Do you pull shoes for the winter?

We had our first big snow storm of the winter this weekend and I was so glad that I’d pulled the horses’ shoes already. No hassle about having the “wrong” shoes on and dealing with snow-packed hooves or slippery conditions. I saw a friend last week who was fretting over the fact that her farrier […]

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The winter of abscesses

This winter has been rough on Freedom’s feet. He’s gotten several bruises and blown a couple of abscesses. The culprit? The hard ground. Most winters we’d have a soft layer of snow on the ground. This winter? We’ve alternated between mud and frozen. The mud softens up his feet and the hard ridges in the […]

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So nice to see the sun again

I know it’s only been raining since Tuesday but here in New England it felt like the Ark was going to appear soon to whisk us all away. It has been cold with heavy rain and blustery winds. Every time I was at the barn the horses were inside, looking out at the fetlock deep […]

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Time to Service my Easyboots – Gaitor and Bungee Replacement

One 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 […]

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Hoof Update: Durasole Helping with Sore Feet

It’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 […]

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My Big Brown Moment – Wishing for High Tech Hoof Repair

Last 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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