At some point there comes a time when we have to weigh all the options and consider what it best for our horse. Sometimes this decision is about shoeing or leaving them barefoot. What to do, what to do???
There is a driving event up north, next weekend. Kat is due for a trim. He has good feet, hard enough not to chip or crack all that easily, but soft enough to leave him a little 'gimpy' and tender for a few days to a week or two after a trim. When he gets a little long- he overreaches really, really, really, really bad. Click, click, click, click with every stride at the trot. Even with standing him up in the back and squaring the toe- when he gets long and is due- you know about it because you hear about it.
I have been putting it off trimming him, while considering whether or not to have him shod. Talking to the farrier he asked where up north we were going? Flagstaff in some areas has a lot of cinders in the ground. Think Lava soap. The green stuff with the pumice in it... If he is gimpy after a trim, the cinders could wear his hooves down even more and leave him incredibly sore. Not something I want to do to my pony. So we planned a day, I figured for at least front shoes and this morning he got them on.
He has been barefoot all his life so when the farrier went to hammering and shaping the shoe, Kat was a bit on edge. When he had to cut off the heels to make the shoes small enough to fit him and the sparks flew- it really got his attention! Kat's feet are a little too big for pony size shoes, but a tad too small for triple otts (sp?) or 000 size. He is in between. He has been difficult to fit with everything else- why should shoes be any different? *hands in the air and massive eye rolling*
He was a champ though and although he flinched several times and gave the farrier some wild eyed looks as he hammered away on the shoes to shape them, Kat stood there and didn't move. Damn I love this pony!
The farrier also asked if he has any kind of movement? I showed him a few of the photos from this blog and the other one, where he was working in long lines. Wow! was his response.
If that's what he looked like before- now that he is shod up front and correct all the way around, I can hardly wait to see what this little guy has got! I admit I have been trimming him for quite a while and I don't always get it right every time. Knowing when to step back and let someone else do it can be tough for some people. I have no problem with it at all. And of course I had my phone handy to show the pictures to the farrier, but did I think long enough to take a few while he was working on Kat or the end results? Oh come on now... Are there any posted here? Yay me! *snork*
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Ah It is what it is , I never get farrier pics either , hands full of horses or busy chatting . Glad Kat was a champ about it all
ReplyDeleteSounds like it went well =)
ReplyDeleteMy old horse was first introduced to hotshoeing by having his head over the stall chain watching up close from about 4 feet away, hoof smoke in his lungs... never bad about shoeing.
My current horse gets upset if a farrier just sharpens his blade... hates the sound. Thank goodness he doesn't need shoes! The actual application would probably be ok, the shaping and banging, not so much.
Had you considered easyboot glove glue-ons for that event? I've been curios about them, although obviously not as elegant as an unbooted foot.
Its very interesting watching a farrier at work, in my case it was an Amish one. He has a mobile farrier business so he goes to the customer. I did a story on him on my blog a while ago. Richard from Amish Stories.
ReplyDeleteFV- I could have gotten the pics, I just didn't think about it. Maybe tonight or this weekend? Still much to do though to get ready. Did I mention there is a water obstacle? Yeah, there is....
ReplyDeleteBif- I haven't seen or even heard of the easyboot glove glue-ons. Not sure how they would do in these conditions, but with him being tough to fit on everything else, shoes being no exception, finding him anything can be a royal PITA. He is always in between sizes. Anymore I just expect everything to need alterations.
Richard- It can be interesting to watch and a lot of the farriers come to you, since many people have more than one horse. We have 10 which would make taking all of them anywhere at once- an all day event. Ours all behave, but imagine throwing in a wild one or three. Makes everything a lot more work when they don't behave like they should.
I am debating on braiding him tonight for the competition this weekend. It is not necessary, but still... Besides, it allows a bit of quiet bonding time with the little man. I will try to get pics if I do. Promise!
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