This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi All!
Yesterday was a very enjoyable Fjord day. First we had an "arena work party." Phew! Never knew shoveling sand was such hard work : ) The arena hasn't been worked on for some time, so much of the substrate had piled up around the edges and become hard as concrete. Yikes. After two hours of shoveling, we combed the arena with a truck and harrow (is that what it's called?) and it looked great! Lucky for me, everyone else had to go home so I was the first one to ride in the "virgin" arena! Practiced Western riding with Tommes for an upcoming schooling show. He did great, and even loped under saddle for the first time! Afterwards I enjoyed Mexican food and socializing with barn mates. Later I decided to work on Rafael's overdue feet. A friend who also does her own trimming loaned me an item called "It's a Holdup" which supports the foot. A very handy item and more stable than the traditional stands farriers use. I was happy to find nice, healthy hoof under all the old dead stuff! Rafael accepted the trimming and seemed happier afterwards -- probably feels much better. On to my question... how many of you keep your Fjords barefoot? Were they shod when you bought them? Did you have to go through a transitional period with no riding, or using boots? Who trims: you, a traditional farrier, or a natural hoof care provider (someone who trims/advocates natural hoof care and does not apply shoes)? If you trim yourself, how do you do it and what guidelines do you follow? Any helpful hints, or problems you've encountered? All my three are barefoot and ridiculously healthy :-) I'd like to hear about your experiences, even unpleasant, even if you decided to go back to shoes. Although I strongly believe barefoot is the best way, I'm not out to criticize or convert anyone. Happy Fjording! Brigid M Wasson San Francisco Bay Area, CA <A HREF="http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Our </A> <A HREF="http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Fjords</A> <A HREF="http://www.ourfjords.freeservers.com/fw/Fjordings_Wesx.html";> Fjordings West</A> / )__~ /L /L
