At first we wondered "Hmm, why is this horse only shoed on his front feet?" I learned why the first time I tried to pick his hooves. He'll give up his front feet after some bribery, but his back feet... if your hand goes NEAR them, it's just like he's expecting you to shove a big knife in an open wound. He doesn't kick, but he does run away. I tried to touch them and he shied his leg away like a lady does when she's standing up and trying to cross her legs. If you try to grab them, he stamps away. GRR!
We just got him 3 weeks ago. At first he was fine, but then after a few days started acting spooky. He's only gotten worse and worse since we got him. The first time I rode him he was alright for about 5 minutes, then he took off with me at top speed. We've had to add a tie-down (western martingale kinda thing), tighten the bridle intensely, and switch to a curb bit. He still likes to try me. My instructor is also frustrating me. I've taken like 7 or 8 lessons and I'm still "practicing" my trot. I need to know how to ^%#@$* canter!!!! This horse wants to GO! He's got a lot of energy to burn, and trotting just isn't gonna do it!!
We're afraid someone has beaten the hell out of him. His eyes get huge and wide if your hand goes up near the top of his face and he'll usually jerk away. He also used to lead like a dream, but as of today he started trying to just jump away out of nowhere. Dad also decided to try him a few days ago. He saddled him a bit, sat down, smoked a cigarette, and the horse would just stand around, munching at grass, then out of NOWHERE freak out and break the rope and run off. Dad would go get him, tie him again, and the horse would chill out, relax, then SPAZ and break the rope and run away! The third time he did a nice job of cutting his leg open on the tailgate of the truck.
I don't like this new behavior at all. He's trying to run away from me, and all I've done is be nice and pet him and groom him and give him apples and grain and grass (when he's cross tied to reward him for holding still for however long, little intervals). It's so confusing. It's also a bit scary when he gets away because we have no fence, so when he gets outside and isn't in my hands, it's just pure luck that he only wants to go so far.
How am I supposed to clean his hind feet? Should I get a farrier out here as a last resort to help with this? And does anyone have any idea why he's acting only MORE spooky the third week here than he did the very first? It's a good thing he's not very big and I'm not very weak, or timid for htat matter, otherwise he would've been long gone as of this morning and his three little "make a break for it" attempts on the lead rope.

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