Between a Rock and a Hoof Place

It's been a restful week for Halo. I came down with a very nasty cold last week, so I was only able to work with her a couple of times. Yesterday I was finally feeling better, so Halo got longed and long-lined. She's learning quickly with the long lines and I even got her trotting on them yesterday! I ordered a surcingle yesterday as well, and when that arrives we'll be able to do much more serious work with the long lines. It's difficult to deal with them now because I'm essentially using two longe lines, and they are constantly down near her legs when she stretches her head down (which I want to encourage, rather than hinder).

Something important also came to light a couple of weeks ago, and I've been wrestling with the decision it necessitates. The barn owner let me know that Halo was "bad" for the farrier and that I need to work on having her feet held. I found that very strange, because Halo never gives me trouble with her feet. She also never gives Casi any trouble, and Casi usually takes a lot longer to clean a foot than I do. After further conversation the barn owner let me know that their farrier "doesn't have much patience" and doesn't like his trims to take too long since he's paid by the trim rather than by the hour. It was made clear that the horse's behavior isn't his responsibility - he is just there to get the job done. It was a huge red flag for me.

I do not expect a farrier to take the time to train my horse to be good - that's my job as owner to work with her feet. But given that Halo NEVER gives me a hard time, something else definitely seems to be going on. Unfortunately I can't see what because I am not able to be at the barn during the day when the farrier comes. I sent my previous farrier an email after the conversation with my current barn owner and asked her what I should do. Her opinion was that I should never let someone trim my horse who was going to lose patience with her and manhandle her. It is her opinion that there is no reason I can't learn to trim my horse's feet myself.

So for the past couple of weeks I've been contemplating it. I have a very good eye, and I am willing to learn. But I know that farrier work takes strength, practice, and commitment, and it is a lot to take on just to do one horse. I would also expect to have a professional out to check my work regularly. Yesterday was the final straw that pushed me to a decision. I noticed while cleaning Halo's feet that they were chipping around the edges. After having done some basic research into barefoot trimming, I knew immediately that it was because her feet had been trimmed flat like they would be for a shoe, without having the edges rasped (mustang roll). Her feet never chipped under the care of my previous farrier. Maybe he didn't rasp them because he didn't have the "patience" and maybe he didn't do it because that's not how he trims. Either way, It's an unsatisfactory result.

So that's that. My shoddy work will be better than his shoddy work, even if it takes me a while to get the hang of things. I rasped her a little bit last night, but I want to have my previous farrier come out to watch me before I attempt a real trim. So the next time she is due at the end of this month, it's my problem! I am looking forward to the challenge now, and not as afraid as I was. I know I can do well by Halo, and that I will be responsible about making sure to have a second opinion as often as necessary.

Fly Spray & Other Instruments of Torture and Death

So far I've been impressed with Halo's ability to learn and adjust to all the new things I ask her to do. Of course it probably doesn't hurt that she spends most of her days running with her other yearling buddies, AND we tend to feed her while we are working with her tied up.

The one thing she can't seem to tolerate is fly spray. While she's gotten over the sound of the sprayer for the most part, she spazzes out when the mist actually hits her skin. Silly sensitive filly. We've done a lot of work with a spray bottle filled with water, and slowly but surely she is making progress. However, her first reaction is always to back up at Mach 10 with her eyes bugged out like a frog.

Fortunately not all instruments of torture have been received with the alarm and disdain she reserves for fly spray. She had her first hoof trim last Saturday for which she stood remarkably still. She doesn't yet understand having her legs pulled forward to go on the hoof stand, but she's already learning fast. The rasp doesn't bother her at all, and she was minimally fidgety. This is the same horse who didn't even know how to have her feet picked up three weeks ago. Her toes are still a bit long in front, and she's tilted back onto her heels a little bit from lack of previous hoofcare. However, Steph is very confident that it will only take a few trims to get her sorted out, especially since she seems to have nice shapely feet to begin with. Lucky her, since her pasterns are crazy!

Out of curiosity I weighed her on Tuesday to see how she is doing on that front. She's already up to 615 if the weight tape is reading correctly. Although her ribs are still slightly visible, she is getting quite a belly! I hope it means her height is going to shoot up soon, especially in the front. She's got some catching up to do with that butt. Steph has started turning the yearlings out in the big 40 acre pasture at night, shutting them away from the round bale. I'm glad she's doing so - it is a good chance for the yearlings to do more real foraging, and get some good running in while it is nice and cool outside.

Henry and Lizzie are coming to visit Halo this weekend, so I will try to get some pictures of her and her admirers.