Got a tough draft horse to stand still by changing where I put my tools

I was working on a big Percheron gelding out near Redmond last month, and this guy just would not stand square for me. Every time I tried to pick up a hind foot, he'd shift his weight or swing away. I was getting pretty frustrated after about 20 minutes of this dance. Then I remembered something an old timer told me years ago, about how the sound of your tools can set the mood. Instead of having my rasp and nippers in my apron on the side he could see, I moved my whole tool box to the ground directly behind him, on his other side. It was a quiet spot, and when I reached for a tool, the slight noise came from a place he wasn't focused on. He settled right down and let me finish the job. It seems like such a small thing, but the direction of the sound really mattered for this horse. Has anyone else found that moving your gear around can help with a fidgety animal?

3 comments

3 Comments

jake_walker20d ago

Wait you were working on a Percheron? Those things are massive, I'd be nervous just being near its feet.

nina_hall20d ago

Just gotta watch where you stand. They're gentle giants once you get used to them.

rileyjones1d ago

Hold up, you're saying you got used to it? I'd need like a year of standing at a safe distance first. Their feet are literally the size of dinner plates, that's not something you just get comfy with overnight. I can't even imagine the amount of trust that takes.