I'm taking a break from packing to circle back around to feet, then tomorrow I'm off to the Tahoe Rim endurance ride. Yippie, friends and the best scenery in the world!
So Sunday I got some CA Trace and two new hoof knives, and Monday I went back to the barn. I put Dixie's boots on and got her feet wet and let them soak while she ate her mash, then I started worrying at her feet again.
But I stopped. It just did not feel like the right thing to be doing. That sole is NOT coming out, even when it's wet, even with brand-new freshly sharpened knives. And she's still landing flat / heel first, not toe-first. I rolled her toes back to keep the breakover back, got her heels as low as they'll go, scrubbed that good purple thrush stuff up in her frogs, and called it a day.
I just felt like the risk of doing too much was too high. Dixie's not uncomfortable; she moves freely and her feet land correctly. We'll see if the extra copper in the CA Trace helps her, and I know the purple stuff helps. And when that sole starts to come loose, I'll pry it on out. (It's coming out of her back hooves pretty nicely and I did get them looking good!)
This is such a First World Problem but do you brown horse people understand how hard it is to have a mostly-white beast? Especially one with that Pusher roaning on her few dark spots?! She always looks 10x filthier than everybody else's horses. I can't see white spots on her back from poor saddle fit (a mixed blessing, I know). I can't even look at her coat and play "guess the mineral imbalance"!
Hopefully we'll finish out our 2012 season at the Redneck Ride on October 27. There's some huge fires roaring along up there - hopefully no homes or trails are burning! But anyway, of course any ride near Halloween has to be a costume ride, so I'm trying to decide what to do. Should we go as a My Little Pony again? Any other suggestions?
I loved the My Little Pony costume!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of white horses, I once had a bay and white overo mare. I had made sure not to get a grey horse, but somehow that beautiful tri-colored one slipped into my trailer!
ReplyDeleteThe end result? No matter what I was wearing, black clothing, light clothing- I ended up covered in horse hair.
No more! All brown from now on :)
So jealous of you riding Tahoe Rim! I so wanted to do that ride, can't wait for the report. I think you did right by her feet, if she is sound right now I think the extra sole is for protection of bruising/hard summer ground. And costumes...my little pony is cute, are you a bad-ass my little pony? Some clever name for Dixie escapes me right now...
ReplyDeleteGood luck!!!!! And have fun!
ReplyDelete...Join the club with the white horses. My life.
hi funder. i'm with you on white haired horses! i think you can find saddle pressure marks on your horse by washing her and peering intently at the color of her skin. i can see a pink spot on baasha's withers due to a blanket rub, and on his elbows from lying down. i'm so done with white! it is so hard.
ReplyDeleteHave fun !!!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, but when they are clean, the gleaming can hurt your eyes... for about ten seconds until they roll. Feeling your pain - next horse is a blood bay for sure! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, costume... go as superheroes :)
ReplyDeleteIf you are worried about saddle fit, maybe have someone test your saddle fit rather than waiting to see if she gets sore? I also think it would be cute to go as clowns :)
ReplyDeleteYou could make a pair of horns out of polymer clay, braid up her tail except the end, and go as a cow. Since she's so alarmed by them, maybe she'll get some courage by disguising herself as one. ;)
ReplyDeleteHope your ride was a Super Good one & that your two-toned mare looked great as usual! As to the "color" thing - I do have to say that I am just SO happy to be done with gray! It is So Nice to run a brush & have a horse that looks clean! Notice I say "looks"! :-) Looking forward to your story!
ReplyDeleteYep, get the grey wet and examine their skin with a magnifying glass..I *just* had a little faint spot show up on Desire's withers after getting her thoroughly wetted down and kind of "sorting" through her hair to see skin etc.
ReplyDeleteAs for the slob factor, my bay rolls so frequently that he makes up for the dirt colored bonus in so MUCH dirt on his actual coat that you need a gas mask to groom him and survive. At least my grey mare is too..weird?..to roll very much and in fact stays a lot cleaner!
Fingers crossed for Redneck ride happening..I think Hat Creek area burned, Patriot's Day is cancelled, and I believe the area Lydon lives is on fire too?? Not a good year for his area!