Horse Talk

[abigalerose]

I can believe that one horse may not like the color of another and pick on it, for sure, but I don't buy in to the whole certain colors have bad attitudes thing. Like I was told that June would be really hot tempered since she's a palomino mare, but she's the most laid back lazy horse I've owned, and my run of the mill sorrel qh gelding was the most difficult horse I've owned. But yes, I'm very glad the rescue is willing to work with me, they're really good people. And Phoenix has been taken back to them once before becuase someone's mares didn't like him. I think he might need a gelding only home

 

[abigalerose]

Finally found a reliable farrier and the horses got their feet done today. He said it looked like the bottom of June's front hoof was bruised a little, so I was right about it being sore, and he said the shoes should help. He only put on front ones. And Phoenix had a trim and he was a sweet heart. Phoenix is making it pretty hard to decide what to do with him, he's such a sweet boy, but I don't know if it's worth stressing about June every three weeks for the rest of her life.
June was not so happy about getting shoes on, this was he second time with a farrier and first time with shoes, we've been working a lot on picking up her feet, but she reared up a little while he was working on her. Towards the end she calmed down though. I'm just glad she's finally got shoes, I'm gonna give her a couple days to get use to them, and for the bruising on that hoof to go away, and then Sunday I'm gonna try to work with her again!

 

[ChickenLover200]

Have you posted a picture of your girl in here before? I can't remember..

Yeah. She doesn't have any white leg markings though... just a stripe on he nose

Finally found a reliable farrier and the horses got their feet done today. He said it looked like the bottom of June's front hoof was bruised a little, so I was right about it being sore, and he said the shoes should help. He only put on front ones. And Phoenix had a trim and he was a sweet heart. Phoenix is making it pretty hard to decide what to do with him, he's such a sweet boy, but I don't know if it's worth stressing about June every three weeks for the rest of her life.
June was not so happy about getting shoes on, this was he second time with a farrier and first time with shoes, we've been working a lot on picking up her feet, but she reared up a little while he was working on her. Towards the end she calmed down though. I'm just glad she's finally got shoes, I'm gonna give her a couple days to get use to them, and for the bruising on that hoof to go away, and then Sunday I'm gonna try to work with her again!

Jazz, a horse I work with has the same problem. I just saw him yesterday and he's only got shoesin the front. Didn't notice that before.
The little pony I work with nipped me Monday. We are now enemies

 

[Bunnylady]

I know you are joking about the pony, but that is where an awful lot of people go. They get bitten or kicked, and they are like, "that animal's mean!" But he's not mean, he's just a horse, doing what he thinks he can get away with. Bites and kicks don't come out of nowhere; chances are, that animal has been showing disrespectful behavior for some time, and nobody has called him on it (they may have even thought it was cute), until he escalated to a point that isn't cute at all. The tricky part is to learn how to let it go. You want to be watchful, of course, and be prepared to head that sort of thing off before he tries it again, but you don't want to approach him as though you are at war.

I've known a lot of horses that were shod with fronts only. I don't know why fore feet seem to take more punishment that the hind feet, but they do; the hind feet dish punishment on other horses so much, most people don't want to sheath them with steel unless there is simply no other option.

 

[ChickenLover200]

I know you are joking about the pony, but that is where an awful lot of people go. They get bitten or kicked, and they are like, "that animal's mean!" But he's not mean, he's just a horse, doing what he thinks he can get away with. Bites and kicks don't come out of nowhere; chances are, that animal has been showing disrespectful behavior for some time, and nobody has called him on it (they may have even thought it was cute), until he escalated to a point that isn't cute at all. The tricky part is to learn how to let it go. You want to be watchful, of course, and be prepared to head that sort of thing off before he tries it again, but you don't want to approach him as though you are at war.

I've known a lot of horses that were shod with fronts only. I don't know why fore feet seem to take more punishment that the hind feet, but they do; the hind feet dish punishment on other horses so much, most people don't want to sheath them with steel unless there is simply no other option.

I was joking, yes. He does misbehave a lot, but he does receive punishment.

As forfront hooves, they are for traction, so why wouldn't they be worse off than the back?

 

[Bunnylady]

But the back feet are the "drive wheels;" they provide the propulsion. A horse doesn't so much pull himself forward with his front feet, as he drives himself forward with the back ones. The back feet get driven into the ground with astonishing force any time the animal accelerates. In many disciplines, a lot of effort goes into getting the horse to engage the back end so he is lighter on the front, and prepared to change directions of travel (like sideways or up).

It's funny - I've known a lot of hunter/jumpers that were shod only in the front, and yes, those feet take a tremendous pounding when the horse lands after a jump. But the hind feet have to launch the horse over the jump first. I have known horses that had to have extra-tough shoes in the back, because the force required to launch that big body upward was bending the regular shoes.

 

[abigalerose]

Hm. Who knows why the front wear faster. I'm just glad I'll be able to ride her soon. But I need to figure out that I'm doing wrong becuase she's getting a sassy. When Phoenix was being trimmed he started pawing with his front foot and he was swinging it way up in the hair and scraped my thigh! I was like excuse me! He seemed not to mind the trim though, I just think it had been a while.
I guess I'm going to go to the rescue, and take my sister, and see if there are any mares who speak to us, and then I can decide what to do with Phoenix

 

[ForrestGump]

Horses carry 2/3 of their weight on their front legs. They support the front half of the torso, plus the entire head and neck. Add the weight of a rider, who is positioned mainly over the shoulder and front legs, and your questions are answered.

 

[abigalerose]

Ah ha. Well, that makes sense then. I just wonder why only one of June's hooves were wore down and bruised

 

[ChickenLover200]

But the back feet are the "drive wheels;" they provide the propulsion. A horse doesn't so much pull himself forward with his front feet, as he drives himself forward with the back ones. The back feet get driven into the ground with astonishing force any time the animal accelerates. In many disciplines, a lot of effort goes into getting the horse to engage the back end so he is lighter on the front, and prepared to change directions of travel (like sideways or up).

It's funny - I've known a lot of hunter/jumpers that were shod only in the front, and yes, those feet take a tremendous pounding when the horse lands after a jump. But the hind feet have to launch the horse over the jump first. I have known horses that had to have extra-tough shoes in the back, because the force required to launch that big body upward was bending the regular shoes.

I guess I never thought of this... like events such as reining would be hard on the back hooves. Maybe they are tougher than the fronts?

Horses carry 2/3 of their weight on their front legs.  They support the front half of the torso, plus the entire head and neck.  Add the weight of a rider, who is positioned mainly over the shoulder and front legs, and your questions are answered.  

So I was sort of right in a way... although certain events, like bunnylady said, would put most weight on the back legs/hooves.