Farrier rescheduled,wwyd?

[Lipsmackerpony88]

So my week went to crap. Farrier was supposed to come out the 15th. My husband was positive for COVID. I think we are clear as far as quarantine But they wanted to reschedule since they have a 10-month-old. I totally understand. They require owners to be there.

The problem, is they can come instead on the 26th. A bit long, just under the 8 week mark. They are tricky to schedule as I'm a little out of their normal range of service.

I have a vet coming on the 22nd.

Should I just be cautious until then? Just do light work? Walk only? He needs continued movement for his stifle. Or should I try to find another farrier to do him before that?

Such a pain, dang COVID.

[StraightForward]

What do his feet look like now? Since it's winter hoof growth is often slower so 8 weeks might not be a big deal. I'd go by hoof form and movement, not exact timing between trims.

[heddylamar]

It sucks, but this is the perfect time of year for crap like this to happen. As SF says, hoof growth is slower this time of year, and they're not out stamping at flies in mud/dry ground and tearing up their hoof wall.

Both of my mares — even Anz with her stifle arthritis — are just fine to keep riding as normal for 8 weeks. They're barefoot.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

He's shod all around, put the plan was to put rim pads or something at least on the front.

I don't think he looks terribly long but he definitely will be long by 8 weeks. We have been battling too much heel lately. It was getting better but it's starting to be a lot again.

I think I will go check him out if I'm cleared this weekend and get a good picture of what's going on.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Well lynx pulled a hind shoe this morning. Right now he seems sound, We did a dressage lesson just in walk with a tiny bit of stretchy trot at the end. But my farrier is saying they can't come out to do anything until the 26th. I don't really feel comfortable leaving him without one shoe that long... So I'm thinking of seeing if another farrier will come pull the other one? Not sure.

[Chancellor]

Can't you get a friend to hold the horse?

[blob]

What is your normal cycle? 6 weeks?

I would not want to go 2 weeks beyond my normal cycle and I think 6 weeks is towards the longer end of a normal trim cycle as it is. I would try to find someone else to do his feet this time around...

[Chisamba]

I have never heard of a farrier insisting the owner hold the horse, FFS, my owners mostly live in New York City, they have to drop their jobs to get here for the farrier. i can understand them insisting on being paid, but certainly not being present.

[Ponichiwa]

I would recommend getting a pair of nippers and a rasp just for those emergent situations-- shoe is half-off, or all the way off and you need to take off the one on the other side. Not saying you have to get farrier-level good at taking off shoes but it does give you the option to keep your boy in work even if/when he makes inadvisable podiatry decisions.

Also echo the "get a friend to hold the horse" advice. Or pay your trainer her/his normal training fee to hold.

[Sunshine2Me]

A good farrier is hard to find in my area. I have an excellent farrier, and I always work with him to accommodate both our schedules. Things come up. That's how life works. My farrier is worth his weight in gold, and I'll do what I need to do to keep us both happy. Maybe a boot on the naked foot would help?

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Can't you get a friend to hold the horse?

Sorry guys, My phone is being weird and it's not always alerting me when their are new posts.

I offered to see if someone could hold the horse but they wanted to reschedule regardless. I actually am suspect that maybe the farrier had covid himself or something? But regardless it was going to be hard because he insist on coming really early in the morning. It's hard to convince someone to hold your horse when it's so freaking cold.

I actually was thinking of pulling the shoe but my trainer did not think I should... But tomorrow the vet and a different farrier will be out and said they could assist me in what's best. He's had the week off since Sunday and doesn't seem to be sore from what I've seen. Better a hind shoe than a front I guess..

And yes the assistance that the owner be there is difficult. I do have to rearrange my schedule to make this happen sometimes. Thankfully he's usually on time.

I'm not totally sold yet on this farrier which is part of why the vet is coming tomorrow regardless. That was already scheduled before the whole shoe debacle.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Blob, yes usually 6 weeks is our schedule.

[Moutaineer]

6 weeks is pretty standard out here in the West, Blob. Feet don't grow and distort quite so fast in our drier climate. Around here, many farriers would prefer 7 weeks, and need to be talked into 6...

