Re: you are getting very sleepy....(tranqs for shoeing)

[Trishmare <Trishmare@aol.com>]

Dear Kristi,
    John Lyons "teaching the horse to lower his head on command" from the
ground, by laying your hand on the poll . . . did wonders for calming my horse
David during shoeing.  David was never as bad as your horse sounds, but it
might be worth a shot . . .

Trish & "pretty David"

<< > My horse also has to be tranquilized to get hind shoes on him. Anyone
have any  experience with my particular problem?: It's ONLY when the farrier
is pounding in the nail causing the shoe and hoof to connect that he goes
ballistic (and only on the hinds - he dozes while his fronts are being done).
We can hold the shoe against his rear hoof and pound on it with a hammer and
he doesn't blink an eye, but as soon as a nail causes contact between shoe and
hoof, yee hah! My farrier thought maybe it was the vibration causing the
problem, so he tried tapping the nail gently and holding the foot very firmly
- no difference. My farrier is very skilled and well-trained, and he just
scratches his head on this one. He says my horse is neurotically intelligent
and thinks too much.(We've worked with him long enough now that any trauma he
experienced before I got him should have been "covered" by good experiences).
I'm thankful that he does work with my horse (he doesn't sedate him until my
h!
 > orse "can't control himself any longer"). Any suggestions? Are there some
horses who just won't get over certain "phobias"? I've gotten my horse over
MANY other behavior problems that he had when I got him, but this is our final
(and largest) hurdle.
 > Kristi >>