My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
Hoof picks are ubiquitous at a barn. Often costing less than 50 cents, they are not usually something that I’ve thought much about. I bought them in bulk and lost them almost as fast as I purchased them. By chance I came across a few that changed my mind. These are hoof picks that are […]
Read MoreFreedom, my TB, recently suffered from a bad abscess. A rock worked it’s way under his hoof pad and the abscess came out the heel bulb. It was swollen and painful. I can remember soaking a horse’s foot before Davis Soaking Boots were widely available. Often times the process was more painful than the injury, […]
Read MoreI noticed that one of my horses was very tight in his triceps and chest. I could feel the tension when I gave him his pre-ride massages but I couldn’t get him to fully release. I mentioned this to my vet and she showed me a stretch that really helped him: a foreleg stretch. […]
Read MoreOne of the reasons I bought Easyboot Bares is that they are assembled from discrete components that can be replaced by the user. Well, now I need to make good on that theory. Over the summer, when my Trakehner gelding was growing out his hooves, I used boots front and back to keep him comfortable […]
Read MoreHelping to grow better hooves has been on my mind a lot lately! I came across this article today, Feeding the Hoof, by Pete Ramey. Certainly, this provides a lot of food for thought. Briefly, the article discusses 1) the impact of carbohydrate overload on the quality of hoof growth and 2) the importance of […]
Read MoreFor the first two weeks that Kroni was barefoot, I was pretty optimistic. His front feet were holding up and while looked ouchy when walking over the gravel driveway, he seemed okay when on grass. I was treating his soles with Durasole and even took him for a hack while wearing hoof boots. Then he […]
Read MoreIt’s been two weeks now since Kroni officially went barefoot as we wait for his feet to grow out. Poor guy has been ouchy, for sure. But I’m relieved to see that the hoof that’s left has been holding up well. There’s no additional chipping or cracking. To him more more comfortable, I’ve been treating […]
Read MoreLast week, during the torrential thunderstorm that swept through the area, one of my horses managed to pull both front shoes. After a spring that was characterized by alternating wet (think standing in mud) and dry, his feet weren’t in great shape. For the last two shoeing cycles, my farrier had patched his feet together […]
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