Snowballs in unshod horses

[sannabelle]

I live “off topic”, no worries at all ! I like reading other people’s horse stories and experiences I’ll certainly update after the trim. So far today only the mini pony had to have his picked out and he’s an easy little guy.

 

[perchie.girl]

I live “off topic”, no worries at all ! I like reading other people’s horse stories and experiences I’ll certainly update after the trim. So far today only the mini pony had to have his picked out and he’s an easy little guy.

LOL.... I used to bord my then mare and colt at a boarding stable that had a race track... Strictly just a place to let em stretch out...l

Back then I took a horse shoing class just to learn more on horse anatomy and get a chance to work on a forge... The horse shoer told us a story about ponies... He hated doing them... back breaking work and often times his tools were too big...

He was at this boarding stable and had just finished up trimming about twelve horses in a row. A new boarder came up and asked if he could do another... He said Sure... and pulled his tools out. He turned aroun just as she led up a cute very fuzzy shetland about ten hands... Not a mini but... still small.

He heaved a sigh and said, "You said horse.... there is no way I will do a pony unless he lays on his back and sticks his feet up in the air...."

She said OK... snapped her fingers and the pony layed down on his back... she held a foot up and said... "Is this OK?" the farrier fell over laughing. and during the trim he found out the pony was an ex circus pony...


By the way for Minis I have seen a mounting block arrangement with a ramp and rails just for trimming minis....

Or a home made version out of pallets the one below could be done with pallets only I would put removable rails on either side

 

[Fairview01]

Up to a point the frog is designed to be self cleaning but only when the animal walks and best without shoes and properly trimmed or worn down. When I had horses and put some thought about it, the frog is an extraordinary evolutionary design to keep the hoof clean and disease free.

If they were mine I would turn them out everyday so long as there is not hard ice that they can't break through. There are 2 types of stalled horses, those that had hoof problems and those that will get them. Horse's feet are poorly designed to be in a stall shifting weight from one foot to the other compressing the frog with bacteria.

And break out that hoof pick every night.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Up to a point the frog is designed to be self cleaning but only when the animal walks and best without shoes and properly trimmed or worn down. When I had horses and put some thought about it, the frog is an extraordinary evolutionary design to keep the hoof clean and disease free.

If they were mine I would turn them out everyday so long as there is not hard ice that they can't break through. There are 2 types of stalled horses, those that had hoof problems and those that will get them. Horse's feet are poorly designed to be in a stall shifting weight from one foot to the other compressing the frog with bacteria.

And break out that hoof pick every night.

My horses live outside. My gelding has to be stalled at night for medical reasons but has a run attached and he has pasture all day. And my filly has a big pasture area to run around and access to a stall to come into for shelter, but I never make her stay there unless I need the gate open for a few minutes and don't want her in the way. I don't think it is fair to make them live in stalls all the time, it's unnatural.