We’re not even upon Thanksgiving yet,
and the white stuff has made it’s debut.
and the white stuff has made it’s debut.
Mike cut down the roses and perennials in the back yard this weekend,
just in time, apparently.
just in time, apparently.
Ben doesn’t like the cold… after five minutes he’s had it, can you tell?
Opie got new shoes on this miserable slushy morning too…
I NEVER pay more than $100. for a really good pair of shoes for myself, and even that is rare.
Opie gets a fancy new set of shoes every six to eight weeks at $165. a clip.
Now you tell me, who’s the fool.
Opie and Harley in rain gear…
this is Opies “get out of my hay pile” face.
When the blacksmith arrives it takes about 45 minutes to remove the old shoes, assess the new growth, trim and file, refit new shoes shaped to Opie’s foot using hammer and anvil and sometimes a forge.
My blacksmith has a wonderful truck and trailer setup,
as organized as any type A person I know.
For this shoeing he decided to give Opie snow pads and pegs to help prevent slipping
in weather such as we have today, and stop snow and ice from balling up in his hooves.
The top layer of rain gear had to come off so as not to soak the farrier.
aka blacksmith, horse shoer. All terms apply, never sure which one to use.
Old shoes… Opie tends to grow long in the toe…
Pulling the old shoes…
Trimming and filing before re-shoeing.
fitting new shoes to the hoof.
If you click on the image to enlarge it, you can see the snow pad and pegs.
There are many sizes and shapes to a horses hoof.
You’ll find many sizes of horse shoe in a blacksmith’s supply rack.
The anvil, forge and hammers are used to shape them according to
the individual horses foot.
It’s a precise science, blacksmithing, and it’s hard physical work.
There aren’t a lot of young people learning the trade these days
for those reasons. I worry that someday it will be a dying art.
Sadly, I think it’s already on its way.
New shoes, blurry shot. Opie did not like the flash.
Opie is a handsome fellow! Love his colour. How thoughtful of the farrier to colour coordinate his jacket to Opie's coat. And the other blue accessories hanging from the stables make it truly bluetiful 😉
Our horses thankfully go barefoot. We don't do much trailing (hardly ever actually and since Evie's birth we haven't been riding outside our premises again).
The farrier does come here every 6 or 7 weeks, depending on the season, to do a mani/pedicure on all three horses. Willem has the same long toes 'problem' as your Opie.
I can't believe you guys have snow already. I'm so hoping we will not have the same three-months-snow-and-frost-winter as last year.
Now that is a pedicure! Maybe I should stop calling my footsies my hoofs (hooves?)
Now get this Karen, I find it very crazy and maybe typical for fall, but we're (here in Minnesota) heading towards just shy of 70 degrees. And it's gorgeous out. I'm still looking at green lawn!
You never know when your toes are gonna get nailed! I need a pedicure about as bad as your horse (hiding my feet under my chair even as I type). Horses can really get expensive, can't they? But…if you love horses…so worth the $.
We have 60 degree weather here today in Wisconsin. We are usually freezing and last year we had snow here..lots of snow. Crazy weather. Hugs- Diana
I love watching the farrier at my sister's place. It's facinating. Interesting fact: One of my greyhound friends was once the farrier for the caisson horses at Fort Myer. He and I were talking about that just the other evening.
Agggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I just had a deja vu with all those shoeing pix! Aghhhhhhhh!!!!!
What a great post, Karen…I know nothing about horses. This was interesting. Opie is one beautiful creature! How lucky you are to have him!
Snow?? It must have missed us. In the 30's last Friday and 67 today. Go figure.
XO,
Jane
Opie is one fine looking fellow! I love horses and grew up around them. I actually did some barrel racing in my day! Blacksmithing is an art. I love to watch a horse gets shoes put on. My brother's best friend does it and he is good. It is amazing when you think about all they do to make it the right fit! I have never seen the snow pads before!
Snow… wow! It has been 60 here and we are freezing!!! 🙂
With a Name Like Opie…he just has to be laid back!
Karen, glad you tipped me off to your post!
Loved it.
Well, I paid $90 for my "EasyWalker" Horseshoes this summer. I fired the dude that was doing them, as he left the clips off last time and the shoes flex and give so much- because they are like "Sports medicine shoes" …absorbing concussion to 85% or more. The nails were moving and comming out of her hoof! CRAP!
So my new "Farrier" says the differance between a "Shoer" and a "Farrier" is classes and education.
Kinda like my 2 Equine therapists..One has a certificate of completion for the work she is knowlegable about..and One has a book he looks at and he reads up and does some hands on…but when I asked him about my mares back and what was under the sore spot..he had no clue!
I asked my gal the same question and she told me kidneys/adrenals and so much more… including the fact that my saddle did not fit.
Looking forward to the 'Rescue post"!
Be well sweet freind!
Wow, Karen you have snow already. I love to look at it for about a day. Good thing we hardly ever get it here. I have seen a horse get new shoes before when my brother worked at a stables. It is a dying art. Don't know what people will do when there are no more blacksmiths.
Opie is a beautiful horse Karen! Love his color! I don't know anything about horses…but my stepdaughter used to have one and would love to have another one. Yes, indeed…I agree that it is a dying art.
What an honorable and old-fashioned profession, blacksmiths are. The snow looks so beautiful there!
Brenda
Oh Karen. You're living the life my daughter would love. I am not going to show her all of this because she'll surely leave me when she grows up. She "hates the beach."
Opie is, indeed, beautiful. Love the post.
Ohhhh, look at his sweet face… I almost forgot all about the snow… so not ready for snow. We had some two weeks ago but it was fleeting fortunately.
That is quite the set up for shoes… who knew it'd be such an art form one day 🙂
Can Opie come hang with Cadence for a few weeks? He will share his stall, but not his food. He said he draws the line at that~Don't worry I will feed him 🙂
Cadence has always worn corrective shoes. Allure is getting shoes for the first time ever on Nov. 20. I am a little nervous for the old gal. But, it is time and much needed!
Love the snow and Ben. You can send both with Opie!
xo, misha
Your barn looks so much like ours!
wow what great photographic subjects! i liked reagan's quote … something like … nothing does more for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.
God bless.
nikonsniper steve