Hooves revisited!

Had a huge trimming job this weekend, had to take down LOTS of hoofwall growth. I worked up a sweat by the time I was done, and was exhausted!

I followed this hell with a nice long hack with Dawn and Sunny! We went past Sunny and Doc's field, through the tall hay, Daniel saw a horse-eating tree and turned back as Dawn laughed at him. It took me about 100 feet to convince him it wasn't going to eat him and he could walk past it. We went by the pond at Nib's place, up the drive and to the field, then along back of Nib's place to the steep hills behind Tory Hill. Daniel crossed water *twice* without a hissy fit. Granted, the creeks were all of two feet wide, but that's how wide they were when he had his last hissy fit.

We went up the hill alongside the gelding's field, and Sunny wanted to canter the hill. Dawn had Daniel and me go in front, and I heard Dawn say, "Sunny, there's no way you're getting past that fat ass!" I turned back and laughed and asked if she was talking about Daniel's or mine! :-) I was happy that he did the whole hill without getting winded and without me having to stop him to get his resps down. I got in 2-point much of the way to try to make it easier on him.

I went back to check him Sunday and he was fine, no gimping from the trim or the ride. Yay! He's on a limited turnout now... One of the other horses at the farm, Charlie, foundered last week and they are supposed to keep him on soft ground for two weeks, so they keep him in the little sideyard by the old barn with cushioned boots on. They rotate Daniel and Granit in the sideyard by the new barn during the day, with both of them in at night with him. During the morning, Daniel's turned out with a grazing muzzle. I think between the grazing muzzle and the limited turn out, he's down a few lbs... wish it was as easy for me!

Had been MIA

My poor horse probably thought I'd forgotten about him because I hadn't seen him since Saturday. Why?? GRADUATION!!!!! Finally finished my Master's!! My classmate, Ram, was overwhelmed by Penn's graduation ceremony. I hadn't thought about it because I did my undergrad at Penn and had done it all before in the front of the line last time. This time it was the middle of the line with the PhD (hi Dr. Jess!) in the back of the line. Luckily, the rain held off until the evening. But, a couple days of madness took me away from my boy.

One good thing I did was mention to my friend Rhoda, who rode and took many lessons as a teen, has ridden Daniel a half dozen times, lives less than 2 miles from Tory Hill and has been wanting to get back to riding... that it would really help me if she wanted to put some exercise rides on him a few times a week. I figured if she rode him twice a week, and I ride him two or three times a week, we'll get him back into a shape other than *round*... So one of the days I couldn't get there, Rhoda did and she said that it was quite fun (she had some concerns that either Daniel wouldn't behave if I wasn't there, or that she'd have trouble saddling him because she's quite petite!)

Last night, the plan was FEET! I hadn't done them in almost a week and a half, he's had a lot of hoof wall growth, and I needed to attack it in stages. Luckily, Dawn was there when I got there, and YES, had new rasps! So, I bought a new rasp, and, although it doesn't go through his hooves like buttah, it's way better than the old one that was fast getting dull.

Dawn told me to concentrate on 10 to 2, and I did, but I also went all the way around, knocking down some of the new growth. If I can hit it again tomorrow, and a night next week, I should have it all knocked back to normal... then I can get back to weekly trims.

He's now in Mr and Mrs W's backyard

The W's moved to the smaller house and literally have D in their backyard. Had a fun day with him yesterday. My friend Clare and her daughter Izzy came over for a visit and "pony" rides.

The only bad thing was that I was trying NOT to get injured because graduation tomorrow is a LONG walk through Penn's campus, onto Franklin Field and back to the Inn at Penn... And didn't Daniel (albeit accidentally) step on my foot?! UGH. Tomorrow should be interesting!

New wheels!

Two of Daniel's three splashing ponds

Trail ride with Dawn and Margaux

First trail ride in months!!! Yay! And with Dawn and Sunny, too! I knew he'd be fine with Granit, since they're pasturemates, but he and Sunny were perfect gentlemen and didn't get silly showing off for the mare.

We only went out about 40 minutes or so, but we came back at sunset, and my buddy was his wonderful old self :-). We still have to watch for signs of lamitis, and put that grazing muzzle back on if need be.

So far, so good...

When I got to the barn, I couldn't find Daniel... a one ton horse and I couldn't find him! So, I thought maybe Jill put him back out with the boys, so I went out the back door to go to the boys' field... and saw him. For a horse that NEVER went into the run in shed in the boys' field, he was in this one! The run-in in his new field is pretty interesting. It can hold 4-6 horses, but it's all for Daniel and Granit. I'll have to get pictures another day, but it is open front and back, and has black mesh panels over the openings to cut down on flies. Daniel was just in there hanging out... what a good boy!

I went down and haltered him, gave him a carrot, and led him up to the barn. I tied him outside so he could *see* Granit (big baby that he's become!) and went to work on feet.

While he was going through the whole needs a trim, maybe a bad trim, maybe laminitis, maybe ringbone, I was afraid to do anything. Dawn said I was doing so well, but I was really doubting myself. So, I thought I'd very conservatively trim his feet. In 85 degree weather, I forgot how much hard work that is! I swear I was more tired from trimming than I ever get from riding!

He was good, let me trim his horribly long hoofwall (maybe 1/3") and a sole that is just powdery... ugh! I can't wait until I can get those feet back in good shape! Now that Dawn has her horse at Tory Hill, I expect to be able to get them under control :-)

Speaking of Dawn, and her horse Sunny, I told her I'd be there after work tomorrow, so we're hoping to maybe hit the trails after work! I'm looking forward to a fun summer! Gotta keep my old boy sound!