier visit might look like – how to breathe, how to position him, what to say if things felt rushed or unsteady. Her confidence would matter just as much as his.
The groundwork and balance exercises we used in these first three sessions are part of the broader approach I share in the Farrier Prep Guide for Horse Owners – a free resource you can download to help your horse build trust, balance, and confidence for farrier day.
A Note on Timelines
Dodge’s progress happened quickly (just three sessions), but not every horse follows that path. Horses with traumatic experiences or strong associations around farrier work may take weeks or even months to rebuild confidence.
The goal isn’t speed. The goal is understanding.
Progress is measured not by how fast you can pick up four feet, but by how much trust the horse keeps along the way.
Farrier Day: How It Went
The morning of Dodge’s farrier appointment, I sent his owner a short reminder:
“Breathe slow, stay present, help him find his balance, and speak up with kindness. You’ve got this!”
And she did.
I later received a message to say the farrier managed to do all four hooves – something Dodge had never allowed before. She admitted it was hard to speak up at first; the farrier was friendly but efficient, ready to get the job done. But she held her ground with quiet confidence.
When the farrier moved to Dodge’s reactive hind leg, Dodge began stepping away – not to escape, but to reposition. The owner explained about the balance work we’d done and asked to adjust his stance. The moment she did, Dodge stood quietly and let the farrier continue. Proof that a little awareness of balance can make all the difference.
The owner kept talking to Dodge through the process – her voice and body language anchoring him when he wobbled between uncertainty and trust.
He was more aware, more trusting, and most importantly, he understood.
For the first time, all four hooves were trimmed.
Why Farrier Prep Matters
What happened with Dodge wasn’t a miracle. It was the product of patience, clarity, and genuine trust. When owners take time to prepare, listen, and advocate, they transform farrier visits from stressful events into learning opportunities.
The real success isn’t that Dodge could have his hooves trimmed. It’s that he believed he was safe while it happened.
That’s the foundation every horse deserves.
Be Ready for Farrier Day: Download the FREE Farrier Prep Guide
If you’d like to build this same sense of calm and confidence with your own horse, you can download the free Farrier Prep Guide for Horse Owners.
It includes:
- A step-by-step process to prepare your horse for farrier visits.
- Balance and proprioception exercises to build stability and confidence.
- Clear boundaries and communication strategies for safety.
- Advocacy prompts to help you speak up and support your horse kindly but firmly.
- Reflection pages to track progress and prepare for next time.
This guide was created for horse owners who want farrier visits to feel calm, connected, and safe – for everyone involved.
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