I'm oozing joyful stories this week. Like butt funks and whoopsies.
So, I dropped my farrier, who I've had for five years but would have pleasantly dropped at any moment prior due to various unmentionable reasons, in the same manner as was the winner for last week's poll*. This was less me wussing out or caving to the norm and more a conversation with my barn manager. I asked her opinion and she said I didn't have to do anything, so nothing I did.
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| Playing with Excel font options. Who knew? |
So I didn't say a word to the man and heard nothing from the man, but considering the last conversation we had, and the fact that I think Archie has been barefoot for roughly four of the last twelve weeks, he had to have known it was coming. I mean, come on.
I started working with another boarder to get on her farrier's schedule. He comes from roughly the same distance as my old one, but he's supposed to be more accessible. Supposed to be. He's also been super friendly every time we've been at the barn at the same time and answered all my questions, even if I mentally judge him for having a dog with cropped ears and testicles. It goes against my nature. I can't help it. I won't. SPAY AND NEUTER EVERYTHING! (even us)
I gave it a few minutes and then started thinking of contingency plans. I swung by the ATM to get money. I texted the barn manager to see if the old farrier would be willing to shoe Archie one last time on Thursday.
And, whoopsie, the old farrier came Wednesday morning.
Bet that was awkward.
So the current plan is that this new guy will be out tonight at roughly five. If he can't make it, another boarder has agreed to hold a check and my pony - since I won't be able to make it out at any other time. Fingers crossed!
And at this point, I'm starting to wonder how long a horse has to be barefoot before he's comfortable, how much longer we would theoretically have to go. I've always wanted a barefoot pony and actually, secretly planned that transition should I ever be laden with spawn.
And, oh yeah, I bought the Kid boots.
*more polls?
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11 comments
SLAP some duct tape on him and call it done lol
ReplyDeleteDuct tape fixes everything right?
Deletelol @ "should i ever be laden with spawn" -- you have quite a way with words ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't have the balls to drop my farrier because he's married to my trainer and lives on the property. #awkward
ReplyDeletePIE CHARTS
ReplyDeleteIf he's got boots for riding, make that puppy go barefoot now!
ReplyDeleteLove polls!! Love the pie chart!!
ReplyDeleteHopefully you can get someone good.. farriers are vital to our horses. Sometimes I wish I was capable to do it myself lol
I've been lucky enough to keep Katai barefoot at this point but that sounds just awful. So tough to find a good farrier/trimmer but I did finally find one and I'm sure you will too!
ReplyDeleteTransitioning: I started taking pics of Lily's feet today, a good 3 years after starting her barefoot journey, for a blog post that I'm planning to write up just for you. Because I have a tender-footed TB too. And if I can do it, and if Carly can do it with her own TB, so can you!
ReplyDeleteThe time it takes to transition varies. It depends on their diet, their turnout, on how much you're willing to take on in lieu of more frequent farrier visits, and the horse's own stoic-ness or lack thereof. Professionals say 30-90 days. For me and my thin-soled creature, it's been a forever kind of thing. She is sound on most footing. She is ouchy on large gravel and sandy soil with tiny sharp pebbles thrown in the mix, but pretty much on nothing else. We walk on this type of footing and she does fine. Arenas, grass, and smooth hardpack of any type (including asphalt) are most certainly not an issue and haven't been an issue for years. I ride her barefoot pretty much all the time, except when training for competition and I want to get her boots dialed in, since my area's rides require hoof protection.
Lily was ouchy on hard sand for the first 30 days of her initial transition in FL. She was not on grass, only on low-starch hay, unmolassed beet pulp and Triple Crown Low Starch (she doesn't have a metabolic problem but high sugars do contribute to ouchier feet regardless of metabolism). I applied Durasole to her soles and frogs every.single.day during that time and it did make a difference. The Keratex you have should do the trick. We moved to MD a few months later, where the footing is harder and we were also dealing with winter. She wore polyurethane glue-on Epona shoes on her fronts for 2 months to help transition her to the harder footing + frost up here and she came out of those completely sound, even on gravel. Epona shoes cover the entire bottom of the hoof, similar to a hoof boot, so the sole and frog are stimulated unlike what happens with a steel shoe. This is what made her transition so successful, and it is also why boots are recommended for riding during the first couple of months during a transition period. :) They allow the hoof to function as a barefoot hoof would while still protecting it.
She is slightly more tender-footed in the warm months when there is grass or it is muddy from increased rain (spring and fall are very wet up here), and a total gravel-cruncher in the winter when she is on hay and grain only. I still feed a low-starch, high fat, high protein grain. Hay here is an orchard/timothy mix. I paint Durasole on her feet a couple of times a week during the warm months and it still allows me to ride her barefoot most of the time. You're not riding over rocks so I think you'll be golden with Archie if you decide to bite the bullet! ;)
Boots are certainly a labor of love if you move that direction. However the horse is comfortable is most important. Healthy feet are paramount
ReplyDeleteLove polls. And charts. AND FUN FONTS. Also, the new kicks are cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks!