A horse stands for the farrier when the whole experience is already boring to him: being held in the working spot, each leg lifted and the hoof held up for minutes, and hearing taps and rasps against the hoof wall. None of that can be taught on the day of the appointment. It is built in short practice sessions in the weeks before, so the farrier's visit becomes the longest version of something your horse already knows how to do.
Practise the pieces, one hoof at a time
Start with the feet he offers most willingly. Run your hand down the leg, lift the foot, hold it for a few seconds, set it down gently and reward him — a scratch at the withers or a small treat — while he is still standing quietly. Work round all four feet over several days, asking for a little more each time: a longer hold, a gentle tap on the hoof wall, the hoof cradled the way a farrier cradles it. Hind feet usually need more patience, because the horse cannot see what you are doing and balance is harder. Keep each session to two or three lifts a foot and finish while he is calm, because the last experience of the session is the one that sticks.
Copy the farrier's setup, not just the handling
Where and how the work happens matters almost as much as the foot handling itself. Practise on the same hard, level surface where the farrier will work, with your horse held the same way — tied up or held by a handler — so nothing about the scene is new. Add the sounds in miniature: tap the hoof with something metal, draw an old rasp lightly across the wall, let him hear tools set down and picked up. Once he is settled with you, ask a friend to do some of the lifting, because the farrier is not you, and a horse who only accepts hoof handling from his owner still has a gap in his education. If he must bring a leg forward onto a stand, rehearse that posture too, briefly and with reward.
Set the real visit up to succeed
On the day, choose timing that helps: a horse who has had turnout or exercise and is not fresh off a night in the stable stands more patiently, and one who is not waiting hungry at feeding time has one less reason to fidget. Tell the farrier honestly where your horse is up to — most farriers would rather work in shorter bursts, with rests between feet, on a worried horse than wrestle one who has been oversold as steady. If you are the handler, stand at the head, keep the rope loose rather than hauling on it, and let the horse shift his weight without scolding him; small movements are normal, and it is the snatching, stamping and leaning you are working to prevent.
When standing still is too much to ask yet
A horse who strikes out, rears or panics when a leg is held is not being naughty — he is frightened or hurting, and both need a different answer from more drilling. A sudden worsening in a horse who used to stand well is a reason to have your vet check for pain in the leg, foot or back before the next appointment. If fear is the issue, talk to your farrier and vet together about how to manage visits safely, and consider a qualified trainer for remedial handling work. Meanwhile KinsLe's Care Teams can hold the practice plan for you — hoof-handling sessions set as a small recurring duty for whoever handles your horse, each one marked complete with a timestamp, so the build-up to the next farrier visit is steady instead of last-minute.