Catch Up!

Right before Christmas, we were trying to still play "Catch Up" with clients.
The ten inches of rain our area was soaked with threw us off schedule quite a bit,
and necessitated a truck swap to get in this last client.
The Big Green Beast work van had to be swapped out for Brutus and his 4WD..
Because our last stop was under water.
Still.
In the shot above, I tried (maybe not that well,) to show
where the water from the swamp was still up higher than the road.
Now, this is a normal situation.
And normally, the swamp stays put with small berms.
But even three days after the rains stopped,
that ten inches was NOT letting go.

The road took a beating...
And Brutus got a careful work out in 4WD to get us where we needed to be.

Always fun, riding around....
Someone from Tundra Country asked,
"Don't the gators move in water like that?"
My initial answer was, yes, but more towards summer and breeding season.
Then I asked around some, and learned that yeah,
it's still warm enough for those suckers to be active.
Oh.
Joy.
Didn't see any though, so all is good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember these feet?

I did a shoe removal. Set up a time for Dear Husband to go and check the mare,
and we ran into technical difficulties.
Never have been back out....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This sweet face,
and the feet below,
Are attached to one of my favorite stops.
Molly, the little mule who is about three weeks older than dirt.

I know this shot does not show much, but Cub tried to get the best he could.
If you look real close to the one above and the one below,
you can see that this foot is still...
well,
crooked.

It's crooked because her hind feet used to look like this:

Yes, this hoof is in bad shape, to say the least.
Normally in cases like this, the feet shoot forward and curl back up,
towards the cannon bone.
Molly had to be different.
She grew her feet both off to the side:
one went under her belly, pointing to the other side,
and the other just shot out sideways.
The off side hoof is now flat on the ground again,
thanks to Dear Husband's skill with tools,
and my grit in hanging onto her!
The near side hoof has a bit more to go yet, before it looks and acts normal.
But Molly is determined,
as is Dear Husband,
and I know that in 2010 she'll have four feet on the ground
as God intended.
Even if she IS three weeks older than dirt-
she still deserves and is getting excellent care.

That's a good start for some Catch Up time. In the works still is the Balance post, which I will do my best to get up tomorrow. Provided of course, that Sonny decides to NOT be such a .... *ahem*.... let me re-phrase that a tad... Provided that I can sweet talk my Dear Husband into coming out and holding onto Sonny for me, so that I may have a hand in using the camera AND controlling my rotten horse!

Sonny's Sunday

Not much to report on the Sonny front for this week. It's wet. He says "Quack" on a regular basis now. I am afraid to take him to the lake, for fear he'll dive in and grow gills, too.

So today, included are some "stock" shots of the past months, when the sun was bright, the days warm, and Sonny was just plumb full of himself. Wait- he's ALWAYS full of himself. ALWAYS. Wouldn't be Sonny without some 'Tude, right?
2009 was a hard year. This time next week, we'll have the first Sonny's Sunday of 2010. It leaves me looking back a bit, at what the year held for us at Command Central. Sonny alternated between lame and sound, and during times of soundness we were able to ride. Life changed permanently in May, when Johnny Reb had a severe reaction and illness beset him from what was supposed to be a straightforward surgery. Things have gotten better, but... well, they'll never be quite the same again for any of us- most of all Johnny Reb.

At the end of August, as things were settling down into a predictable pattern, someone decided that Sonny needed to be somewhere other than here. Had they known this big red horse, and his attitudes, they *might* have wanted to pick on a lesser animal, as once he decides he is NOT going to co-operate with you, Sonny indeed, does NOT. The end result left us wondering, for about two weeks, if we could even save him.

Recover he did, and ride we have. Big Red beat the odds, one more time.

Are there goals for 2010 with this red monster of mine?
I don't really know.
Shows?
Trail rides?
Pasture puff?
Who can say. Time, once again, will be on our side.
Keeping him sound- or as sound as possible- is a high priority. Continuing under saddle work is also a priority. But beyond that.... well, beyond that is a day to day deal.

Yes, 2009 was a time for many changes, in many ways. Half of me is excited to see what 2010 may hold- half is suspicious and wary (not to mention WEARY.)

Happy New Year, everyone. May 2010 bring about all you wish for, may your horses stay sound and healthy, and may your rides be many.

~MM

T'was the Night Before Christmas, Command Central Style

This first made a debut in December 2007. Written to the "tune" of a childhood favorite, "The Night Before Christmas", I hope everyone enjoys reading it once again.

Merry Christmas, everyone, from all of us at Command Central. May all your Christmas wishes come true, and may 2010 be amazing for you!
Mrs Mom, Dear Husband, Cub, Wrecking Crew, Jo the Wonder Nanny Dog, and of course, Sonny Bunz, the Wonder Horse.





