Connie's had her shoes off today

[dalesnfellfan]

So she is now barefoot, unfortunately although she has good feet she has been badly shod and her feet are contracted, also the shoes are really heavy and have been nailed on too near the outer edge of the foot, according to my farrier, so they were already splitting under the shoes.  He says I should expect her feet to break up until the nail holes grow out and also that her feet should spread and change shape a lot over the next few weeks/months now they are no longer restricted. He said he was very glad he hadn't got to shoe her and was surprised she'd kept the shoes on.

I need to leave her a few days now before ridding her, I didn't want to take her out today straight after having her shoes removed, shame though as it's a lovely warm sunny day here, Sod's Law!!

I measured her feet, they are 125mm wide and 140mm long, which meant that they should have fitted into Briallen's old Easyboot size 2, however I couldn't get them on her, I think it's the length as 140mm is right on the upper limit length wise.  I tried the size 14 Fusions I bought for Emerald and she never needed, they fit her fine length wise but are really a little wide, but I think they may be OK for mainly walking on the road if she needs them, they will probably be the size she'll need when her feet spread a bit.  Em's feet by contrast are round 140mm long and 140mm wide.

I'm so glad to get her shoes off, it feels really alien to ride a shod horse now and even with new shoes she was slipping on the smooth lanes.

[yanny]

That's great! Another barefoot fan here. I can't stand shoes! Riding a shod horse is so noisy lol. And I wouldn't wanna be trod on by a shod hoof

[harveydales]

I know what you mean, it feels really strange riding a horse in shoes when you're used to barefoot and I hate the way shod horses slip on the roads. I really struggle to get boots to fit Harvey - he is 153x153 but lately his feet are so hard that I don't need boots at all, even for stoney tracks. I hope Connie gets to that stage soon.

[dalesnfellfan]

Apr 3, 2015 7:50:59 GMT -1 harveydales said:

I know what you mean, it feels really strange riding a horse in shoes when you're used to barefoot and I hate the way shod horses slip on the roads. I really struggle to get boots to fit Harvey - he is 153x153 but lately his feet are so hard that I don't need boots at all, even for stoney tracks. I hope Connie gets to that stage soon.

Yes I hope she gets there too, I will start off riding mainly on our tracks which are soft at the moment, and do minimal roadwork to get onto the tracks then increase it gradually, I find the stony ground worse to start with.  Emerald however had rock hard feet from day one, they never broke up and she stormed across stony ground from the start, she's never worn the boots I bought for her. Her feet are so hard they 'ring' on the road almost like shod feet.  The ponies have to walk across an area of gravel to get to and from the field and she has done this several times without any problems so hopefully that bodes well for her not being too sensitive.

[dalesnfellfan]

I brought Connie in to ride her this morning and she was rather slow coming across the concrete so thought I'd try her with Em's boots on. As they are rather wide for her I thought it may be a good idea to do some in hand work first, I fancied a go at long lining her anyway and thought she'd probably be good at it as she's been driven.

I'm glad I didn't take her straight out in the boots as they were hopeless, because they were too wide her foot just slipped back so her heel was out of the boot at the back (still in the canvas but out of the sole) and acres of empty boot at her toe. So off came the boots, we did have a very good long lining session though, as expected she was brilliant at it and very patient with her not so competent owner who kept getting in the wrong place during changes of direction and the lines in knots to start with.

She must have been tired afterwards because I turned her out and went to finish making tonights' feed and when I came back out she was lying down in her hay pile and tucking into her hay laying down, the height of laziness, I hope it's not because her feet are sore!!!

She let me walk up to her without getting up and I sat in the hay with her and we had a lovely cuddle. I've never been able to do this with any of my previous ponies, they have always got up before I got to them.

If her feet feel OK we'll try riding tomorrow, but I have a feeling I may have to buy her some boots, I've got 4 pairs but non of them fit her, Sods law.

[harveydales]

Well done with the long lining. I'm useless at it and tend to get everything taffled up!

It sounds like she might be feeling her feet a bit and they are probably softish with all the wet weather. Hope you manage to find a pair of boots to fit. I've also got a big selection which I don't use now but they would all be far too big for Connie.

