He's between 15 and 20 yrs old and I have very no history on him so I'm going off his behavior. He is a large pushy Appaloosa gelding with what was diagnosed as moon blindness on one side, but I'm wondering if he has more significant vision loss than I originally thought. He came off a dry lot and was about 500 lbs underweight, has filled out beautifully in the last year and very healthy now.

The problem: His feet issues. Yes, I've had him a year and he's sat in a pasture as a companion to my old mare that entire time. I'm also a single mom of three boys under six so I don't have a ton of time to work with him. I'm not expecting much...but I need to at least rasp his feet down to deal with the vertical cracks that are starting to appear. I've been watching them all year and he's kept them short, but with the ground wetter, he's not wearing them down like he did in the dry hard ground. He has good movement still and no signs of pain.

He's fine in halter and has no problems being tied snug to a large tree. I started working with his feet and on the right side (the one with no vision problems) I can pick up and tap the sole of his front foot and at least get him to shift weight off the back one with no problems or wicky behavior.

On the side with the blindness, I could get him to move off shoulder pressure, and he's not spooky about me touching his feet at all, and he'll actually lift it....and then he'll sink back, sit down, and then start pawing vigorously, ears pinned, tight-lipped. I haven't even tried to do anything with his back foot on that side since the front one is so difficult.

I'm not going to do anything more to scare him...I just need some more ideas other than running my hand down his leg and lifting it to repeat above scenario. I'm seeing him as being angry and scared. I'm a gentle but firm horse person.

My Background: I've owned a mustang mare for 26 years and she has been shown off and on that entire time. I have trained four other horses to sell to successful show/trail riding homes. My horses have always had impeccable ground manners. I love ground work. I love working with them, but just haven't done it in a while. And I haven't had an abused horse to work with. It's been years since I worked with a trainer and about 10 since I was actively riding and training. I'm wearing a helmet while working with him and being a lot less reckless now that I have kids. So maybe I just need reassurance too. This horse is literally a pasture ornament, but I have to be able to do basic stuff with him so he is as safe as possible. I have no intention of riding. I consider him retired.

Thanks,
Jen

Are you sure its a blindness issue on that side or just a feet issue?

Have you tried only picking his foot up for a second then putting it down before he has a chance to remember to be scared then gradually increasing the time? At exactly what point does he get scared/ angry? (for example: when shifting his weight, when lifting his foot, ect) also, i would not tie him to a tree. work with his right side until he will stand still and pick up his feet by himself then go back to the left. It may turn out that it is actually the confinment and inability to balance that he is afraid of.