T'was late in the evening, on a cold Christmas Eve,
As I slipped to the barn, to check on my steeds.
Stockings were hung on stall doors with good care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The horses were tucked all snug in their stalls,
And visions of sugar cubes soon filled them all.
The cat in her bed, the dog by my side,
The mice in the loft, running to hide.
When voices I heard, all quiet and hushed,
Of many happy things, all the horses discussed.
Carrots and apples, cookies and cakes,
And many new things they hoped for my sake.
Moonlight reflected through the windows behind,
As I listened very quiet, To the things on their minds.
A barn of alfalfa, feed that is sweet,
Good homes for them all, that can’t be beat!
As I stood there listening, my heart filled with awe,
A soft voice was speaking, and addressing them all.
The voice was gentle, so quiet and sweet,
It tamed my nerves, put me at ease.
"Now Jack, now Skippy,
"Now Lady and Stirling,
"Oh Fireball and Ruby,
"LaRosa and Summer,
"We must keep this low, lest our human hear,
"The bunch of us chatting- would scare the poor dear!"
Scare me indeed! The Fable was true!
The Gift to the animals bestowed by the Lord,
Of speech to the horses, this one night a year,
Deep, deep with in me, this fact struck a chord.
They spoke of favorite pastures, grasses so green,
Of trail rides, events, rivers, and streams.
They spoke of new life, and old ones passed on,
They talked of their lives, and of their dreams.
Slowly it hit me- this fact oh so clear,
Those who were speaking, had been gone many a year.
I crept forward a step, hoping to see
And what to my wondering eyes should appear?
Jack, Maria, Fire, and Skippy,
Ruby, Crystal, Champ, and Rebel,
Gone for so long, yet here they were.
Talking with LaRosa, Lady, Stirling, and Summer.
I could see them all there,
Bigger than life,
The light in their eyes, the shine on their coats,
Healthy and strong, those silly old shoats.
A noise escaped me, and Jack turned his head.
With a nod of his nose, and the wink of an eye,
He turned to the others, and bid their Adieu.
As they filed on past me, I stood in a trance,
Watching them go.
The barn grew silent, and oh so still-
I stumbled to the house, in the deep chill.
Rubbing my eyes, which were far from dry,
The ache in my heart making me cry.
I had seen them I swear, my friends of the past,
All of them loved so deeply by me,
Brought back by a Miracle, on this Christmas Eve,
To be seen at long last,
Truly made me believe!
I stood there in wonder for what I had seen.
Then in the deep quiet,
A strong voice rang out-
"Merry Christmas to All,
And To All A Good Night!"

Ride Along With Us...

I'd like to say that I am incredibly proud of the Little Mens. All of today's images were taken by Cub and Wrecking Crew.

Today started with a very special stop- one of my all time favorites. This is Molly. Molly is probably about two weeks older than dirt. She's got some pretty serious issues, but lacks nothing for spunk, spirit, and charm. Opinion too- when Molly has had enough, she will not hesitate to let me know.

I'd bring her home in half a heart beat. Yep, another one of those Dangerous Moments to be sure.

Molly just amazes me. One of her favorite things to do is say "Hi" to each of the Little Mens in turn. Through Molly, I get my serious craving for a long ear fix filled. There is nothing like cuddling with a character as strong willed as this old girl!

Molly and Cub

Molly and Wrecking Crew.
Both boys LOVE Molly.

Dear Husband has a soft spot for Molly too. We'll take a day soon and get into her hoof issues, but for now, I wonder if anyone can see something... odd.... with this picture?

Next Up:
The Sweetest Mini's On The Planet.

Wrecking Crew had a turn at the camera for the following images.
(No, this little fellow does not really stand like this- he had just wiggled over to see Wrecker.)First, we see some hairy legs and tiny feet.

Next, we see his lady friend, helping Cub as he helped his Daddy clean Cookie's feet pre-trim.

I love this shot- tools of the trade, a tiny mare, and one of my Little Men's hoof too.

Cub worked through cleaning all four tiny feet, helping his Dad. Y'all, that was one PROUD boy.

Our next and last stop of the day... well, that involved swinging by Command Central and swapping out the Big Green Beast work van, for the four wheel drive.

And there I will leave you until tomorrow for the Rest Of The "Tail"!

Sonny's Sunday

There IS sun today. Which is good- as it is working slowly slowly at drying up the lake in His Royal Highnesseseses paddock. Sonny is wound. Like an eight day clock wound. Bouncing off the walls -were there any walls that is, to bounce off of. He is snorty, blowing, tossing his head and flagging his tail and basically dancing in place in impatience.

