05/02/2026
Really important points - always look for a deeper physical understanding, and usually a softer and more considered approach! 🤓
Ever wonder why a horse won’t pick up his feet? 🐴 It’s not always stubbornness—there are actually several reasons a horse might resist.
✨ Common reasons a horse won’t lift a hoof: • Pain or discomfort: Sore joints, thrush, abscesses, or back/hip issues can make lifting a leg uncomfortable or standing on the other leg uncomfortable. • Balance problems: Young horses, older horses, or those with weak core muscles may struggle to stay steady on three legs. It is critical how we first introduce picking up the hoof. • Fear or past experiences: If a horse has been mishandled, forced, roped or dropped before, they may be anxious about giving up control. • Lack of training: Some horses simply haven’t been taught what we’re asking or need a refresher. • Confusion: If cues are inconsistent, the horse may not understand what’s being asked. I find this all the time in my bodywork, owners have varying cues they use and it makes sense to use the one the horse understands.
💡 If your horse won’t pick up his feet, it’s worth checking: • Is he sore? • Is he nervous? • Does he understand the cue? • Has anything changed in his routine or environment?
Horses communicate through behavior, and a “no” is usually a message, not an attitude. Listening to that message is the first step to helping them feel safe, comfortable, and willing.
What reasons have you seen in your own horses?
And here are two stories from my archives, that illustrates this:
Story 1: Young Horse at a Bodywork Clinic
At a bodywork clinic, a young horse kicks when his owner tries to pick up his hind feet and then kicks harder if she does manage. I observe that she starts off running her hand down the hind limb and asking at the fetlock. The horse leans into that limb, solidly invested in keeping it on the ground. His face shows tension and he looks as though he would prefer to run away but training and respect hold him in place (he is not tied up). His owner then does the accepted thing and leans her weight on her horse to encourage him to take the weight off that leg so she can pick up the hoof. There it is, I have the whole story.
This young horse has mildly sticking and weak stifles, probably due to his growth pattern/conformation, and he needs to be in exactly the right position and well balanced to be able to get one hind limb off the ground while maintaining balance on the other. Pulling or pushing on him makes it feel impossible to follow the cue. I show the horse we can do this slowly and without pushing him off balance. I stroke his quad muscles to encourage them to activate, keep running my fingers lightly down the outside of his leg, and after a while he relaxes. I stop and praise him and wait. After a few repeats, the youngster relaxes and off-loads his foot, resting on his toe. I stop, praise, and wait. Lots of yawning ensues. The next try he picks his hoof up, I immediately help him take it back to the ground and again, praise, relax, wait. After 15 minutes this young fellow is happily picking up both hind feet and holding them up for a minute or so, a good basis to continue on from.
Story 2: The Mare with Hock Pain
The mare is a 12-year-old pony. In the last few months, she has been refusing to hold her leg up for the farrier and has started kicking at him, but her owner can pick her feet out okay. In the movement assessment of my bodywork session, I see the hind limbs are stepping quite short and there is not much bend through the joints. When I ask the mare to pick her hoof up, she does so straight away but very fast, snatching it up high and holding it there with a tiny tremor before releasing it down. This is very common for a pony/horse with pain in their hocks.
I apply Vetkin Tape to the mare’s hocks and the result is quick and obvious. By reducing the hock pain, she now picks up her hooves in the ‘normal’ way and is happy for me to put her leg into the ‘farrier’ position.
There are many causes, and many answers/solutions. I have worked with horses for over 40 years, I don't know them all, but I do know a lot of them!
Pictured, using the Sure Foot Slants to improve muscle activation around the stifles and relieve hip tension.
