I've changed the subject line on the message to reflect what we are talking 
about (sorry I didn't do it sooner)....
 
 >> What order does the farrier do his feet in?  Does he
 >> do the back feet first, then the front feet?
 >
 >     No ..... usually he does the left front, left rear,
 > right front, right rear ....... sometimes the other way
 > around ...... but he always starts with one of the front
 > feet.  X is good with either of the back feet -- only acts
 > up with one or the other front feet.
 
And then you said:
 
 >     But why only the front feet ...... and usually it's
 > the left front when he REALLY acts up.
 
Okay, this is going to sound goofy, but here's an idea.  The next time the 
farrier comes out to do his feet, take notes!  Watch and write down exactly 
what order his feet get done.  Note his behavior. 
 
If he acts up when it's the left front foot, no matter what order, then I'd 
suspect there is something wrong there.  If it's a one-sided problem (left 
fore only), then I think Meg is right -- it could be his shoulder.  I should 
have thought of that, but you hadn't said he was worse on one side, so I said 
"spine" because that's what might be troublesome to him on both front feet.
 
If he acts up on the first front foot, never mind which way the farrier 
starts, then I'd be more inclined to chalk it up as a case of the 
"don't wannas".  You know, maybe after the second shoe gets put on 
he sort of resigns himself to the fact that it's shoe time and you aren't 
going to let him off the hook until it's done.
 
If he acts up on the second front foot, at the end, I'd be more inclined to 
guess it was fatigue, or as you said in your earlier posts, boredom. 
 He's stood there for three shoes and he wants it to be over with 
already.
 
It's good that the farrier gives him a rest, but as a dental patient, I can 
vouch for the fact that a practicioner doesn't always know how much of a rest 
is "enough" to make the patient feel more comfortable. 

 
 >     Made a lot of sense ....... thanks for the reply.  At
 > least it gives me something else to think about . Thanks!!
 
Well, that was the idea, to give you an idea about what other questions to 
ask, and other stuff to look for.  Hope this helps.
 
--- Opus-CBCS 1.73a
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