I did manage to free His Nibs from the mess of the paddock on a couple of occasions this week, but today.... Today I fear I am just too sick to be out there. My head is pounding, my nose runs at a non-stop fast drip, and the small act of bending over to tie on my boots left me breathless and the room spinning. Dear Husband merely shook his head and helped me back up. He knows as long as I can get the boots ON, nothing is going to stop me from at LEAST going out to toss Sonny hay and freshen his water.

Anything else though, will have to wait.

Instead, I leave you with this thought, as I head off in search of more Puffs Plus tissues and my couch:

Christmas? Almost here.
I am not ready.
Right now, I have no Cheer.
My nose glows like Rudophl's,
All rosy and bright,
And with fevered delusion,
I wish you all a Good Night...

Merry Christmas y'all.... stay healthy!
~MM

Don't Look If You Are Queasy....But Be Sure to Read!

I know- this was supposed to be a post about bar tissue in hooves today, but when I finally got a moment to sit down, I happened across the following story.

FlyingHorse2, from Musings From the Judge's Box has been quite busy of late. Thanks to her persistence, a mare was saved. The mare, named Ladybug (for now) was allegedly attacked by dogs on her former owner's farm, around December 3. FlyingHorse2 met the mare on December 11. She had not had any treatment, apparently, and was in bad shape.

The shock of what she saw set things in motion for FlyingHorse2, and she did everything in her power to see to it that the mare was removed from the situation.

I am going to encourage folks in the south east to go and take a look. Especially those in the Ocala FL area. But I am going to warn you- these are some pretty graphic images. If you are faint of heart, read at FlyHorse2's blog, and skip going to the mare's page directly.

Now, to her former owner, Amber Hyder, what in the hell is wrong with you? It's bad enough that the mare was attacked by dogs. But to leave her with no apparent care? Are you on DRUGS? Could you not SEE her ear rotting off her head? And then to have balls enough to sign the rescue guest book, stating how much you miss her and wish to see her again sometime? Dude, Amber, I'm betting you won't see her again, simply because there is a special place in Hell for people like you, where animals will not go. Now I understand that there are additional horses on Amber's property, who are all in poor shape. And a handful of skinny dogs. Was it one of Amber's own dogs that attacked this mare? I don't know- but I sure as shooting hope that the rest of the animals are in the spotlight and receive protection and proper care.

Oh- one final thought for Miss Amber Hyder- Merry Christmas you miserable piece of crap. May YOUR ear be ripped from your head at some point, and YOU not receive any medical attention for it as well.

Kudos to FlyingHorse2 for her persistence in this matter.
Kudos to Beauty's Haven Farm and Rescue.
Kudos to Dr. Ryan.

Do We Re-Shoe? Or Wait?

Edit: Check out Maria's post. Excellent post. Perfectly relevant to this post as well!

TJ asked an excellent question in yesterday's post, about a shoe removal and a tender-footed horse. Her son, a recent graduate of shoeing school, is simply doing what he has been taught to do.

TJ mentioned that the horse is now quite tender, and Eric the Bold has suggested the re-application of a set of shoes to combat the tenderness. In his words- a "fix".

What some see as a "fix", I tend to see as a bandaid. The issue will still be there with the removal of the shoes at a later date.

What to do about this situation? TJ would rather wait a bit, and see how the horse does. I tend to agree with that (obviously, since I am a barefoot trimmer.)

First- I am going to make an assumption here. Which can most assuredly be a dangerous thing to do, as we all are aware of the "ass" "u" "me" portion of the equation. My "ass" "u" "me" is two fold: part one this horse has been shod for a while, and part two is he/she has been trimmed to be shod in a very traditional manner, which tends to go against the best interest of the internal structures of the foot.

But why is he/ she so sore?
There are (at least) five main nerve centers in the hoof. Known as proprioceptors, their main job is communication with the rest of the body to protect the horse. Once a shoe is applied, their job becomes incredibly difficult if not impossible. How so? Because of the "noise". Take a country dweller- used to hearing the chirp of crickets, the birds, and soft noises of the night. Move that country bumpkin (of which I AM one,) to the city and what do you get? Someone who can not rest well (at least in my case) because of the NOISE. Constant- all the time- never ending barrage on the senses.

The barefoot is like the country bumpkin- able to "hear" the occasional noise, sort out what it is, and what needs to be done or not done to care for the body.

The shod hoof is the city dweller- immune to the "noise" generated at all times by the surrounding shoe. Instead of one point of contact (ie: noise) you have it magnified and transferred around the hoof wall, causing a sensory overload.

To combat this, those nerve centers do the simple equivalent of "turning off". They dismiss the "noise", thus creating the illusion of "soundness."

