Being a good horse has its perks!

The next day I was on duty so Sharon groomed Max and rubbed his hind legs with the bamboo pole to start getting him desensitized. The day after that we went in together and decided to try to pick up those powerful hind feet!

We started with the usual grooming pattern, then rubbed his hind legs with a small crop until he no longer flinched or kicked at the crop. Next we passed a rope around each hind leg and did leg tugs just like with the front. Max was a little stubborn at first but then decided that it was easier to cooperate.

At that point I could place my hands on his legs along with the tug rope. Once he was calm about my touch, I was able to quietly reposition his right hind foot to a position to be trimmed. I tried a couple of test nips while Sharon kept him occupied at his front end with some clicker activities. He stayed relaxed and I was able to get his foot trimmed and rasped in one go.

He was just as easy on his left hind. I had made two passes around with the nippers when we ran out of carrots so we gave Max a short break, resupplied, then went back in to finish the last two passes and rasp off the rough edges.

Afterwards I tried a lift without Sharon at the head. Max was a little put off at first, but in a few seconds he gave me his foot. Then I removed the halter and lead and without any restraint of any kind asked Max to lift. He gave me his foot like a gentleman.

The next day we took Max for a walk around the stable. We visited the various areas including the horse course. Patty Thomas came along and helped us through a couple of areas where Max got "Stuck." We introduced him to a couple of the obstacles but since this was his first day of real handling out in the open on lead we didn't push things. He got to spend the afternoon in one of the regular paddocks.

On the day after that we went back out to the horse course. The neighbors were riding their paint horse in the adjoining pasture which Max thought was very interesting. In fact, he slightly panicked the first time the rider cantered toward us, however he settled right down when he hit the end of the lead rope. We went back to doing the obstacles. Max got a little stuck going down the stairs, which he eventually did nicely, and took all the other obstacles like a pro. The tires were spooky at first so we had to play "Touch it!"

None of the X-cavaletti and ground poles were put out for spring, so with Max in tow, I hauled them all out from where they were piled. He was a bit wary of the movement of these cumbersome objects at first but he never panicked. Later when the course was laid out, he went through all the poles and 8" high cavaletti without a refusal or touching a pole.

4 on the floor, and they're flat

Four level feet!

More Photos Being Processed

Patty & Max on the mound

Visiting the "main cell block"

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