Should have been Ridin!

Hot!

Instead, Farah has her new shoes!  We'd gone six-weeks this time & the shoes were worn!  Time for new Eventers.  We might have squeaked in a ride this morning - but Rascal decided to dig out between the time Butch left for work & I went out & noticed him gone.  I grabbed a leash & went looking for him.  He wasn't far - just across the road checking out the neighbors barn.  He never takes off, but wasn't in any hurry to come to me either!  The invisible fence is out - so that means walking all the way around to find the break & make the repair.  Rascal spent what was left of the morning on his cable - barking...

Farah watching Justin work :-)

Both dogs get put in their kennel while Justin is here - makes it much easier for Justin to get the job done.  Once he leaves - I open the kennel door - it's a race to see who can get to the trimmings first!  Justin hardened the shoes a little more than usual - so we'll see if they hold up any better.  As usual we're wearing through them quicker than either of us would like.  There was hoof to cut off - soon we should see the spring growth burst.

New front shoes!

Farah was really good - so nice for us all to be out in the magnificent sunshine!  Even a breeze keeping any flies away!  Justin would still like Farah's heels a little higher - she likes the toes off in the rear - but there's enough shoe there to protect her toes. 

Hinds too~

Our next shoeing will be for Mt. Adams.   I've done the ride five times on three different horses.  Yes - I'm one of the many who love this ride - especially on a good year - when the course incorporates all the incredible trail that's there - rather than logging road.   Jasrada has the speed record for my 50's - at 7 hrs. flat for a 14th place finish in 2002.  Khari - the slowest - 8:34 for 24th place in 2010. 

I'm going to try Equi-Pak instead of traditional pads.  Since we'll be putting shoes on the week before & they'll stay on for several weeks - I don't want to have the pads on for that long.  I've always felt that they hold in too much moisture in our climate - which is wet enough most of the year.  With this - I'll be able to cut them out once the ride is over.  Farah isn't bothered by the hard rock roads - but I like having protection when we're heading for a ride.  Here's an interesting video on the technique.

Next - hoping for riding weather during the upcoming week of forecast rain!