I trimmed Newt today. I trimmed Laddie yesterday. His hooves were in very bad condition. He was so sore footed earlier that I would have had to trim him laying down. It is all better now. Newt’s feet are in pretty good shape as I trimmed him about 6 weeks ago. Newt will stand in the hallway for grooming and trimming. He likes the attention. I worked and rode him in the round pen. This is the first time I have ridden him in a year. I thought I was taking a chance riding him in the arena and oak pasture last year. It is a long way from the barn and, although I rode him for several weeks in that situation, I did not feel that the trust was increasing. For the past few months I have been haltering and leading him to the barn when they came in for feeding. It is not everyday but probably at least every other day. I feel that this attention has improved the trust and decided to try riding him again. Recently I have been leading him to pasture and leaving him alone when I came back to the barn for Magic. The first time he acted like the world was ending, yelling bloody murder and running flat out. But no harm and he is getting better at being alone (for a minute or two). He will have to learn to trust a lot more before I can ride him away from the barn very far. Speed (cantering) seems to heighten his anxiety, so we will restrict cantering to the round pen and lunge line unmounted until things get better. We rode at a walk today changing directions often to keep his mind occupied. He showed some irritation from the slight contact of the reins by shaking his head. He was a good boy and let me stay on his back. We made maybe three rounds on each rein and ended on a good note. Different attitudes for different horses. Magic cocks his hind leg whenever the brush touches his back but is very trustworthy under saddle. Newt acts like he would stand untied in the hallway all day for grooming but I’ll swear his back feet were ten feet in the air this morning when a horsefly sat on his back.
Friday, August 24 2012
I have trimmed Magic’s feet this week. I did the front a day or two ago and the rears today. I think if I trim every month, it will not be so much to trim (work) and the frequent trims will avoid the splits and cracks that seem to occur when the hooves are long. This is the second time I have done Magic and Newt and I like the results. I worked and rode him in the round pen. I was going to ride in the pasture but I ran out of time and had to go to town. If my perceptions are correct, Magic was in a cantankerous mood today.
Sunday, August 12 2012
I have been very busy at my work. Magic took the opportunity to enjoy the pasture. He has been barefoot for almost 2 months. This has gone much better than I expected. When he was first barefoot he showed just a little tenderfootedness but he got over that and now he acts like any other barefoot pasture horse. It has been very hot and dry. Last Thursday the horses celebrated a break in the oppressive heat by running hard back and fourth through the pasture. (an excellent way to get a stone bruise) Newt showed just a slight tenderness Saturday but, otherwise, they showed no bad effects. Magic is also showing a little more desire for affection. It seemed for a long time that touching held no appeal for him. This summer I have been bringing Little More, Newt and Magic into the barn late in the afternoon for some oats and turning them out after dark. My objective originally was to protect them from the horsefly attack that happens at dusk but there are fewer flies this year because of the drought. Anyway I always take some time rubbing and petting Magic. He decided that he likes for me to hold my palms out for him to rub his head. He particularly likes rubbing around the eyes. Newt is inclined to run through the barn and look for spooks when I let them in from the pasture. So I have been taking a rope and leading him in. This seems to have improved his confidence and trust in me. He is patient and stands while I attach the “lass halter”. I trimmed, groomed and worked Newt and Magic in the round pen Saturday. I did the same Sunday and additionally rode Magic in the round pen. I like Magic when I first saw him. I like him more and more as time goes on. Watching the horses walk in the pasture, I have developed an preference for Magic’s walk. He has a fluid walk.