Re: Hobbles

["April Lee" <adlee@bigfoot.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah Roxanne Zawacki <zawackis@pilot.msu.edu>

>     Does anyone know how to train a horse to hobble on your own?


Sarah,

  I have trained my horse to hobbles and I know one of my friends that has
trained her horse to hobbles.  There was really nothing to it in our
experience.  I bought nylon hobbles.  I don't remember what kind my friend
had.  I had to train Apache to hobbles to work on a spot on his back leg
without getting kicked.  My friend trained her 2 year old quarter horse just
as part of his training.

A few things to remember.  Your horse must stand still long enough to get
hobbles on him and he must allow you to pick up his feet and/or place them
where you want them.  It's quite frustrating to get one leg in the hobble
and realize that the other leg is too far away to buckle the hobble in
place!  Also, I wouldn't try training a horse to hobbles a horse that
doesn't already know you and trust you.  I can see how they would think you
are trying to "beat" them into submission if they don't trust that you know
what you're doing.  I had been working with Apache for about 6 months before
I hobbled him.  My friend had been working with her colt for almost a year
before introducing him to hobbles.

The first time I put hobbles on Apache, he freaked.  Not too bad, though.
He jumped around because he didn't realize that the hobbles were going to
restrict his movement.  He half-reared several times.  I would advise using
an enclosed area like a paddock (a stall is too small, a pasture is too
large).  I also suggest getting out of the way.  If you only hobble the
front feet to start, your horse might kick with his back legs.  Or hit you
when trying to rear.  When your horse calms down to where you're safe, go
talk to him.  Give him a carrot or just pet him.  Then remove the hobbles
and lead him around.  He might pick up his feet weird because he's still
expecting the hobbles.  Then try it again.  I didn't try again right away.
I waited until the next day or the next training session, but I don't see
why you couldn't do it right away.  It only took that once to convince my
horse to stand still with something around his legs.  The next time I did
it, he stood still after trying to lift his feet to walk.  He will shuffle
around to get grass, but  mostly he stands still.

He went to sleep once.  We were waiting for the vet and I'd hobbled him
outside our pasture because I had two other horses to take care of and there
were about 6 other horses out being led around and I didn't want him trying
to cozy up to his "girlfriend" while I was otherwise occupied.  He literally
stood still and went to sleep.

Anyway, the first time I hobbled all four feet was really scary.  I thought
he was going to fall over, but he didn't.  He finally stood still...glaring
at me, but still.  Now when I hobble him, I yank once or twice on the
hobbles after putting them on to let him know that they are there.  He
hobbles nicely when I use them.  I don't have to use them much, but it IS
nice when he gets vines wrapped around his feet for him to stand still.

Now that you mention it, we need to refresh hobble training!

Good luck,
April & Apache (the "A" team)
Chattanooga, TN


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