Breaking from the daily grind to bring you.....

......a post!

No, seriously.  It's been a month since I've posted here.  Sorry!  So busy with work (rotting in the office to pay for the stuff that matters), riding, training for a December Half Marathon, working on the house.....

Foxhunting season is going great!  Daatje is up in First Field, jumping just about everything (a few bobbles, but we sorted them out) and knock-on-wood sound and healthy at 13.

Here we are at last Saturday's hunt, which was the Children's Hunt at Green Acres Stable in Madbury, NH.

 

It's been crazy in the weather department over the past few weeks.  80's one minute, 40's the next!  It was 37F the morning of this hunt, while today is muggy and in the high 70's.  I'm really ready for fall to kick it into high gear already!  Anyway, this particular cool morning allowed for the cubbing jackets to be worn without cooking their occupants! :D

Standing at a check.

Pulling the remaining hind shoe

She actually lost a hind shoe on this hunt.  The footing was rough and at some point she stepped it off with the other hind.  The leather pads had smooshed out the sides and my feeling is that's what gave the other foot purchase to pull it.  Not a big deal as she was due for a reset this weekend.  Here I am, in the photo above, pulling off her other hind so she's at least even for the ride home. :)  The Magic Cushion packing material stayed put and didn't come out!  Great stuff that is.  Would use it again in a heart beat!

 

I had been giving a lot of thought about the plastic horseshoes lately, weighing their pros and cons and really feeling like it was time to make the switch from plastic to steel.  While I love the shock absorption and flexibility of the plastic shoes, those properties were also a huge draw back.  They "flipflopped" in tough going, collected dirt and debris underneath, weakened the nail holes and caused the clinches to come loose.  Their plastic construction held too much moisture against the sole.  These factors, coupled with the largest size they offer being just a hair too small for her, has swayed me to stop using them and put her in St. Croix Eventers, which she has worn in the past.

 

So, I purchased a stall jack and rounding hammer and went about learning how to cold shape steel shoes. 

 

It's a bitch.  I want a forge. :P  Lol.

 

But, 1,000,000,000,000, hammer strikes later, I got it done and her hooves look decent enough.  On the lunge, she moves out well and freely in them.  More freely than in the GC shoes.  Better traction too.  This should help her confidence. (The bobbles jumping lately have been traction related)

 

Left Hind

Right Hind

 

Left Hind

 

What happens when you're learning and a perfectionist at the same time.

Left Front



Left Front

 


Left Front Lateral View

Front view

Left Front Medial View

Right Front

Right Front Lateral View

Right Front

Right Front

 I hope these offer her the protection she needs, while not compromising the moisture balance in the foot.  I will add leather pads and Magic Cushion if the need arises, but wanted to start out with just the shoe and see how it goes.

This coming week will be more farm sitting, race training (me), horse conditioning and Foxhunting at the end of it all.  This coming hunt will be at Garrison House in Durham, NH, so hope to have some nice pics!  It's a beautiful farm.