Although horses are now considered domesticated animals, they certainly haven't lost their natural instincts to flee from perceived danger. Unfortunately for the horse, this often leads to serious injury (sometimes irreparable damage) when he is faced with instances like getting caught up in loose wire, getting stuck in a fence, caught up in a rug or getting the lead rope wrapped around his legs.

 

Some people are still under the misimpression that leg restraint training (otherwise known as hobble training) is somehow cruel and old school. However one of the best things you can possibly teach your horse (and the cheapest form of insurance by far!) are ways of self-managing their fear and flight response in order to better cope in the domestic environment which we force them to live in.

 

Through leg restraint training and the use of panic-to-shutdown techniques, we are able to teach the horse to stay calm and still until help arrives, therefore greatly reducing the risk of injury and heartache for all concerned.

 

Leg restraint training will also make your farrier very happy :)

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Here Louis the Clydesdale cross is happily and calmly demonstrating some different forms of leg restraints.