Easy way to get a horse to lift its feet

I have been working with horses for 35+ years. Yes I am obsessed. I love it because there is always so much to learn. A life time of learning. I just learned a easy way to get a horse to pick up his feet. Instead of struggling, digging a hoof pick behind his fetlock, leaning on him and trying to get Freederic's huge dinner plates off the ground, all you have to do is squeeze the chestnut on that leg. Wa La dinner is served! That foot snaps off the ground. It works like a charm. I love it - so simple and easy. Learned that on a Clinton Anderson video. You can twist it a bit if they are reluctant but I didn't need to do that. It worked great on Rupert too. He tends to be a little slower in lifting his feet up. Kalae of course lifts her feet up before you even ask.
For Rupert and applying protective leg boots, which is new to him. I learned to rub the upper legs between 2 hands, then rub the lower leg the same way. Go back to rubbing the upper leg. Then apply the bell boots and protective leg boots. Rupert did not stamp and jerk his leg away as he has been doing making application a frustrating event. If he does fuss and jerk the leg away, go back to rubbing. It worked great.

A funny little story. I had the farriers out last week. We were under the shade of the Holly berry tree. As I brought Freederic the Great out of the paddock. One of the young guys, sweat darkening his t-shirt stops in his tracks with a look of resignation. "I had nightmares about shoeing him last night" we all laugh. Henry who has been shoeing for over 50 year, smiles as he watches his young nephew Joey grab his shoeing stand and slide out the center post changing it for a padded U shaped device. "Good thing he is a gentle giant" Joey comments. He raises Freederics leg and places it in a bent position with the U shaped device holding the foreleg in a position ready for shoeing. He steps back smiling. Henry says "Oh boy, we never even had stands when I started, you just use your legs. He pats his thighs. And we had big Belgians bigger than him" As Joey finishes the left foreleg he slides his stand across to the right front leg. Before he can come around Freederic raises his right leg and places it in the U shaped holder by himself. Heads swivel as we all look at each other, eyebrows raised as in "did you see that"? The small moments in life which make it richer.