Hi Nicky,
My 3 yr old was the exact same, she did not like you being near her back end when I first got her. I think that you should try to desensitize her first so she feels comfortable with you being on her sides and near her rump. Monty suggests first using a fake hand/arm so you are not in harms way when she kicks out. Just takes it in steps, first get her comfortable with you stoking her and then just ask her to life her foot without holding it up at first. If you think you need to just start with the dummy arm first till she gets it. Once she can easily and calmly lift her back feet then you can start holding them up. With my baby I had to fight to keep her foot up the first 3 or so times but after that she just started holding them up for me. Just stay calm and praise her when she does something right. Just make sure that you are the one who lets her put her foot down, just keeping it up for a few seconds at first, Maybe if I find my camera I'll video me working with my baby's other hind foot tonight when I work with her. No promises though, I seriously misplaced it but I will try. Good luck and I know that everyone on here has great advise as I am still learning as well.

Hi Nicky.
First of all it seems like you have improved already since your horse stopped kicking sideways and you can pick her feet up to some extent.
As you probabely don't know much about the history of your horse, it being from a sale and all, and looking at her behaviour, you're the first one to work with her legs and feet, in a decent way or even at all.
I don't know wheter your infrastructure allows to do a Join-Up. If not it would be beneficial to make such a place, it's a great help.
I would refrain from holding up a front leg as it takes away your horses possibility to choose to work with you.
What you could do is ask for a Join-Up and a Follow-Up -see videos form more details- work on her feet in the same area, in the same work-out.
What will be difficult and important is that you stay as calm as possible and with a low adrenaline -low heart rate- while you do this.
Each time hold her feet a bit longer and reward inbetween each foot, with a rub on the head and your kind words of reward of choise.
Other than that I think you will need tons and tons of patience.
Don't get discouraged, always remember how she was when you got her. Focus on the progress in the whole of her behaviour.
Remember that with horses like that, in the beginning it can be a lot like taking two steps forward and one back. Keep up the good work, give it even months to get where you want it to be, you never know how fast or slow one learns. Try to do your work with her on a daily basis if possible and you will see it coming along.
With kind regards

Phyllis

Hello Nicky
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Everyone has provided some great advice for you here, but the only other thing I can add is that you could use an artificial arm like the one Monty Roberts uses on his videos. You can rub down her back legs at a distance using this tool, thus keeping you safe ;-)
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Keep the artificial arm on her back leg while she kicks and take it away when she stands still.
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I also think that the one Monty Roberts uses may have a hook of some kind in the thumb part because I have seen him hook the thumb part behind the back leg and raise it in one of his DVDs. Can't be certain on that though...
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Good luck :-)
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Kind regards,
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Gen

Nicky,
Experience speaks volumes. Almira24 has had the problem and has had success with her methods.
I did almost exactly the same with my horse because she was shy all over when I first got her and it worked for me as well.
One thing to keep in mind is a horse puts over 60% of their weight on their front feet. We always want our horses and ourselves to be safe and we are going to get all kinds of weird advice but as a horse owner you know what is correct and safe for you both.
Monty's way always works. In his book you will see photos of how he does this, try it and it will work for you.
I have had my girl for two years now and finally she allows me to handle her all over.
You can do it!!!
Ronda

Hi Nicky -you have had some great comments here already from others experiencing the same problem. Certainly join up, desentising her legs, and the artificial arm or wand are all important initially so that you can eventually stroke her back legs. You may try stroking and scratching her under her tail too as they really like this as it is difficult for them to reach here. Don't over do it - my first beautiful horse used to back into people to get his rump scratched!! Once you have her accepting you stroking and scratching her all over then you can attempt to pick up her hooves. Don't be in a hurry to do this as once you pick up the hoof you need to ensure that you are the one that places it back on the ground. I suggest picking it up for very brief moments at first and gradually hold it for longer. I have had the similar problem with young my mare but in a minor way. When she was a youngerster I trained her to pick her hooves for me and allow me to trim them. Naturally she had plenty of rewards for correct behaviour and I didn't expect too much of her at that time. However as she grew older and I asked more from her she started trying to pull her back leg out of my hands. She didn't kick badly like your mare but just little kicks to get loose. I have managed to correct this with the dually halter and making sure that my knee is correctly positioned and her hoof is held firmly but not tightly to limit her ability to move it. I give her lots of rubs and praise, talk to her the whole time and occasionally reward her by stroking the top of the back of her leg under her tail while I hold her hoof up. Monty's video "Join up with the Farrier" really helped me. As I am usually alone I tie her up with the dually then place a light dog lead on the discipline ring closest to me which I tuck under my arm. As soon as she goes to kick I give her a correction tug on the lead. Lots of rubs and praise when she is good. Initially if she was really naughty I would untie her and give her stronger discipline with the dually and walk her around a bit before proceeding as Monty does in that video. It seems to have worked and I now have her back to where she was as a youngster and she is almost ready for the farrier. Good luck with it.

