This time of year a lot of things change. Farriers decide this is not the business for them and decide to not continue or they decide to move out of the area and are not available to take care of your trusted steeds. No matter what the reason now you have to find a new Farrier and you may not know where to start. Make it easy on yourself and your new prospective Farrier. Ask around, talk to your friends and cohorts in crime,(I mean your riding buddies) ask your Vet for a recommendation, check out the feed store and ask the owner or senior staff for a referral. Ask them if the individual is reliable, on time, ask what they charge, and if they know you, ask if they think the two of you can get along.

Once you have an individual in mind, what ever you do, don’t let the first thing out of your mouth be “What do you charge”. This tells this Farrier the only thing on your mind is price and he or she is much more interested in developing a long term relationship with you and your Horses. Ask all the questions you can think of while you have them on the phone so you have a feeling if the two of you can get along. Feel free to ask for references too.

Horse owners hate to change shoers as much as they do Gynocologists and Proctologists, so take the time to see if your new Farrier is a good fit for you. And then relax and enjoy the relationship.

Happy Trails
Don

Summer is finally here. Well almost. Every year around April and May everyone is ready to pull blankets and get their Horses out on pasture and start planning for a summer full of riding. And then what happens? Yep, you got it, it starts raining again and seems like it’s never going to stop. It’s also the time of year we need to consider our Horses hoof care needs. As we get our Horses out on pasture and they have shed their winter coats and don’t use up all that protein growing abundant hair and keeping meat on their bones, the majority of that protein goes into hoof growth. The average Horse grows hoof wall at a rate of 1/8-3/8 of an inch per month. In the warmer months the growth can accelerate 2-3 times faster. So, those trims that met your hoof care needs at 8 weeks at times need to be performed at 6 or even every 4 weeks through the summer and into early Fall.

Just like my Grandkids, some clients don’t take me seriously. When I recommend a client trims their Horses more frequently than they do, it’s not because I want to get more money in my vacation fund or buy a new toy. It’s because the Horses really need it.You can prevent a multitude of problems easier than fixing a multitude of them. Oh,

Did I mention it’s also cheaper to maintain something than it is to fix it? Oh , I guess I just did.

Happy Trails

Don

Yesterday I got a phone call from a client and really great friend saying “Don, Jacks been lame for a week now so I called the Vet”. I told her I’d be out to look at Jack and see if there was something I could do. I got there and used my hoof testers on him to see if I could determine any bruising or an absess. After testing him and pulling his shoes and testing again, I could not find any response to sole and heel pressure. I told Sue I would return when the vet was there (mainly because I might learn something). I got there just ahead of the Vet and her tech. When they got out of their truck these 2 young ladies (it seems like they are all young when you get to be my age) walked right over and hugged Sue. Okay so now I’m feeling a little left out. I digress. After viewing Jack walking and trotting they blocked his foot and fetlock and determined an x-ray was in order. After taking various views of Jacks foot and lower joints, they determined there was a deep bruise on one side of his hoof. Now there is a lot more to this story and I won’t bore you with the full details, but , what I took away from this experience was a deep appreciation of this vet and tech in the way they conducted themselves and a digital cd of the xrays they took. THESE LADIES WERE GREAT! They made me feel like an insider and an important part of Jacks recovery.

That is the Question.
And it’s an easy question to answer. My Philosophy is, Shoeing is at times a necessary evil, and only necessary for stabilizing corrections, traction or protection.

More damage and lameness has been caused by Horse owners leaving shoes on their Horse too long or by Farriers not allowing for the natural function of the hoofs ability to expand and absorb concussion at the heels. In which case, the heels overgrow the shoe causing a myriad of problems.

The average Horse grows at the rate of 1/8”-3/8” per month and not straight down but at an angle. The shoe does not move with it so the heels of the hoof grow over the shoe. As a rule of thumb, shod Horses need to be trimmed and reset at a 6 to 8 week schedule. Some horses even need to be trimmed at 3 to 4 weeks. Remember, “it’s all about the Horse”.

Since I’ve been working in this industry, it’s only been about 18 years that Farriers and Veterinarians have been able to work together to find solutions to correct challenges and defects in a Horses gait. Now add in Equine Massage Therapists and Equine Chiropractors and the whole world seem to come to an end. Oh, and did I mention Accupuncturists? Well needless to say a lot of egos, pride and individual philosophies not to mention the thought that all of us in the biz believed that we had all the answers the Horse owner needed got in the way for a while. Thank God, things have changed. Now a Horse owner has ALL these resources to bring out the best in their Horses overall health and well being.

My job as a Farrier is to provide a balanced foundation to support the Horses natural balance in the foundation of the hooves and legs. My job does not include giving shots, diagnosing viruses or any other element that a Veterinarian professional is trained to address. Massage therapists treat sore, tired and sometimes traumatized muscles.
Chiropractors have in the last number of years been vital in getting and keeping our 4 legged buddies in structural balance and have solved a lot of issues that folks assumed were attitude problems, bucking, rearing being cinchy and a whole lot of behavioral problems that did not go away with patience and training alone. And last but not least, Accupuncturists, have successfully unblocked the natural energy that can bring the Horses health into a whole new dimension.

I personally am so grateful for all of these professionals and their individual expertise.
They make yours and my Horses healthier, happier and performing to their full potential.

Happy Trails
Don

Ignorance is bliss?
You call and make the appointment. You made sure you are at the house or barn at the appointed time. Your new Farrier steps out of his truck and you warmly greet him and he warmly greets you back, you lead him to the barn, and show him your prized horses in the field. He looks into the field and doesn’t turn to look at you. Instead he gets a disappointed look on his face. You ask if he needs any help getting the horses. His look turns from disappointment to almost disgust. By this time, you are thinking, Man did I call the wrong guy or what?

Okay new scenario. You’ve made the appointment, you’re there at the appointed time.
Your new Farrier steps out of his truck and you warmly greet each other. You lead him to the barn and show him your prized horses. They are in stalls or tied up. Their legs are free of mud. The ones who had blankets hanging down below their knees have been removed, and you turn to him and ask, which one would you like me to hold for you first. He turns to you without regret and a smile and says, “which ever one you want first”.

I don’t know about you, I’m all for the second scenario. Not because I’m lazy or don’t want to get mud on my jeans or chaps, it’s because the time I spend catching your horses and wiping the mud off their legs, puts me at my next client late and flustered and not in the best mood