Part Two if this already intense mouthful is the treatment of the sole during a preparatory trim. Most cases that I have seen are either incredibly flat- like so flat you could put a marble on there and it would not roll, OR the sole is carved out to "live" sole- the waxy, fresh looking sole. Either way, it's bad news for the horse. Both scenarios are indicating internal issues: a flat sole (on a shod horse- we are not getting into flat soles on a bare hoof at the moment,) usually indicates poor internal structure health. Meaning, you have couch potatoes who can not physically do their job of suspension and shock/ energy dissipation, instead of tough, fibrous cartilages and tissues.

The sole that is completely carved away to live sole is one that is being stripped of protection. Callous builds up to provide support to the internal structures, AND it also acts in conjunction with the protective systems of the hoof. Removal of that callous leaves a naked area, with support removed, open to injury and seeming lameness.

So what does this mean for TJ's horse?

TJ, I'd leave your horse bare. Scrub the soles with some sugardine (sugar and povodine made into a paste, scrubbed onto the hoof with a toothbrush or some such brush,) and allow the horse to choose his own footing for a bit. Or you could boot the horse. But my gut instinct says to apply sugardine (once a day or so, for about a week,) and leave him be. Movement will do him wonders.

Now, this leads me to yet another question- that being is this horse TECHNICALLY, truly considered "lame"?

No. Why not? Because once shoes are removed, that city dwelling, traffic and chaos submerged hoof now has an entirely new set of issues to work with-- that being those nerves are NEEDED to feel the rocks and rough ground, to PREVENT a lameness. With me so far?

Right- the biggest reason people shoe is to-- all together now-- protect the foot from bad footing, right? Ever really WATCHED a shod horse move across rocky ground? No? Do it sometime, and then come tell me how 1/4" of steel is going to protect that foot from stepping on a sharp rock that is sticking up from the ground 3/4".

Now, watch a horse with HEALTHY bare hooves cross that same terrain. Oh-- see the bobble? That horse FELT the stone, and moved away from it. (And yes, in properly trimmed bare hooves, WITH PROPER CONDITIONING, that does diminish.) Moving away from the stone on the sole prevented a stone bruise unlike the shod horse, who most likely will come up lame with an abscess from damage done by a bruise to the corrium.

Any questions?

Lytha, I know I promised a bar talk in this also, but since this reached novella length, let's shoot for that tomorrow. One thought though-- I've seen MUCH more bar growth in wet, than I have in snow/ cold....

One last thought- for anyone who wishes to debate the endless topic of shoes protecting the coffin bone, you'll get a post all to yourselves. I *promise*.

Hazardous Job, I Tell Ya...

No, not THAT job up above- that was a bonus. That horse? Rocks. Sweet, calm, quiet, level headed, and a joy to be around. And t-r-a-i-n-e-d. He is used as a pony horse for some Quarter Horse race horses. Works his sexy socks off, and is just one of the nicest horses we've met in a while. Got some sweet blue eyes too let me tell you...

No, the hazardous part comes below. Part One: In helping a badly injured client today, I offered to go into a paddock to catch the sweet Appaloosa contained within. Mr. Appaloosa said, "Oh no! You ain't my Daddy, I don't know you! Stranger Danger! Run away! RUN AWAY!" And he did. Right through some boot sucking muck and mud. I quit tracking him when the mud got to be mid-shin deep on the horse, and we convinced him to come back out to me instead. Still got mucky, but hey- it's all washable. (That's not a great shot-- we were kinda in a rush to beat more predicted rain, so I threw kids in the truck and snapped a quick shot. The mud? Went fairly high up!)
Hazardous Job Part Two? Ooooooo Baby, THAT below is what I call, "BOOTY-LICIOUS". He has SPOTS. He has a BUTT. He has agility, athleticism, intelligence, spots, excellent bone, can spin on a dime and give you nine cents change, and let me tell y'all----

He Stole My Heart.

Now the folks at the barn, one of whom was quite injured himself, were worried about this horse. Apparently in the past, he has put up a bit of a fuss, and made life interesting to say the least. Dear Husband volunteered me to hold the horse, so that our banged up client wouldn't get hurt any further. (OK, so he saw me salivating over the spots too... Dear Husband just KNEW I was seriously jonesing to get my hands on that handsome bugger.)

Needless to say, this fine fine horse stood like a champ. He was awesome. I made sure to let the folks know, if he ever needed a home he could just come on home with ME anytime. (They were about ready to send him too. Seems he has a bad reputation as a bad-ass. Shoot- all it took today was someone who understands Appys to work *with* him, know what I mean? *wink wink*)

Ah yes ladies and gentlemen, this is indeed a hazardous job. But man alive is it worth it!

Now onto Sonny's hind the other day. Had some interesting commentary on that, so let's take a look see at what is in the picture. Now, PROVIDED we get a break in this freaking DUCK weather, (seven inches of rain at Command Central since last Thursday night,) I'll get some other views of this same hoof to share. However, my camera said that under NO circumstances am I to take it outside in the weather. It's delicate, you see, and prefers to be DRY. (Yeah- no kidding. After the past week SO DO I!)


