Rosie’s Shoe

Friday, August 20, 2021 —(In 2 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

Rosie showed up for breakfast dragging a hanging-part of her shoe. A problem was that the broken shoe was on her left rear, the leg with arthritic problems that resists being lifted. Another was that the dangling metal could be stepped on by the other rear hoof and cause an accident.

She let me lift her leg to examine. I managed to slice a soft connector and release the broken part. That left on the hoof a broken shoe-part, which by catching onto something could cause an accident.

Our farrier lives in Bishop, CA, and is expected next week to be in Oregon. I texted him with pictures, and he explained how to remove the rest of that shoe. I needed to rasp-down any outside nails, and then, with a shoe-puller remove the remaining metal.

I have a hoof rasp but not a puller. He got in in touch with his close friend, Ashley, who lives here and for whose horses he provides hoof care, a commitment that regularly brings him to Oregon. He texted that long ago he’d given Ashley a hoof-puller.

Upon hearing from him, Ashley, who’s a dedicated horse-person, kindly volunteered to help me.

When she arrived, we first tackled the problem by assessing how well Rosie tolerates a lifting and holding-up of her arthritic leg. Ashley is accustomed to horses that require sensitive handling. She figured out how we could support Rosie’s leg while also working on its hoof.

We managed to hold Rosie’s leg and hoof in a workable position. Here, a note, that the processes of putting on and removing horse shoes calls for physical strength. Mine’s not so great, but Ashley is fit, and also in a good way, she’s stubborn. Working to use the hoof-puller and without giving up, she managed to remove the protruding shoe nails and broken metal.

Thanks, thanks, thanks! for Ashley’s help. It’s a huge relief that Rosie may freely and safely move around. Until the farrier arrives next week, she’s on vacation from driving.

Dear Friends: This reaffirms that a mutual affection for horses brings together new friends. Diana