Day 58, 59 &60 ~ New Nikes

Well Ms. Lindsay now has a new pair of hind shoes on. Still barefoot in the front and plan to stay that way. Her feet are as solid as can be with very thick hoof walls and an incredible toe callous that makes for a very sound horse even over gravel. However, due to her ability and desire to really drop her back end and sit in her halts (thus slide) I was really concerned about burning up her bulbs and hurting her, so I knew we needed protection on the back. My plan was to glue her shoes on the first time, just because she has never had them nailed on and I wanted it to be a gradual process for her to adjust to. She has done so well with me picking her feet up, I did not want to push my luck by asking for to much to soon. Seeing as I was planning to glue I needed clips pulled to help stabilize her shoes. Thanks to Greg Roach and Mr. Paul her shoes now have beautiful quarter clips. (Thank you Both!!!) After the clips were pulled Sat AM I went home to put these new kicks on our girl.

Mike held her for me most of the time and that in itself was very good for her. By the time we were done she was practically sleeping in his lap. I've been trying to convince her he really is a good guy, but I think she's a bit like me..she has to make up her own mind. I do think now she agrees though :)

I had already trimmed her hind feet pretty well and just needed to shape her shoes a bit to have them ready. I curved the heels slightly, just behind her bulbs to offer her plenty of heel and bulb protection (as Mr. Paul recommended) I had to clean her soles out really well to remove any dirt so that the glue would hopefully stick. I layered her shoes with glue and set them on. It was quite time consuming due to the fact that the glue takes a while to set up, but she was very tolerant. As a matter of fact she did so well I thought I'd try to get a nail or two in as well. I did manage to get a nail in both sides of her feet, so with the clips, glue and nail on each side they feel quite secure. I believe when I re-set I will use a minimal amount of glue and leave the nail holes open to nail through. She really was a very good girl.

So of course I could not wait to ask her to stop with her new protection. I had previously been afraid to ask for a whoa out of anything more than a slow lope. She naturally wants to drop her hind end and I was afraid she would go to slide and burn her bulbs, not only hurting herself, but also discouraging herself from wanting to to slide the next time. I was thankful to see that she adjusted well and seemed to have plenty of confidence sliding on her new shoes. I certainly had more confidence asking for a good stop out of a forward canter now as well. Her stop is exceptionally good on her left lead...it is not quite as strong on her right, but she is figuring it out. It really is a huge benefit for her to have this protection.

I am an advocate of shoeing as well as barefoot trimming and I believe there is a time and place for both. This is a good example of a horse that has exceptional feet and can continue to benefit from a good "barefoot trim" as she will on her front feet, but did need the added protection only a shoe can provide due to the high degree of abrasion in the maneuvers she is capable of doing. It is not typical that out on the range a wild mustang would run at a pretty good canter then chose to slide to a full stop as a reining horse does. Of course they are obviously capable and the fact they naturally work off their hind end is a testament to their durability that has been a necessity to their survival, but there is a difference in a horse sitting down and working of their hind end in necessity...versus the slide we so love to see in a reining pattern. That slide requires not only the ability of the equine athlete to work off their hind end, it also requires protection of the soft heel bulb from us as care-takers. I was pleased to be able to offer Lindsay that protection and to see that she was so quick to adjust to the new feel.

We worked Sun and Mon as well. We have been practicing lots of lead changes, mostly simple, but some flying here and there :) We have also continued work on our stops and our spins. I have started to ask for a little more quickness in our spins and Lindsay has done quite well. She is extremely athletic and the more she learns she is capable of the more she can get a little hyped up when doing certain maneuvers. I try to be sure to always encourage her to settle after wards and she is figuring things out. If it wasn't for her degree of sensitivity and lightness there is no way she would be capable of doing the things I ask of her...so a "Busy mind" kind of comes with the territory. I personally love a horse that is always thinking and trying to guess your next move, but I do have to be cautious she does not anticipate the next move...there is a fine line between light responsiveness and to much anticipation.