Blue Arrow: That is actually bar tissue, that has migrated forward. Last time I smoothed it off? A week ago yesterday, I took the knife and carefully brought the bar down to existing sole. There are theories around about bar growth in winter. I have routinely seen bar and sole grow at impressive rates, as the hoof works towards better health. (Which Sonny is currently doing, again.)

Orange Arrow: Now a few of you thought that Sonny has a stretched white line. TECHNICALLY, he doesn't. What you saw was the inner hoof wall. His white lines are uniformly thick, but quite healthy and have no stretch to them at all. Again-- better views to come.

Pink-ish Arrow: Flare! Why does he have flare? Thanks to the injury (rather RE-injury) of that hock, his gait has altered. Again. That change in movement, coupled with both his and my inability to do any hoof work for September, October, and into November, (right about.. umm... 14 weeks actually,) his feet have "challenges". The flare came about from the imbalance, the gait alteration, lack of movement, and general cussedness.

Onto some questions:
Shirley- Nope, I haven't tried those tent stakes. That is an excellent idea! THANK YOU!

Cheeky- Remember- this is on a big horse (16 hands), who has been bare for three years now. (Consistently. His history with injury has made hoof care a complete hair pulling challenge for all three of those years too. The Boy Needs Bubble Wrap.) His concavity is excellent, and when he first came out of shoes three years ago, he had teeny tiny halter horse feet, that were flat. Lo and behold, as he has grown and gained considerable ground in health overall, so have his feet. Which is why I really encourage you to breathe deep- your sweet mare has a BIG advantage in that her BODY is healthy already. In about nine months, staying on a good track like you are, those feet are going to look 10000% better.

CDN- want me to send some moisture up your way, so you can make snow? hehehe

TJ- Look at the bars, and follow it around. I always think it's kinda neat looking, and honestly would rather see that than bars folded up into the sole. This way still traps material against the sole, BUT, in my opinion, it seems to be LESS detrimental to the overall health of the sole.

BECG- Yer a Poop (but I still love ya! HA~). Now go smack Shooter's hams from me!!

Paint Girl- I didn't post today's NEW water pictures. It was too depressing. The other day, that shot of Sonny eating hay with the water in the background? That hay spot? Now under water. (Trust me- you do not want to know the language going in my brain about THAT right now...) Gravel or sand for you-- are you on bedrock by chance? If so, either one will work great. If not, be prepared to replace either footing in a couple years... it all kinda winds up squishing down and going away. BUT-- a trick I learned from years in Tundra Country-- dig out your gate area a bit. Line with No. 2 gravel, pack in. Load top with stone dust. The stone dust will pack in, and allows for great drainage. If you can layer it like that too, it does help the rock to last longer.

Lisa- I think of you out there every day, girl!! (I love those CHICKENS!!) Stay warm and safe in that muck too please- no tweaking knees.

Sahara4d- Howdy! Welcome to the insanity of Command Central. Heels are level (big big sticking point of mine. BALANCE must start from the ground up,) and the optical illusion of forward (underrun) heels is just that- an illusion. His heels behind and in one front have a wonderful orientation of growth. One front tends to migrate the entire hoof capsule forward, courtesy of his genetic slightly club foot on the opposite side. As to what his other feet look like at the moment, frankly my answer is crappy.

Funder- That might be camera angle too, making it look like his frog is a mile long. Sonny isn't an aggressive "heel grower" per say. Actually, ....... (gears turning.. smoke.... run!) I have a "thing" about does one portion of the hoof grow more than another. Seriously- as I watch and watch and watch (and watch more still,) I see even growth rates all the way around on a whole lot (like, all) of horses. BUT--- what I ALSO see is a varying WEAR pattern/ rate. Thanks to his gait alteration, the wear pattern has changed in this hoof, and his entire hind quarter is still adjusting to it. My job currently is to help stabilize that pattern, strengthen the hock and body, and make sure - now that he can stand for work- he stays on a pretty tight schedule (four weeks. No more, no less. Period. Scrubbing frogs and slightly removing growing bar tissue is allowable, but I must resist the call of the rasp...)

Merri- Loved that dirt post. Saw some today that totally agree with "A Happy Horse Is A DIRTY Horse!" and thought of your post.

TW- The beauty of our place? When it's warm, I can throw them into the lake to clean off..... HA~

OK y'all-- my bed is calling and I need to crash. Fire away, because as always, it's a blast!

Sonny's *SUN*day

Look!! A Surprise From Callie and Steve!!!!
I LOVE IT!
And Sonny got his special treats.
(Thought I took a picture of those too, but I can't find it.)