[dalesnfellfan]

No wonder the boots were too big, I'd made a mistake with the size of Em's boots I thought they were size 14 Fusions, which should have fitted length wise but been a bit wide, but when I looked tonight they were 15 so much too long and wide.

I have size 2 easyboots which on paper should fit her but she is on the upper limit length wise and are just a little too short, but I see there are some small adjusters you can buy to enable the boots to be used without the back strap to give a little more length on horses with low under run heels, which she has at the moment. So I think I'll give Caroline at Urban Horse a ring on Tuesday to see if these may be the answer and much cheaper than new boots, fingers crossed they work.

[Debbie]

I doubt I could have managed the long lining. I can get tangled just with a leadrope if it's too long

I'm glad Connie's got her shoes off. I'm another who's not keen on shoes if they're not needed. I'm sure in no time Connie's feet will be tough as rocks

[dalesnfellfan]

We had another good session on the long lines this morning and I'm improving with them, we managed some very nice work in trot, she really does move quite nicely and works with a lower head and more rounded over her back on the lines. When ridden she has the tendency to be a bit tense and carry her head rather high and hollow her back, probably because I am tense, she's better when we both relax but I think it's going to be a while before I can relax properly on any horse again.

[colmworthdales]

I know telling someone to 'Relax' does not work, but you could try keeping up a running commentary just about aloud so the pony hears it, and concentrates on you. Also I find deep breathing, sitting deep and even singing out loud helps when Mol is pretending to be petrified of something. Also, I do tell her off loudly if she spooks at something unnecessarily - and she does respond to my voice very well. But of course, she has known me since birth so not quite the same as Connie who has only recently joined you.

[harveydales]

I think it is a good idea to spend time long lining where you feel more confident and that way you will build up a good relationship with her. There's no rush, it will all come in time. When you've had a series of bad experiences with a horse, it takes a while to rid the memories form you subconscious and start to really trust your new pony. I took a while to trust Harvey in heavy traffic after riding a traffic shy horse for years. You will get there...

[dalesnfellfan]

Kate, I go round the village saying to myself (out loud) "sit back breastbone up, head up, boobs out, breath and relax" I do get some very funny looks, I sure people think I'm barking mad.

Long lining her is giving me more confidence with her and we had our best ride yet this morning, I know what you mean about traffic Pam, although I know she's 100% I've been struggling to trust her when vehicles passed us, but today I managed to relax on the road.

She was more relaxed too and she really lowered her head, it did all go to pot a bit on the meadow when I decided to try our first trot out hacking and she set of at quite a fast trot. She didn't feel like she was going to take off but it felt just a bit too fast, so despite repeating out load "sit back, relax the rein and slow the rise" I just couldn't do it and ended up leaning forward and hanging onto her mouth, she totally ignored me being a prat and did slow for me though, not my finest moment!!! I will really enjoy her forwardness when I learn to trust her as I have always liked a forward going ride.

I have booked us onto the BHS adult camp in July today, 4 days of training and lots of opportunity to ride in Thetford forest in company, I think it will do our confidence in each other the world of good.

I hadn't bargained on feeling so nervous on her, I thought we would be out doing pleasure rides quite soon but I don't feel anywhere near ready yet, I'm trying not to set a particular ride as a target, just taking the pressure off myself will help I hope.

[Debbie]

you make me feel so much better about the clients who used to come into my grooming shop thinking I was completely daft for singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat!" at the top of my lungs sometimes with dogs who were petrified of having their nails clipped. I was very good at not quicking them, but sheesh, some of those dogs would make ME hold my breath because they were terrified I'd quick 'em. I reckon it's the same thing with a horse.

It was rotten luck those piggies did that to you and Connie at the beginning of your relationship I haven't quite forgiven them for it, but the others are right, the longer you're together, and especially with groundwork together, the more your trust in one another will build

[harveydales]

Well done getting on her again. It sounds like she really isn't the sort to pick up on the riders nerves, which is great news, and you know when she does act up it is because she is genuinely frightened. I reckon you will be doing pleasure rides by the summer.