Posts Tagged ‘Second Thought’

Ah, the perennial question. To shoe or not to shoe. Deciding whether to keep your horse barefoot or shod–and if so how many shoes to put on him–can be confusing indeed. How do you decide?

Well, you can make a seemingly difficult process relatively easy by considering your horse and the environment in which he lives. Follow up with a quick chat with your farrier, and you should have the answers to your shoeing questions as fast as you can say, well, “horseshoe!.”

The KISS (keep it simple, stupid) method works well deciding whether to shoe your horse or let him go barefoot. Start by asking yourself four questions.

1. What is the quality of my horse’s feet?

2. What kind of work is my horse doing, and how often?

3. What kind of footing is my horse living and working on?

4. Does my horse have any lameness or hoof issues that might affect my decision?

Let’s start by answering the first question: What is the quality of your horse’s feet? If you are among the lucky few your horse has good, solid feet you barely have to give a second thought to. If your horse has good feet, you probably know it. You haven’t had to deal with any foot problems to speak of, and your farrier has good things to say. Feet that fall into the above category have solid heels, a thick wall without flares, a cup to the sole, and well-formed frogs that are free of disease. They are usually relatively even in the front and back. Feet like these hold a shoe well but are also very stable when the shoe comes off.

Okay, let’s say your horse has good feet. Shoes, or no shoes?

Before you decide, you’ll have to answer questions 2 and 3.

If your horse is doing very little work and lives and works on nice, soft, non-abrasive footing, then barefoot is the way to go. However, if your horse lives and rides on rougher footing, or is being worked hard, then you are most likely going to want your horse shod. There’s a saying that horse people use when deciding whether or not to shoe. It goes, “If the hoof will stand the abuse of use, then don’t shoe it. But if it will not stand the abuse, you have to shoe it.”

Why go barefoot? Going barefoot enhances the overall health of the feet. The hoof wall thickens, the sole depth increases, and the heels expand. There is also increased circulation, movement, and expansion capability. A horse who is not working for some months out of the year–let’s say the winter months–will benefit by having his shoes pulled during that period of rest.

Of course, there are many good reasons to shoe as well. Many horses can’t go barefoot because the hoof breaks down faster than it can be replaced. Horses with foot issues, or horses that are in moderate to heavy work year-round, should be shod year-round. Horses with navicular disease should not go barefoot, nor should severely foundered horses. If your horse has splits or cracks wait until the cracks are gone before you have your horse go barefoot. Large breeds with small hooves, like the Quarter Horse, usually can’t go without shoes. Nor can Thoroughbreds with paper-thin soles.

In the end, how do you know if going barefoot is working well or causing problems? Easy. A horse who adapts well to going barefoot will seem just as he did with shoes.

With a good look at your horse and his environment, you can decide whether to let you horse go barefoot, or whether he needs shoes. Remember, in the end it is the horse himself who lets you know what works best for him. Pay attention!

Ron Petracek – Raised in southern Idaho, Ron loves horses and the outdoors. If you would like to join in and learn from the vast resources at our equine forum please visit http://www.horsechitchat.com Looking to buy sell or trade something equine realted? Just visit our huge network and get 12 sites for Free! Click here => http://www.Click4equine.com

Author: Ron Petracek
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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So, can a horse choose a person? Those of us “horsey” folks undoubtedly know the answer is yes! How is it that when we are looking to buy a horse, we innately seem to know when we’ve found “the one?” I believe it’s because we somehow can sense when our horse has “chosen” us.

The bond between horse and human is a very powerful and unique relationship that only those who’ve experienced can truly appreciate and understand. It can, in fact, have a life-changing affect on someone. Many horsemen are familiar with the famous quote by Sir Winston Churchill, “there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Now, my husband and other “non-horsey” folk would add to this, “and bad for the pocketbook” …sound familiar anyone? In their defense, it’s hard to understand the value of the horse-human bond without ever experiencing it.