*Snork* Yeah. Sun. Imagine that would ya. There ISN'T any to speak of right now, and has not been any since Thursday. It rained so much Friday night, yesterday, and overnight that once again we were looking for ducks in Sonny's paddock.

Sonny.
Is.
Not.
Impressed.

But while there is a break in the weather, he and I, along with Jo the Wonder Nanny Dog, opted to take a walk. I was going insane being inside, as I was all set to head out with Dear Husband early this morning and trim a bunch of horses. Yeah. Not--- the client called and said there were incredibly bad storms in their area, and major flooding of the roads to get to the barn.

So, the horse, dog, and I hit the road in a walk.

First, we took a look at the lake- which has not been this high in literally three years.
Sonny was snorting and blowing, and acting a fool. It was hilarious. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any images of it, as he was acting such a fool, I kinda had my hands full. Jo thought it was great. She was slinking around, and kept popping up in odd places just to see if she could make the horse jump and spook. Every time he did, I *swear* to you- she laughed her fuzzy ass off. Rotten dog.

Here she is, checking out a puddle in our drive. Yes, she went swimming in the lake and wading in all the puddles. Dammit.
One good thing about all the rain, and our location? We have a lot of sand, and not much mud. There is some, but not a lot. The sand, even when it is under an inch or so of water, is quite firm and acts as a wonderful scrubbing agent. Sonny was convinced to stand still, and I picked up all four feet. This is our "good foot"- his off side hind. (Game time! What do y'all see???)

Alas our walk had to end. The brief break in the rains was over, and frankly, I was not into the idea of trudging on in foul weather. Sonny went back to his hay in his paddock, with a treat from Aunt Callie to make him happy-ish, and I slopped my way back into the house, to cast off the sopping boots, socks, pants and shirt.

I keep telling myself:
This will drain.
It does not require plowing, shoveling, or any other form of removal.
You are not in -30* wind chills.
It does not need to be shoveled.
No four wheel drive plow trucks.
No plows.
No snow shovels.

It's not working.
I find myself in a strange, strange position right now, of actually MISSING snow.

And I *NEVER* thought those words would EVER come out of my mouth.

And now, as the rains persist, I see my tarp has come off the hay. It needs to be recovered. Stay dry and warm y'all.....
~MM

Take A Look At A Hoof

Earlier this week, I posted two pictures of a set of front hooves, that are attached to Funder's mare. I asked what folks saw... for the most part, everyone was happy to check out the not so great issues. I admit, I was surprised that no one really took a look at the GOOD in this hoof. I bet if we were to ask very sweetly, Funder might dig through her archives, and show us what her mare's feet looked like a year ago. If I recall, this mare had some pretty rough issues going on, that in my opinion, she has resolved/ is resolving quite nicely.

All in all, this mare has come quite far in her conditioning. Her hooves are improving, her mind is improving, and her training with Funder has made huge advancements as well.

Let's take a look at the GOOD that this hoof is showing us all:
Blue circles indicate a good heel purchase, and show the mare is landing heel first.
A wide, thick, tough frog, allowing for excellent control of the distortion of the hoof capsule on movement.
Blue arrow shows a wonderful toe callous.
The quarters are tightening up nicely, and the white line is progressively healing and tightening as well.
The sole has been doing a good job of self-exfoliation, with just a bit that will need attention from her trimmer.
Overall, this is a very nice foot.





Onto the foot Funder was somewhat worried about:
The blue arrow shows a deeper than I'd like central sulcus. This crevice can and does trap material inside, setting up a deep thrush episode. I'd like to see how deep the crevice is, but that is going to have to wait until Funder is un-snowed.

The blue circle shows a bit of frog I would trim back, to prevent any additional material being trapped.

Overall, again- this is a pretty nice foot. The mare travels differently on this leg than she does the other- which can be seen in the wear patterns. But again- she is also landing heel first, developing a nice toe callous, and has good concavity to the sole. The quarters on this foot- again, trusting to my memory- are making huge strides as well.
What would I do to treat that central sulcus crevice?
There are several options:
1) White Lightning gel, packed in on a cotton ball
2) Use a q-tip, and mash in antibiotic ointment/ lamisil
3) If it is deep, I might soak cotton ball pieces in Provodine and insert them in the crevice for a few days, before moving onto one of the other treatments.

Many would say to bleach or bleach and water the crevice.
Many would argue that is a perfectly fine foot.
So why don't I push the use of bleach mixes? Bleach has it's place, and there ARE times when we will use it. Like Epsom Salts- we use them rarely as well. Bleach will burn more sensitive tissue, and create more necrotic tissue in the long run. The goal is to encourage more healthy growth- not more damaged tissue. Using caution when using Provodine/ Betadine as well- this too can cause damage and irritation. There are thoughts that the mild irritation caused will stimulate growth. How factual that is, I don't really know. Long ago I worked for a harness horse trainer who insisted that scrubbing the hair line every night while doing up the horses with betadine and a toothbrush would stimulate better wall growth. Did it? I couldn't see it- but that was "the way it had always been done" and that was how it was to stay being done.

