Teaching a horse to deal with flexion testing or being more forgiving

[GettingBack]

This is something I've never had to deal with before, as all of mine have come either pre-flexion-test-handled or I've started the foot picking upping from scratch so had no issues.

I recently had a horse that the vet could not flex - not because the horse was unsound, but after the vet did the hoof testers (horse was not sore, but became afraid of what she was doing and refused to hold his foot up and the vet whaled him one in the belly, and this horse never tolerated that) and would not allow the vet anywhere near his legs.

I could pick up his legs just fine, but the vet no longer could.

So I ended up having to sell him at much less than he was worth because the buyer was (understandably) nervous. I'm glad she bought him, the horse never took an unsound step in his life, but...

I'm just not sure how to deal with the situation. Said horse NEVER dealt well with that type of pressure (being hit in any way shape or form) - I got him as an unbacked/unbroke 4 year old, with an unknown history. So, should I have warned the vet ahead of time? Is there a way to teach a horse that some people will hit them and that's okay?

I just never had a need.

[AKB]

Practice the hoof testers and the flexion testing with the horse well ahead of time so he or she is not worried about it. When they act up during the vet exam, it is hard to know if they are being difficult or are in pain.

I have never had a vet hit one of my horses and would be upset if a vet hit my horse without specific permission from me. It is better to avoid the issue and have the horse behave for the exam because he or she is well schooled. Admittedly, sometimes a vet will have a hyper personality that makes horses want to act up. If you have one of those in your area, I would not use him for the prepurchase exam. If you are the seller, explain your reservations about using that particular vet. Offer to trailer the horse to the vet school or another vet of the purchaser's choosing if the high strung, horse hitting vet is the only local vet.

[HJPony]

I would have practiced flexing his knees till the cows flew before the vet arrived. Repetition is key.
Said vet should have found an alternative route than whaling on the horse, very unprofessional in my opinion. Maybe it's time to look into a new veterinarian for your guy if this was really a detrimental experience.

[GettingBack]

Well, this is really for the future - because the horse was 4 when I got him, so it wasn't something that I assumed he'd had no knowledge of - but it was a poor assumption.

He's been sold despite his lack of cooperation for flexing - but it was more of a "what do you do in that case" - particularly because of the vet.

This was at the most reputable vet clinic in the air unfortunately...but I think I'm going to have to go elsewhere given my last two experiences with it.

I should add that he was fine letting me do whatever with his legs, until the vet got him wound up. I didn't think to train him to hoof testers since usually he was fine for farrier etc. But that was truly a different experience - he was in a new place (at the vet clinic) and she had just held his nose shut. He just is a very smart and not very forgiving horse (fantastic guy though, and I hope his new owner enjoys him - I miss him already!)

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Why did she hold his nose shut?

[GettingBack]

To do a lung test I guess? They hold their noses shut for 30 seconds or so (that's probably an exaggeration, I don't know, seems like forever to me and to them) and then use the steth to hear each lung?

He was not pleased at that point, to be sure.