I had a new farrier out yesterday for Nas, I don’t think my old farrier did anything specifically wrong but for a while now I’ve had a niggle feeling of not being happy with Nas’s hooves. The problem is when they are under all that feather it is actually quite hard to see what’s going on. I knew Nas was due to be shod at some point so I thought I would whip the feathers off ready.

I was shocked at what I found under them, which coincidently coincided with him having problems again, he was sound on the straight but if you asked him to turn he was obviously uncomfortable and would almost hop around. This started happening again in the last week, so I know it’s related to the longer hooves. But equally I can’t help but wonder if it’s also to do with the angles, and what looks like too much pressure in the wrong place.

I also noticed when he was walking away from me one day it looked as though his toes were turning in, and like I said I couldn’t be certain if this was the norm for him or not. But I did know it wasn’t quite so prominent before. The new farrier clocked this straight away without me mentioning it. So like I said I don’t think the old farrier did anything wrong, I just think Nas needed a fresh pair of eyes and someone who has a different way of shoeing.

I’m pleased with what new farrier has done, I did worry he would try to make too many changes too quickly, but then I have to have my faith in the professionals. I’ve not done five and a half years of training, no matter how much I look for the answers on the www. It really was a case of what do I do for the best. My old farrier was approachable and helpful etc. but I still wasn’t comfortable. Of course if Nas had of been sound I probably wouldn’t have changed.

Once he’s finished I put Nas away for his dinner ready to turn him back out later, when I got him out though he did seem quite foot sore. But then that could be because he’d just done the equivalent of a Pilates session which is the most exercise he’s done all year. I stuck with turning him out figuring he would be better off wearing his new shoes in (so to speak).I wasn’t happy with it and certainly don’t like seeing him uncomfortable.

When I went out this morning though to give them some carrots. He was a different horse still a little bit trepid on placement but he can now turn again, I was playing with him in the field and he was doing turn on the forehands he was able to keep front legs still for the turn and not fall over or look dog lame. He was also able to do small circles around me, so the ponies couldn’t get to the carrots.

Fingers crossed it’s not just a fluke and I can start working him again. He was slightly cross at me for being stuck out all night with the elements, but then he was the one that asked to go out. He’s also snot less when out overnight, more on that on his next update.