Sunday, November 23, 2008

The Weather Gods Smiled Upon Me-Again!

Saturday was another lucky Saturday. By this I mean it wasn't raining, which meant I could keep My Boy's morning farrier appointment. If it rains, we have to reschedule because we don't have a dry place for shoeing. My farrier won't shoe in the rain because the equipment or nails could get wet or rusty. And, he doesn't like rain running down his back, which I don't blame him for. In the year and a half I've owned my horse, we've only had to reschedule once and that was due to an impending chance of snow. I didn't want to risk driving up in a snowstorm. And it did actually snow, so it was a good thing we cancelled.

Since I live 45 minutes from my horse and teach during the week (and now daylight hours) the weekend is the only convenient day for me to have a farrier appointment. A lot of farriers don't work weekends. My farrier is flexible and accommodates me on Saturdays.

What? The farrier's coming?

My Boy let me catch him, but was still a big pill about the haltering. We had less of an issue than last weekend, though. I brought him out and longed him in the grassy lawn next to the house. It was squishy but not slippery. This is the lawn formerly known as the arena before Paint Girl put in a paneled arena out back. After a warm-up, I walked him over to the grooming area just as the farrier pulled in.

I had the farrier pull My Boy's back shoes for the winter. Since we aren't doing any winter trail riding and My Boy is pastured on soft ground, I knew he'd be okay. When I first started leasing and subsequently bought my horse, he only had shoes on the front. But he was tender on rocky parts of the trail and never seemed to toughen up, which is why I went to four shoes for the summer months.

The farrier also said My Boy's hooves were really soft. There isn't anything we can do about the pasture the horses are on, it's just muddy and wet this time of year. The farrier suggested using venice turpentine, or a 7% iodine solution to help harden his hooves. Since Paint Girl had some venice on hand I slapped some of that on his clean hooves, but I am thinking I might try the iodine because of it's antiseptic properties. Any recommendations either way?

My Boy got to be Paint Girl's winter lawn mower for a bit after his farrier appointment. I won't get to see him today as I just came down with an awful cold and need to spend a day recuperating on the couch. Once I'm on the mend, I will get to spend few days with my spotted turkey over the Thanksgiving break!

15 comments:

  1. You have a speedy recovery and I must say the spotted Turkey is so cute! I wish that I could have another horse and yes my choice would be an Appaloosa...I just don't see another horse for me in my future. I think you are so blessed to have him in your life and I know it is hard to live so far away but at least he lives at your sister's place and she will watch out for him. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

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  2. Just found your blog--enjoying it much!! As a kid spent my summers on the back of Prince & Frisky, now I spend them riding to my boys baseball games. Live in town-yuck. Some day soon I will be back in the country and maybe following my dreams as you are, thanks for sharing! I'll check in on you ever now and then.

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  3. Sick again!!??? You sound like me... I can't seem to fight off anything this fall!!!

    I have never tried turpentine, but I have used iodine on horses hooves before, with no problems. Not much help am I?? LOL!!

    Feel better soon!

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  4. Iodine is pretty caustic and kills healthy tissue too. Fungus loves to munch on dead tissue, and especially in damp conditions.

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  5. Everyone, including my farrier (who is a Certified Journeyman Farrier), down at my barn in Kent swear by Keratex Hoof Hardener. You can order it from Dover Saddlery now or a local farrier supply would have it. I use it on Jack's soles and the outer hoof during the wet months. It really helps all the horses at our barn.

    http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1-22587&idu=1AB2F5C0BYYY&ids=125302219&bhcd2=1227493387

    It is a little expensive but totally worth it!

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  6. I have lost my farrier's phone number and my daughter's gelding has lost a shoe. I guess I just need to stop by his house and have him come out. I too am lucky that he will come on weekends. He's really flexible, not to mention a pretty good guy.

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  7. I've heard about the turpentine working pretty well, don't know about idodine though.

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  8. Spotted turkey! lol! I love that.

    I'm glad the weather was good for the farrier appt.

    I don't have any advice for his feet, though.
    As you know, it's dry where we are. Most horses here have problems with dry, tough hooves and sand cracks.
    Makes it hard work to trim hooves and the farrier asks me to soak my mare's feet an hour before he arrives.

    I use a moisturizer on my horse's hooves all year long and she goes without shoes. Her hooves are as tough as rocks.

    ~Lisa
    New Mexico

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  9. I almost forgot. I hope you're feeling better.

    I have a little something for you on my blog. Stop by and pick it up when you have a second :)

    ~Lisa
    New Mexico

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  10. Hope a Sunday bundled on the couch gets you to feeling better PG. Girl, you need to find an immune system booster. It's no fun being under the weather.

    Sorry, can't help on the hoof issue, except to say, that I don't think iodine would be beneficial.

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  11. Uggghhh-Sorry, That last comment meant to say, I don't think iodine would be beneficial over the long term.

    K-past my bedtime...I'll shut up now!!;)

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  12. Uhg, hope you feel better soon. This time of year is probably a killer for teachers. All those germy kids coming and going. Hope you feel better soon.

    Our horses hooves are so dry this time of year. It makes them really really hard.

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  13. I use venice turpentine on my horse's hooves to toughen them up. My vet recommends it - supposedly makes them less ouchy when their soles are tender. My trimmer recommends the Keratex, but I haven't tried it yet. Hope you feel better soon......

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  14. Try Keratex Hoof Hardener - it works really well I've found...!

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  15. I was excited that my farrier appointment got cancelled this weekend---but I guess I wont be next Saturday when I have to re-do. And it will be a 10 hour affair, I am sure

    yuck

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I love hearing from my readers!! I truly enjoy all of your feedback, advice, helpful tips, and stories. You all make me laugh and I learn so much from you, too. I will try to post replies to your comments as often as I can.

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