Let me start this post by saying @%(#^*@#$&!! I already wrote this post and edited it, and was pressing Publish when I had yet another mysterious gibberish error occurrence and said post disappeared into the black hole of computer error-land. I'm really tired and don't feel like writing it again. But I'm going to. Call it a lesson in self discipline.
SO. My new barefoot trimmer came out this morning. We have Desire on a strict 4 week schedule so we can closely monitor her hoof growth and adjust it as needed. Her hooves were a hot mess this morning when I gave them a pre-trimmer clean out. I don't know why I just feel like I should have my horses a little cleaned up for a farrier or vet. It doesn't always happen, mind you, but I try to when I pull them early enough. Anyhoo Desire's hooves were "shedding" for winter, as it were, and were a chalky nasty mess. Some low grade thrush happening again too as this sudden heavy ground moisture we got with the two brief storms of the last week.We had to get 6-8 inches of rain at least! The trimmer, D, said that the very good news was that Desire had grown a significant amount of new healthy hoof. In just 4 weeks she has grown enough hoof to give her a small jump start into concavity in her hooves again. Her fronts are scary flat. The move and pregnancy really wreaked havoc with her feet. But D keeps telling me all will be well. I am just mortified and frustrated to have my horse's in any sort of bad state. But I have confidence in D and am really opening my eyes to hoof reality with Desire. She had little bruises along the wall of her fronts as well, internally caused we think. So yikes. Anyway, D helped all the shedding stuff slough off and the hooves looked much better. Desire has consistently grown hoof quite quickly since she has been here and D says that will be my saving grace in getting her back into healthy hooves more quickly. In the mean time we will continue to re revaluate her hooves every 4 weeks.
Now, to the big news! Sheza had her first farrier work today! Well technically hoof trimmer work but farrier just flows more in the sentence I think. I noticed a couple little chips in one of her front hooves and thought she must be due for some farrier attention (See, I'm sticking with it despite its slight incorrectness, oh well). Let me just say, my little junior redhead behaved SO WELL! I was really pleased with her today. I stood her on the black mats in the wash rack stall and stood at her head while D worked on all four hooves with her rasp. I have been picking up and cleaning/tapping on Sheza's hooves since she was a couple of days old, but I have to say having a handler and then someone else working around her and rasping on the hooves no less! I was really proud. She stood quietly and was just very curious, snuffling all over D's head when she could get it bust mostly the rear end of course because that's what we see of our hoof trimmers and farriers, isn't it? Sheza was also snuffling the ground for hay scraps even while her hooves were being done. Pretty relaxed I'd say. D is also an Arabian breeder and endurance rider and has a very nice quiet energy and Sheza reacted quite well to her. D corrected a couple of small things but pronounced the hooves sound and healthy. Sheza walked out with me so D could watch her stride quite nicely, despite being headed away from mom and the herd, and was a perfect lady for her halter to come off in her paddock. Very proud of my little redhead today!
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