tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957257570347188011.post2499017920797958789..comments2023-08-22T01:43:05.915-07:00Comments on The Roaming Rider: For Want of a Hoof the Horse Was LostSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03346020257901575574noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957257570347188011.post-78137826957377416752015-04-01T08:16:32.969-07:002015-04-01T08:16:32.969-07:00Thanks :) her feet really are amazing. It complete...Thanks :) her feet really are amazing. It completely freaked me out to see her stilts. It is nice to know someone else has a horse that grows hooves like this too and that it is manageable. Once I get riding more again it will hopefully return to her normal heel height which is higher than normal but she lands heel first in all my pics so I won't argue with what nature is providing for her. Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03346020257901575574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957257570347188011.post-19951650599014238552015-04-01T06:38:57.775-07:002015-04-01T06:38:57.775-07:00And I think Gem's feet look really good regard...And I think Gem's feet look really good regardless!Nicole Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09817619834026667737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957257570347188011.post-70610583606072527132015-03-31T12:48:06.180-07:002015-03-31T12:48:06.180-07:00If it makes you feel better, Gracie's feet did...If it makes you feel better, Gracie's feet did EXACTLY the same thing this winter when I had to give her 2 months off while recovering from my injury: her heels contract and get high, and her frogs become narrower. Just riding more will correct that within 2-3 months. <br /><br />When I first got her last year, she had long toes as well as the contracted heels + frogs, so I had the barn farrier take a look at her because I wasn't sure how to go about her heels myself. I was really happy with the farrier, as he lowered her heels a bit and backed up her toes a lot. It was what I'd figured she needed but it was nice to know I'd been on the right track. Gracie walked off landing more heel-first whereas before she'd been landing toe-first. I like what this farrier did with Gem: it sounds like a similar approach to a similar problem. Some individuals need more heel than others, but as their footfalls become more heel-first, they will trim down the excess heel. Even then, they might still have more heel than your average barefoot horse. <br /><br />I LOVE the Rockley blog and I try to manage my horses' feet like they recommend, but the truth is that we can't always provide the type of movement over varied terrain that that kind of management requires. I think having the farrier come out more often when you can't ride as often as you would need to provide self-trimming, is a great plan B. :)Nicole Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09817619834026667737noreply@blogger.com