Showing posts with label hooves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hooves. Show all posts

8/16/11

Tip #25: the Ground and Faith

Often a trail rider will come across a trail on uneven ground.  There may be rocks, stones, erosion, water run- off, mud, puddles,fallen logs etc.  Not to fear - your little darling knows right where to put those hooves of his whether it be at the walk, trot, canter, or gallop.

Your horse pretty much knows exactly where his feet are and what is around his hooves  - this is called 
proprioception and occurs because the nerve endings in each foot sends  messages to the brain about what the foot is doing, and going to do,  with the surface near, around and  under the hoof. There is communication back and forth between the hooves and the brain.  So, he automatically knows what to do and how best to do it.  He was born with this as a prey animal.


He does not need you to micromanage him and steer him around the rocks or fallen logs or mud or whatever.  Give him the respect he deserves and allow him to be the horse that he is.

If your horse trips a lot, he simply is not paying attention and is zoning out, unless he has a physiological or neurological problem.


Mary Dixon     Adventure Horse Riding in NYS          RideNYS.com

7/22/11

Tip: Your Horse : to Pick or Not to Pick !

Most folks are told to pick their horses feet everyday or every time they take their horse out and then when they return.  The purpose is to make sure there are no stones or foreign obstacles  that may be jammed in the foot to make for lameness.  However, there are others that say you shouldn't pick their feet - that the mud and dirt act as a cushioning effect for the feet.

I went back and forth on this for several years but never knew anyone that didn't pick out the hooves, but I gave it a try and  haven't picked my horses feet (13 of the little darlings) for 7 or 8 years and have never had a problem with lameness.  Some horse owners that come here think I'm terrible for not doing it.

It is a decision that should be made by you - you do what feels okay to you.

Just wanted you to know both sides of the story.

http://www.RideNYS.com       Adventure Horse Riding in NYS