new shoes

The farrier is on the way out this morning. May be selling Shaun's friend, Gunner. My back is not allowing me to ride everyone, and Gunner is a horse that likes to work. He enjoys a job, and there is a "job opening" up in Nebraska. Shaun is going to miss his friend, but he is also joining up real nice with my mare, Eclipse. He seems real happy to graze and just be a horse. I am going to try something called Perfect Hoof Wear Poly-/Wrap. It's a rubber shoe that flexes with the hoof, and it's attached by a strong wrap that stays on for about 8 weeks, the same as a shoe. This will give Shaun some comfort, minus any nails. Then he can get back to racing Hawk around the pasture. I can also open things up and the horses can have the whole 40 acres.

Have been gone for five days doing a Buck Brannaman clinic up in Iowa. He's not for the faint of heart, or the person that likes to blame their horse for horsemanship issues. As Buck said, "There are no lazy horses." If you are calling your horse lazy, your horsemanship is lacking and needs to be addressed. I've pretty much found that to be true. Horse do get dull to our legs and hands, but we make them that way. They go internal and some folks call that lazy. Boy, once you get light, and they wake up? Watch out! That horse becomes full of life and can scare a "lazy human" that killed that horses spirit with spurs or jerking their horses heads around. Horsemanship takes time, dedication and commitment. I found that I'm just not giving it the time I need to have the horse I want. I spend a lot of time with my horses, but my riding has been pretty sporatic. Triple digit temps will put a damper on your enthusiasm. I should have gotten up earlier. I will now.

Once Shaun's feet are comfortable, I can start him with some ground work and help him build up some muscle. His weight is looking good, could be better. He's not ribby, but his butt looks like a little old lady's. Ha, it looks like mine, I guess. We both need to work more.