Sat. Misc.

Try to catch up after distractions.

Training:

Tues. 7/27: Off. Pain, front left seat of corn, by hoof testers. Would diagnose abscess--except--the limp is slight and way short of abscess. Additional time needed to let things develop and mature--could be abscess, hoof bruise, or something from the last Saturday shoeing. An abscess in this area will be a long term probably 2 week deal. Thinking rest him 1 more day. Let things in hoof develop.

Wed. 7/28 On premonition leave office in mid aft. just to test the horse, and will come back and finish office work later. Put Rod in paddock with older horse with purpose to test hoof. Walking ok! Good luck here, possibly. Break 'em into a trot and he's trotting a little gingerly but way way short of any limp. Either abscess has yet to mature or we've dodged the abscess bullet.

We go on with it, and horses break into a very slow gallop. Rod is short striding a little, but seems ok with it. We go on. This fat horse needs to work. The exercise lasts about 3 miles continuous without problems with the hoof, and I'm impressed after all the off time that they're steady for the whole 3 miles. Tomorrow either he's sore as heck or ok.

Thurs. 7/29: Definitely got lucky here. Still a tiny bit of short striding, but we get in another slow continuous 3 mile gallop.

Fri. 7/30: riderless again--horse is fine today. Decided Rod's problem was definitely from the Sat. shoeing job and was neither a bruise or abscess. We short shoe a little bit--meaning we trim the toe back a little behind the white line at the ground with purpose to keep the hoof in balance longer--i.e. if you shoe for perfect balance then horse is out of balance within the week the minute the toe grows. If you cut back just a little, you gain about 10 days of additional perfect correct toe length throughout the shoe cycle. BUT--cutting behind the white line is tricky, and each horse has it's own limit. I was testing Rod on his limit Sat., and, appears limit was exceeded just a bit, and it made him sore. This day--riderless 2 miles continuous snappy--about 15-17 sec/f--with warm up warm down. Again impressed with strength and enthusiasm of the horses. Will do two :14sec/f miles tomorrow and recommence tack work. Rained again today--twice--14 of 30 July rain days so far.