
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Our capable farrier this week put shoes on Rosie. Now her hooves, like Sunni’s, are armored-up, with extra padding for joint-cushioning, while she trots on hard surfaces. Yes, Rosie’s returning to work and will be moving on the neighborhood streets.
Our farrier is a very experienced fellow who can tell by looking at a leg and its hoof how a horse lifts and lands its foot. He knows how to improve physical action by correctively shoeing. In Rosie’s case, she tends to pressure the outsides of her hooves more while both springing off and landing. Over time, the insides of her hooves tend to flare from less use. Her new shoes are built-up on their outsides, with a little extra length at the back, to help her hooves push off and land more evenly. Eventually and hopefully, her muscles will readjust and change her footwork, and gradually, her shoes would be adjusted to suit the new action.

Our farrier builds Sunni’s shoes also, according to her conformation, but she moves well enough and is less worrisome. Rosie’s special needs are associated to an old leg-muscle injury that we’re trying to work her through. And fingers crossed, so far so good.
This farrier is the first so experienced and knowledgeable in my experience. It’s a little awesome all that I’m learning from him. He’s fairly new in Bend, and divides his professional time between Bishop CA and Bend.
Anyway, I’m about to load up and head over the mountains again. Both girls will get good workouts, while I’m learning more about how to manage their driving reins.
Dear Readers, have a wonderful day. Diana