One last quick point here:
Hooves quickly become an obsession. It is very easy to loose sight of the end goal- a healthy hoof- when you are focused solely on any small imperfection you may find. My advice? RELAX. Hooves Heal. Horses Heal. And this will take time. As long as your horse is moving soundly, and progress is being made, Stop Over thinking. Allow Nature to work. Issues were not created overnight, they will not heal overnight. Time and a good trimmer are on your side!

The Wonders Of The INTERNET

Surfing around a couple days ago, seeking inspiration for some creative writing, I happened across some incredible blog fodder. Which prompted this post today, so that you too, can enjoy the blog fodder, and hopefully laugh as hard as I did.

Before I begin though, just a word or three for thought. If you are going to post information to a public site, for the purposes of teaching others, PLEASE make sure you have your facts correct. Oh- wait a moment- let's make sure you even HAVE some facts in your words. Seriously! Information is out there, and easily available!

Now onto the fodder....

DID YOU KNOW:

- That the frog of the horse's hoof has a BONE in it? And that bacteria in the soil will eat away at the frog bone, causing thrush? (There are no bones in a frog. Period. There IS bacteria in the soil that causes thrush- at least that part is right.)

- Hooves are only made up of three parts:
- Wall: which is the front of the hoof
- Sole: which is the floor of the hoof, and last but not least:
- Frog: the cushion of skin at the bottom of the hoof.
(The terms are correct, but the anatomical descriptions? Not so much....)

- If a frog comes in contact with the ground, the horse will be in *agony* and unable to work. The hoof keeps the frog and bones inside (there's that frog containing bone again) from touching the ground. (Soooo all those horses out in the wild, and all our domestic horses that have frogs that maintain healthy PASSIVE CONTACT are in agony? Sounds like that is someone's little secret...)

- Club foot is a hereditary hoof disease. It occurs when the front of the hoof is taller than the back. Club footed horses are not suitable for riding, but maybe could make a harness horse. (Hey Sonny! Guess what! Your genetic club foot is a get off riding work free for the rest of your life ticket! Oh, THAT isn't the hoof or leg you have trouble in?....Hmmmmm....)

- To become a farrier, you have to attend a clinic. (Just one? Dude! I'm over educated!)

- To trim a horse for shoeing, the coffin bone inside the hoof must line up with the two pastern bones. If these are misaligned, the horse will become lame. (You can see this using your patented x-ray vision glasses!)

- White line Disease is ONLY a problem in hot weather, and the only CURE for White Line Disease is to shoe the hoof. (I simply have no words. Honestly. All the horses with White Line in the winter in Tundra country must have been confused as to the season.)

And lastly, for now anyways, apparently one author believes that hooves are so complicated that the only way to care for them is to have a vet and a blacksmith work together on them. (Dude-- the last time I heard the term blacksmith was at a metal workers shop....And let's not even get into the VET having to work with the blacksmith to care for hooves.....)



There was more. Much more. So much more that I had to stop reading, as it went from being highly amusing and entertaining to me, to being sickening. Some of the "cures" for laminitis, Navicular, Ringbone, etc had me wincing and curling MY toes up, never mind the hell it would be for the horse subjected to such treatments. Some of the "advice" for applying a shoe had my eyes about ready to pop out of their sockets.

This post is not making fun of those who don't know. It IS however, pointing a finger at those who wrote this ridiculousness, who claim they DO know hooves. And horses. I have doubts about whether or not they'd actually know their elbows from their a$$........ Seriously.

What kind of insanity have you all read online?

December 7- Two Year Equi-bloggaversary!

Along with it being Pearl Harbor Day, Oh HorseFeathers! second anniversary, it is also my Cub's fifth birthday. Five years. Whoa. Time has flown by all too fast.

Cub and "his" horse, intently watching the tree guys.
Sonny had to make sure that Cub wasn't hiding any treats in his pocket.

There was a huge (about 75' or so) tall pine tree in the paddock. The grand tree went under attack earlier this year, and lost the battle for life. Unfortunately, it was in a pretty bad position. Had the wind come from the north, it would have toppled on the house. Or the work truck. And knowing Sonny, he would have been in the way, and been squashed too.


We were lucky though, that the Tree Man left his card with Dear Husband at the shop. I've always believed that the people you need arrive in your life when you need them, and this held true once again. We were all worried about finding a qualified, good person to take down the tree before it crashed the party in the house, and POOF---- Tree Man showed up. Just like that...

The tree removal was smooth, and Sonny got a kick out of checking everything out. Tree Man was worried that Sonny might spook and act up... little did he know, Sonny is about as low key as they come.