[blob]

6 weeks is pretty standard out here in the West, Blob. Feet don't grow and distort quite so fast in our drier climate. Around here, many farriers would prefer 7 weeks, and need to be talked into 6...

Interesting, even when I was in CA 4-6 weeks was pretty much the standard, which is not to say that 6 isn't standard, just the long end of normal schedule. I've never owned a horse that would be able to manage 7 weeks. MM has great feet but they grow very fast, even our 5 week schedule is pushing it. When she was barefoot less of an issue, but i couldn't do shoes on a 7 week cycle with her.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

6 weeks is pretty standard out here in the West, Blob. Feet don't grow and distort quite so fast in our drier climate. Around here, many farriers would prefer 7 weeks, and need to be talked into 6...

Yes I have never had any farrier want less than 6 weeks. Usually 7 weeks has been standard but we've been doing 6 weeks for Lynx.

I never thought about the difference in climates creating different schedules.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Vet is coming out today though so we will see what changes are to be made. And he might be able to just pull the other shoe for me.

I do think 6 weeks is the max I'd ever like to go for Lynx based on his growth.

[Srhorselady]

Interesting information on hoof growth and farrier preferences in different parts of the country! Senior horses definitely grow hoof slower. Also there are definitely seasonal differences. Here in Arizona my farrier prefers 6 to 7 weeks for my youngest pony (she’s nine). Closer to seven in the winter and six in spring/summer. My senior guys it’s never less than eight weeks and sometimes a week or even two longer. They are 24 to 26. I have one senior (he’s 24) whose back feet grow significantly faster than his fronts. His backs are usually ready at eight weeks, but his fronts frequently can go another week or two. Luckily my farrier will do one or two, look at another and schedule to come back in a week or two. We always keep track of how many weeks it has been to determine the growth rate and when to schedule the next trim/ shoeing. I have one shod all around and the other three are front shoes only. We’ve tried barefoot, but our conditions are just too harsh for most of the horses.

[Chisamba]

The thoroughbred that had to wear shoes at my barn did not have enough growth to reshoe for 8 weeks and often at 8 weeks the fartier and I will look at the feet and say, "next week.' Hiif growth does seem to slow through the winter months and speed up in Summer.
I try to do it by horse/ by need basis

[Tanga]

I don't shoe my horses. Back when I did, my farrier made me learn to put on and take off a shoe. Always good to know.

Their feet in general grow much faster in spring and summer than winter. I trim mine little whenever they need it. In the growth period three weeks was sometimes too long. In the past four months, I just check and sometimes make minor adjustments. Between the slow growth of winter and a little natural wearing off because their feet are softer (we actually had rain!) they basically are self trimming.

I follow a lot of farrier/trimming pages and the slower growth in winter versus faster in summer is well known. I see zero difference between my 24 year old and the 12 and 14 year olds in growth.

[blob]

When I lived in FL and was at a large busy barn where the farrier came to the barn every week to do a different rotation of horses, MM got done ever 3 weeks in summer her hooves grow so fast and since it ws easy to get in on the farrier's schedule. Now, where I am the good farriers are really booked up, so you need to be on a set rotation. I do 4 weeks in summer and 5 weeks in winter. We've survived 6 before, but barely.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Shoe was pulled. He's doing good. A minor change to the trim but otherwise looking good.

And still just concentrating on stifle rehab.

[StraightForward]

If you don't have hoof boots, it can be handy to keep some Sole Guard (and the applicator gun of course) on hand. My horses are barefoot, so sometimes I use it if I think it's needed for a little short-term protection.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

If you don't have hoof boots, it can be handy to keep some Sole Guard (and the applicator gun of course) on hand. My horses are barefoot, so sometimes I use it if I think it's needed for a little short-term protection.

I do have hoof boots but because of his conformation I have not had luck with them staying on long term for turn out. Even riding in them is questionable.

I will definitely keep that in mind. His turnout area is pretty soft thankfully so I don't think he's been sore at all, thankfully.