I reaaaaally want to bitch and moan about how hard it is to keep a horse fit and happy when he can't keep those magical little chunks of metal safely attached to his feet. But I also wanted to call this "summertime sadness" and it isn't. It just isn't. Life is pretty goddamn good, if I'll only allow it.
So what do you do with a pony with wet, crumbly shoeless feet?
...not a whole lot. (Other than peruse forums and cry a little on the inside that the vet's solution moving to a different part of the state isn't viable. Thinking of this and this. The Kid has already been on a feed-through for over a year.)
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| I did not drive through this shit in my little baby fiesta. I took a side road and another side road and finally had to drive through a smaller version of this. |
I have hopped on him bareback for our walks back to the pasture. I'm thinking that tonight I might "ride" him bareback in the big pasture, even though he only has two comfortable bareback gaits: walk and three strides of choppy canter. This is centaur work, right Denny?
If you're wondering why my farrier hasn't jumped at the opportunity to reattach his shoe, said farrier has been on vacation this week. It makes the little tingles in my head go off, because it appears that there is always.something when I need a shoe fixed. (...and now I've found out about and met the other farrier... and he's really nice... and he does photography... and he let me hold his camera... and he answered allllll my questions about hot shoeing, which I had never seen before) (things to think about)
In other news, my coworker has been out for a month (again). The girls have a vet visit tomorrow ($$$). I'm picking up a piece of something tomorrow. And something else. You know, vague, so I have shit to write about later. If I write, because this has not been my strength lately. (what has?)
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12 comments
The shoe/rain situation is frustrating. I don't blame you for feeling a bit meh
ReplyDeleteVery frustrating. Hot shoeing is cool. Most of the farriers I've met here do it but the farrier at my current barn does not really do it. It's interesting though
ReplyDeleteUgh my boarder has the same issue with her horse's (shitty, crumbly) feet. She is RELIGIOUS about keeping him in when it's even a little bit wet, has him on a feed-through supplement, and is religious about Keretex - she uses the waterproofer/gel one and not the hardener but the hardener is good too. She will put that or some other kind of sealant on his feet if she is going to ride in less than perfectly dry conditions. Hope you find something that works!
ReplyDeleteI've used the Keratex. It works. Worth the $$$.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes definitely centaurness even at the walk ;)
Keratex (hardener) has made a huge difference in my ottb's crumbly feet. Pricey but worth every penny. We're having the opposite problem here - until yesterday - almost no rain for three months. It's always something...
ReplyDeleteI too have a horse that tortures me with crappy feet. I can literally feel the anxiety roll over me when it rains outside because of it. I have managed to lessen the stress with Keratex hardener, SmartHoof supplement (I've tried them all, this is superior and relatively cheap) and Sound Horse glue on shoes from time to time. I even pulled shoes once and bought Easy Boot trail boots to ride in. Those work too. I have also self-medicated with copious amounts of hard cider. That's all my hoof smarts in a nutshell :)
ReplyDeleteYeeeeesh. You really do never get a break. No fair!
ReplyDeleteWe need some of that rain!!
ReplyDeleteHe needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap lol!
Sorry to hear about Archie's foot troubles :(
ReplyDeleteI will say, Roger gets hot shoed (for the first time in his life) and I really, really like it. I hadn't ever been at a barn with a farrier that hot shoed, but now that I see how it works and why farriers choose to do it, I get it. Idk if that's the direction you're going, but I wanted to offer my experience.
Hoping you get some sunshine and drier weather soon!
I love, love, love Keratex -- also, I swear by my Cavallos Sport boots (you can ride and turnout in them). After Riley pulled his right shoe off and a huge chunk of hoof wall a few weeks ago, I was forced to let them grow out a cycle before trying to put shoes back on. Funny, I rode him for the first time since the beginning of May this weekend bareback and he was a champ!
ReplyDeleteHad the same problem with Ms Prissy Pants (shelly, crumbly nastiness) that led to shoes and a personal investment in Koppertox and Hoof-n-Heel, limited turnout and, at one time, 3 hoof supplements. Now it's just the Koppertox and Hoof-n-heel, and major diligence on my part.
ReplyDeleteDamn shitty, TB feet. They suck
ReplyDeleteThanks!