Provided time eases up some this week, there are several posts in the works. Funder was nice enough to grant permission to show y'all some really well conditioned hooves, I have pictures for heel balance, and a few other subjects rattling around inside what is left of my gray matter.

Sunrise the other morning off my porch.

As a teaser, take a look at this and see what you all think:

Sonny's Sunday- "Will Work For Food!"

Oh My What a fuzzy leg! Looks like someone took No-Shave-November to heart... Wait a second--- that leg is SUPPOSED to be fuzzy... This is the best winter coat Sonny has had since I've known him. However, he also seems to have managed to scratch himself. Not badly, but I'm starting to think bubble wrap might be in order for him.

The sun FINALLY broke through yesterday afternoon, and the Little Mens and I made a break for the outdoors while we could. They hit the trampoline, and I grabbed my big red pal, to get a MUCH NEEDED horse fix.

I asked Sonny for a bit of a test run on the line, to see how lame he was. The good news? He wasn't lame. He was stiff and sore, creaking and popping like crazy in his hocks, but shoot, we can deal with that! The more he walked the looser he got. Worked for me!

Quite by accident this week, I discovered something about Big Red. He is seriously food motivated. More so than I ever would have thought. It happened during a break in the ever present rains of the week, when I had slopped out to the paddock to clean up what I could and get hay set for the night. I had some small carrot bits in my pocket, intending to give them to Sonny... when he decided that he could do "tricks" for the carrot bits.

I pointed to his chest, and asked for a back, and don't you know he literally DANCED backwards? Any other time, he backs fine- halter or no halter- but he does it "Under Protest". No pizzazz, no animation- just a tight mouth and a skunk eye for me as he is moving those feet. Not this time- this time he smelled that carrot and he DANCED backwards.

Huh. Go figure that one.

Next, I asked him for a sidepass. Again- normally he'll do it, and to the right it takes a bit of "encouragement" on my part to unstick those feet. Not that time. His eyes were bright, and he snapped to and moved hips and forehand in a nice, rhythmic, clean step step step away. Same to the left.

We finished up with the last carrot bit refining our head down cue, and that silly horse had his nose buried in the mud, holding there, eye rolled up to watch my hand for the lift part of the cue, and I swear he was drooling over the thought of one more carrot bite.

Crazy horse.

Apparently he remembered, because yesterday, as I was trying to pack his hooves with antibiotic goop and cotton, this is what was on my leg for his front feet:

Mind you, I have his near side fore foot, lifted and cradled in my hand. I felt this almost massage like rubbing on my calf, headed towards the front of my knee cap. All I could think of, for some strange reason, was "Oh Look. Gorilla lips!" Must be the lack of sunshine that affected my brain cells, and the fact that his color resembles that of an Orangutan.

Check this out-- the wind was giving me fits yesterday, blowing my cotton balls around. (Gotta hate that, ya know? Cold wind on your cotton bal.... oh never mind...)

So to keep the little fluffy buggers in place, I shoved them under the leather thingy on top of my boot. It worked! Kept them from floating off in the breeze, and out of the dirt. Not that it matters how CLEAN they are, since they are getting shoved into a horse hoof headed for muddy turnout.This is where the cotton and meds are being shoved. Three feet have cavities and openings like this. His off side fore looks much worse than this, but 13 days post trim, I am pleased at the progress. Not only have the frogs made err... leaps.. and bounds towards health, the entire foot is growing out nicely. We'll be doing a touch up trim tomorrow.

Long way to go before these are healthy feet again, but we are making progress. Yesterday was a reminder to me-- a reminder that I routinely tell everyone else:

Hooves. Can. Heal. Given the right help, hooves make AMAZING progress. Thirteen days ago, there was sensitive frog showing in spots on this hoof. Seven days ago, he had a bruise on this frog, that had him quite lame. Now, I see him starting to land heel first, rather than toe first in both front feet.

For that matter, if nothing else, this horse is a PRIME example of just how much the entire horse can heal.

Go Sonny...!

Friday In Photos

How has this week been? Take a look at Sonny Horse above. The standing water, mud, muck, and rather dark overcast look to the atmosphere. It's been dreary, with lots of rain, and Little Men that are slowly (yeah- right... try at warp speed) driving their Mother insane.

Underneath these, about 75 feet under them that is,
Grow these:
Palmetto plants.

They are spiky, sharp, and quite hospitable to things like snakes,
spiders,
and fire ants.

That's my boot, shucked just so y'all could get an idea of how large these ant beds can get. (And this is a relatively small mound.)
Lucky for me, it is cold enough today that the ants are deep within the mound,
and not willing to investigate my boots as alternate housing.

This is a view of the lake today. And the dreary dark sky.
That pretty much sums up this entire week...