Today my little Baby Fox had a visit from the Farrier Fairy. I unfortunately had to work. Who the hell decided it was a good idea to schedule equipment training at one o'clock on a Friday? Damn you Work Gods, damn you.
So Superhubs, love of my life that he is, stepped in to hold Fox for his very first visit from my fabulous farrier K. Her word is law and gospel when it comes to my horse's feet. Her first impression of Fox's feet was not good. In fact she said she could have quite happily shot the person who put Fox's front shoes on, which I'd requested taken off. He had thrush, cracks, and the last farrier had put the nails for the shoes in to the sensitive part of Fox's hoof walls. Which meant that my poor baby Fox had been walking around on feet that were in near constant pain. K. said Fox was lucky to be sound, and that it was a miracle of his sweet disposition that he hadn't tossed every rider off. It also makes me think his case of the slows, especially to fences was not because he was stubborn or lazy, but hurting terribly.
Since I tend to spoil my horses horribly Fox got his hideous shoes pulled, feet treated, medication given, and a new pair of Easy Boot Glove Back Country boots. Superhubs showed me how easy they were going to be to put on, and I hope he's right. Just in case, and because the Farrier Fairy is awesome, we're all going for a trail ride on Sunday so that K. can show me the ins and outs of the boots.
There is one other thing I have discovered about my new pony. He has a definite phobia of horse flies. I put both boys out in the side pasture to graze for an hour yesterday evening. After I doused Fox in fly spray I left him with Cowboy to munch on grass. I came back an hour later to see Fox standing at the gate hot, sweaty and staring at me like I'd lost my mind. Needless to say he was a little unhappy that I'd put him out in the grass without being properly clothed in his neck to tail fly sheet. It was in the wash.
Fox was not amused.
Keep it between the flags everyone.
Yikes glad you were able to get the feet squared away!!
ReplyDeleteHope you can have some good rides :)