Thankyou all for all your advice. I have had my mare for 6 weeks now. When she arrived I turned her out for 10 days to chill and went in her field twice a day to say hello and check her over. I bought a dually halter and have since successfully completed joinup on three occcassions. She is a very sweet mare, I have all of her history and i do keep intouch with the guy who sold her to me at the sale. He told me that she has spent the first three years of her life out grazing in a herd, then two weeks before the sale he got a head collar on her. I dont believe she has been treated badly at all, but just seems to be very sensitive and marish. When I ask for her hind feet and run my hand down her leg she is fine, when i put a little pressure on to ask her to lift, that is when she boots out. I have done all the desensitising with her with the false arm. Touch isnt a problem, its when I actually get it off the floor that she explodes and there is NO hanging on. I think that I am just going to have to be very patient with her.

Nicky,
When you tell me that about only when you lift her feet, hind ones only.
Hmmm... that reminds me of something I read and was told by a farrier. Your horse may have joint problems.
If you can afford it, could you have a vet check her hips.
It might be worth your while.
Hot compresses applied, relaxes the muscle around the joint area and will allow movement with no pain.
There is also a member on the forum, can't remember who, sorry, that knows a lot about supplements. Perhaps they can tell you what the horse could take, IF this is the problem.
Also, here in Canada, it is starting to get cold, and also the end of the season for most mares and it is their last hurha!!!
She may be sensitive right now.
I hope this helps some,
Ronda

hi Nicky,
i've only been on the forum today for the first time and when i saw the problem you were having, it is just like my horse Dillon, my farrier thought he had maybe a back problem so i got a physio to take a look at him and she came back with all sorts of back problems and promised big vet bills, however on her recommendation i spoke to my vet who calmed my fears and simply put him on anti inflammataries, it's now just a week later and i have seen a great improvement already, even my farrier was a lot happier! Even if he has to take medicine every day for the rest of his life it will be worth it. Good luck.x Kerry

Hi Kerry,
Well said, that is my suspicion as well.
Hi Nicky,
There are a lot of books out there and articles on the internet that have home remedies that do wonders for a horse. If you feel that could be your horse's problem they may help.
There is a simple test you can preform to find out if it is a structual problem.
As you said you can touch her with no problem so, just below the top of the croupe, about a foot down, you will be able to feel the hip joint.
Fold you hand, whichever is the strongest and with your tumb extended press as hard as you can against this area.
If she tolorates this, do the surounding area in a radias of about a foot.
If she reacts in a negative way, she is in pain.
Now to test her leg joints, you wrap your hand around the joints, about half-way around the leg and press with your tumb and fingers, again as hard as you can.
If you see a reaction, there is problem.
At this point I would get professional advice on how to handle it.
If there is no pain at all, the horse needs lots of groundwork around her back end.
Try these and see what happens.
Please, could you let me know the testing results? I would really appreciate it.
Ronda
Ronda

Hi all.

Today after bringing her in from the field, I asked for her hind feet again and the same happened. I decided to pass a soft lead rope between her legs and gently put it around the fetlock holding both ends of the rope I asked UP and put a little pressure on. She picked up her foot and tried to shake me off but because I wasnt in the firing line of her hind feet I was able to keep a constant gentle pressure until she allowed ME to return her foot to the ground. I praised her, dropped the rope and asked with my hand. What a difference! I always had this method in the back of my mind but wasnt sure if it was a kind thing to do. She wasnt upset by it at all. I then tried the other side and all went well. So I shall try this for the next week, not asking too much of her at a time. Thanks for all your advise. Nicky

Good girl to you both, well done !!!
Ronda