Despite the “expense” of a horse “hobby,” those of us lucky enough to experience this intense bond will become better people because of it. “Deep pockets” become a second thought and easily justified when realizing in the “grand scheme of things” the invaluable life lessons we learn from a horse we’ve grown close to. The value of this special relationship extends well beyond superficial logic. The value of this relationship can change the very soul of a person for the better! Horses have the power to teach us the value of teamwork, discipline, dedication, loyalty, selflessness, trust, work-ethic, pride in accomplishing goals, listening skills, communication skills, patience, respect, conquering fear, and most importantly humility and love!

Out of curiosity, I recently Google’d the value of a horse. What I found amazed me and inspired me to write this. I found the “non-horsey” definition…

” They can help with people riding the horse to get work done. They are also a good way of transportation, also very small ponies can be used as guide horses for the blind they also help with rehabilitating people who have been hurt. They used to help plow land, before they had tractors.” ….

Wow, how limited this is! Horses have so much more value than just what is on the surface. But then again, I guess the reason I’m able to recognize this is because I’ve been “taught” by horses to look beyond the surface. To find value in what others’ would discard as useless. I’ve been lucky enough to experience horse bonds with the type of horses that most wouldn’t give a second thought to and pass off as useless.

What I’ve discovered that I wish to share with others is that truly, it’s the most “useless” horses that can turn out to be the most priceless! The one’s which can have a lasting effect on one’s life and be the motivating force behind success. The inspiration to keep moving forward! The secret to “value” in a horse is the bond between horse and human. If you find a horse who likes you, who chooses you, then that horse will burst his heart and soul for you! This same horse may not be one tenth as talented with another person or rider, but is indeed, a horse of another color with the one he’s chosen!

I’d like to challenge all horse people to take the test. Take a closer look at the “value” of a horse next time you’re in a position to purchase one. Look beyond the surface, and take note of the horse’s reaction to you. Are you being chosen? If you feel this bond, take a chance on a horse that logic would otherwise cause you to walk away from. Give one in need a chance. Don’t walk away simply because one is “older” than you’d like, or is the shaggy, ugly duckling that’s been forgotten and turned out to pasture. Don’t just walk away because perfection is not in front of you. Here’s a secret, one of the most important “values” of a horse is the journey you take with a horse on the quest for perfection! This journey is far more rewarding than taking the “easy” way out and choosing a horse that’s already “perfect” by usual standards.

Now I’ve been riding horses all of my life and I will tell you from my own experience, that sometimes the ugly duckling may very well turn out to be the beautiful swan, and it’s value worth far more than you’d ever imagined! I’ve had one such horse in my childhood which forever changed me for the better. I’ve also experienced another in adulthood which again emphasized to me the “value” of a horse bond. Ironically, this horse was a give-away- a handicapped horse, which had only one good eye. A scraggly, older, little guy that no one would have given a second thought to. This little angel, truly “chose” me. I can say without a doubt, that this horse loved me as much as is possible for a horse! He helped heal me when I was ill and showed me the way back to health. He gave me back my excitement and passion for life and for the future! I, in turn, helped “heal” him and bring him back into health, and fitness. Due to our bond, he blossomed and he was able to experience the love from a human that he’d so obviously been searching for and craving.

Always aware of his loss of sight in one eye, I truly never noticed this while working with him. Never have I experienced such joy while riding as I did with this little blind-eyed horse! We could go out in the open fields and gallop with both of us enjoying and loving every single minute of it. This little guy truly “Doctored” my soul and will always hold a very special spot in my heart. No, I didn’t show him, I didn’t make money off of him, I didn’t really do anything with him other than enjoy the special time we spent together, I didn’t even own him! But, I did love him! Because of our bond and his “Choosing” me, my life’s focus has been forever changed. I will never forget this bond and its value, and I will be forever grateful for it. So you see, the value of even a give-away, handicapped, scraggly, “over the hill” horse, can truly be priceless!

I’m a self-proclaimed, “OCD” horse enthusiast! My horse passion includes working with my own horses, training others about horsemanship, and sharing my “horsey” through my writings and blogs. I strive to help educate people about the benefits of responsible horse ownership in an effort to share the joy and blessings that horses have brought into my life in an effort to help spread horse industry interest to others.

http://MemphisHorses.blogspot.com

Author: Ashlee Pigford
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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