Need a Little Help from My Friends..........
Sometimes I just cannot access all that is hidden in my brain. I am sure I know to the answer to this question but do you think I can recall lit? Of course, not! I am weary of trying to remember it so here I am asking my internet friends for a little assistance. Otherwise I am sure it will be sometime in the middle of the night when this answer finally pops into my brain.
So here goes. I know there is something that can be applied to a the bottom of the hooves to toughen them up, but what is it? Seems my boy, Legs, has always been ridden in shoes and he is currently shoeless. I finally feel like I am capable of riding, even if only for a little while, but Legs is a bit tenderfooted. Toughening is definitely in order. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I promise I will resume the posts on the Parelli clinic. The last few days I've been plagued with pain and sitting in this chair is torture. I guess I'm going to have to resume writing on my phone to finish up the Parelli story since it's forming ok in my head.
In the meantime, I came across a couple of posts I'd written about things I'd learned about choosing trainers. Since part of my Parelli experience was very much along the vein of training methods that are best for the horse, I thought I'd share those things I'd learned to help identify if a trainer might or might not be someone capable of that kind of training. Unfortunately for the horse, there don't seem to be too many of those available where I live and these posts are the fruit of my experiences with some of them.
Food for Thought
A Little Lesson I Seem to Miss
Any other ideas on things you might have to see in trainer's behavior that might be useful tools in determining is a trainer is really worthy of your trust would be greatly appreciated. Seems like I am always learning the hard way........
i think you're referring to keralit, or keratex, depending on which country you're in. i've used it and it seems to work. i keep thinking of how tough dandy's feet were on those big rocks. i hope legs can do it too!
ReplyDeleteI will have to look these up to see what is available in this country but neither rings a bell. I'm hoping I can find something here locally to do the trick.
DeleteDandy was like this when he first got his shoes off so I believe Legs will get there OK. It will just take some time but I would like to speed the process up if possible.
I can't really see the point of putting shoes on him when he's hardly being ridden and I figured his feet could probably use the break from that restriction that comes with rigid shoes. We'll see, I guess. The other horses do just fine but they are used to being barefoot.
My farrier recommends venice turpentine - I've never used it myself.
ReplyDeleteAre you thinking of Durasole? I have used it on my mare with wonderful success.
ReplyDeleteKeratex is the product I've heard of, but if he is tenderfooted it may not only be from unconditioned soles. Make sure that he isn't walking on only his hoof wall , that the whole foot is weight bearing.
ReplyDeleteKeratex in the US. Works well. Listerene scrubbed on the sole will also work. So will Povodine Solution. Best thing though is movement and as much of it as he can get over harder terrain. More movement means tougher internal structures, makes it easier for the sole to toughen.
ReplyDeleteHugs to Legs. It's great that you are back in the saddle again.
ReplyDeleteThere are several products on the market. Durasole being one of them. My brother always used Iodine crystals, melted right on the sole, but they are exceptionally difficult to get now due to their use in Meth production. My farrier used melted mothballs on Spooks and Frosty's feet. He simply put a handful of mothballs in a metal container, set a wood-burning tool in there...the mothballs melted and he poured them on the sole...being careful not to get it on the frog. The liquid mothballs hardened into a coating that lasted for almost 2 weeks. Tenderness gone immediately and the sole was much hardened even after the coating wore off. It's way cheaper than the commercial products.
ReplyDeleteVenice turpentine is available at most hardware stores. Cheap too. Some horses feet will toughen up over time, others won't. It is in the genes.
ReplyDeleteOne natural trimmer told me it is like having fake nails then going without. Of course diet plays a part in there too, but the hooves may have softened and become a bit dependent on the shoes. Once he makes the transition- you may find not going back to shoes at all.
Duh! moment here??? What about boots? Can you use them for riding while his feet toughen up? I can't believe that it took me until posting the other coment to think of it, but also that nobody else did either.
ReplyDeleteYou got me , I have seen a few products but nothing pops to mind other than easy boots
ReplyDelete