Bare Foot Trimming

I went out to the barn to have the horses trimmed.  Biscuit's hoof has greatly improved.  The center sulcus is opening up and he is getting a callus area on his toe.  Woot!!!  I told Mike that I had rasped them the week after he did and then 2 weeks later so I had done it twice.  They are really growing now.
Biscuit was a toot a few times but mostly pretty good about getting his feet done.  I told Mike that I walked him across rocks and he didn't gimp up like he normally does.  I am hoping by fall his feet will be where I want them to be.  He will probably never has Sarge's feet but if I can improve his that will be fantastic.  I will probably always ride Biscuit in boots when he has to travel over rocks.  No reason to tear up his feet.  He still wants to pull his toe back in.  Going to work on that!!!

I put Biscuit up and took Sarge out and started grooming him.  OMG hair going EVERYWHERE.  I was using the Furminator and a curry comb.  His hair is like an old teddy bears.  Brush Brush Brush Brush clobs of hair all around on the ground.

While I was brushing Sarge, Lee Ann P got Classy in the ring and was lunging her and then was going to ride her.  Biscuit started tearing around the big arena, bucking, backfiring and skidding to a stop at the gate...snorting and blowing and whinnying.  Lee Ann suggested taking him out before he busted his butt.  I didn't have a problem haltering him and when I got him out he calmed down and ate clover.  I think he has a crush on Classy and was showing off!

Lee Ann was going to use the big arena for her lesson so I left Sarge and Biscuit tied up and she put them back up.  Here are pictures....

Center Sulcus greatly improved

Toe needs to come back more

Sarge having a pedicure

Biscuit is shedding out and shining

Tied up...I am treating Sarge's center Sulcus

Don't forget us here!!!

Pouring Rain

I went out to the barn in the very early afternoon Monday.  The Lee Ann's were both there brushing horses.  I was brushing Sarge and it started raining - then it was freaking POURING.

I gave up on brushing Sarge because the area was getting overran with water.  I was on the washrack and the water was rising so fast I was up to the grooming cabinet standing in an inch of water.  When I ran to my care maybe 20 feet away I got soaking wet.  Thunder and lightening - heavy white out rain.  So much for my trails drying up.

Attack of the Tree

I wasn't able to ride with the group at Tyrrell Park due to delivering wedding cakes.  I was up almost all night Friday night making cakes.  Betty P went down to Crystal with me to deliver the sea shell cake and Jarrod went with me to deliver the bronze cake.

I left Jarrod at home and headed for the barn.  Biscuit and Sarge were standing in the arena!  That made The Biscuit easier to to catch.  I put him on the washrack and went down and hooked up my Brenderup.  I loaded up Biscuit and my tack and headed for the park.  I went through the park not the back gate.

I brushed Biscuit and tacked him up.  He spooked hard once for some reason but I calmed him down.  I brought my step stool and pointed his head into the little area between my car and the trailer and mounted up.  I walked to the woods trail head but it was full of water so we went along side of the road and entered the first trail cut in and went to the left.  Trail was half wet and half dry.

Biscuit went through dry spots, moved the side for some wetter/softer areas and crossed water/mud like a pro without getting pissy about it.  Woot!  We crossed the right of ways and OMG they were freaking DRY!  How exciting that was!  We kept going and towards the back a  tree was uprooted from the right hand side and laying over the trail.  I couldn't go around it and the root area looked like it could be too soft.  Who needs to hurt their trusty steed?  So I went to go under the tree.  Did just fine until a limb on the other side whapped me in the head, bonked me on the eye and clobbered my shoulder and upper arm.  But, I was still sitting in my saddle riding the Biscuit.  

We kept going and went all the way around.  Biscuit was just an angel.

We got to the trailer and Kellie, Randy, K.d and Jimmy had come back from their ride.

I washed Biscuit off because his legs were pretty dang muddy.  Took a bit of washing to get the mud off of him and his hoof boots.  Jimmy came over and showed me his Renegade Boots.  They are nice.  When Biscuit wears out these two pairs of Easy Boot Gloves I will get him some of those boots.

Trails are drying up at Tyrrell

I stopped out at Tyrrell today to check the trails.  I walked out on them and there are still some wet areas but lots of dry now.  Woo hooo!!!!  I am going to ride on them this weekend if possible.  So ready to ride by myself with The Biscuit!

Jacque B visits The Biscuit

Jacque B was here teaching us cake classes and came to see me Wednesday before leaving.  We visited here and she followed me to the barn to see Biscuit.  She gave him and Sarge handfuls of treats!  I think Biscuit liked her!!

After Jacque left I saddled Biscuit after grooming him.  We rode in the arena for 30 minutes.  He was not wanting to trot and after kicking and kicking and popping with a crop he finally started a little trotting.  OMG he needs to be ridden more.  When I got off my legs were like spaghetti from kicking him.  

Lee Ann suggested using the snaffle - he is getting missed signals she said.  I am going to use his Allegany bridle with the snaffle and ride in the arena more.  I am going to put my spurs on too.  I can't kick sideways with any strength and it really wears my legs out.  I talked to my physical therapist about it but it is just going to take a long time for my nerves to heal.  Ugh.  So wish they would heal and I could walk straight again.  I will just have to barely touch him with spurs but I do believe he will get the message!

Biscuit's hoof is improving

Biscuit's hoof is looking fantastic.  I am still putting the ointment and organic vinegar in it.

The center sulcus is looking fantastic!  I will keep at it until it looks flat across the frog and the heels spread.  I think his heels are a little contracted.

I went out to the barn Monday after my cake class and Lee Ann P was in the ring with a lady on a Paint horse.  She wants to do some Western Pleasure classes.  Sweet little mare.  Lady likes to trail ride too.

The next day Lee Ann was riding this little mare.  She is very quiet and sweet as she can be.  She is boarding out at the ranch and Lee Ann will be training her.

Riding Biscuit

I went out to the barn Monday and cleaned Biscuit.  He was pretty dang dirty.  I brushed him all over and then tacked him up and rode in the arena.

He needs quiet a bit of work.  He didn't want to jog, didn't want to collect up, didn't want to go straight.  I can't wait til the dang woods are dry so that I can ride in there by myself.  Biscuit and I both need work.

I am going to continue to ride in the arena.  Just been so dang busy with cakes and therapy.  Next week is 2 days of cake classes AFTER the Day of Sharing.  Then it goes right into another wedding cake.  Busy is good though!

Ava rides The Biscuit

Monday a week ago I was babysitting Miss Ava.  I took her to the barn and she sat on the Biscuit and so did Alison's little boy Reed.  She hugged up Reed and Brutis, she chased a few chickens and got on the Gator.  What a gal.  She loved riding Biscuit and hopefully, one day will be my riding buddy!!

I took Ava home later and then came back to do Biscuit's feet.  I rasped all of his hooves and treated his thrush.  It is getting so much better!  The back area has filled back in but the center sulcus is still deep.  Working on it.  I put the vinegar in the cleft of the sulcus and then the ointments covered with Desitin.  It is working.  I bought a spray bottle and I am going to fill it with live culture vinegar and spray his frogs with it when I clean his hooves so that I can hopefully keep the thrush at bay all the time.