Lush & Humid!

The neighbors field~

I wasn't to the top of the hill before I was hot!  Even overcast, it was really humid from the ongoing drizzle that we received yesterday.  I'd wanted to get Farah out all week, Monday Justin put her new shoes on - with pads & I wanted to be sure that I had all four gears :-)

Outflow from the big wetland~

I was almost soaked by the time we were up on the trails - all the Salmonberry overhanging the trails & everything had Grown!  I was breaking branches & wishing I'd thought to bring my pruners - but really had no time for that.

Orange Salmonberry getting ripe!

It won't be long & I won't have to bring my grapes to snack on!  Instead - I'll get to enjoy these berries!  Yum!

Red Salmonberries

They come in the two colors above - I have no idea why - since both taste virtually the same.  We did some trotting, fast trotting, a couple short canters & Farah did a bit of her bucking - just to let me know that she feels just fine :-)

Thimbleberry Blooms~

Thimbleberries, are also edible - but have a very dry flavor.  I do love the blooms!

North end of our short loop~

Once off the power lines, we just headed for the small woods that has the trail where we loop back toward our favorite wetland - before heading back south toward home.

Slight breeze over the water~

With the pads, we trotted the power line, making it back home in two hours.  The sun came out as we reached our gate, so Farah kicked back & enjoyed her bath.  I loaded the saddle right into the trailer - then went up to pack her blankets.

Looking forward to miles of nice trails, seeing friends & enjoying the Big Mountain!

Shoes!

What you doin' Justin?

We managed to go six-weeks on a set of shoes!  Of course the ground is softer with all the rain & we haven't covered as many miles - so far this year - as we had the last couple.  It's pretty hard not to be getting excited by now!  With Patty's invitation to accompany her to  Joshua Tree National Park -
I've been setting out all the stuff that I think I'll need to take!

Last week we did paperwork, Health Certificate, Coggins & Brand Inspection.  This week, I'm starting to get things together for the trip!  The cinch rings have worn away some of Farah's winter coat - they have a flat, brass ring - with mohair strings, that I've used for many years.  I do think it's her winter coat that causes the problem.  I'd been using the Cashel Ring Masters, but over time the neoprene roughens up & almost feels like sandpaper.  Did some more searching & found the Sheepskin Fleece by JMS.  They arrived yesterday - seem to fit pretty well & hopefully will solve the problem.

I've been borrowing Linda's saddle for almost a year now!  Garry McClintock was hit by a fully loaded motor-home - while sitting in his truck at an intersection.  Thankfully - he's recovering from his injuries & back working in his shop.  Last time I spoke to him, our saddle was next up!   At one point on our trip - we'll only be about 150-miles from his shop - so I may call & see just how close to completion the saddle is!  :-)

Riding today? NOT!

The culprit~

I was so excited to see the weather report for days & days of sunshine!  Linda & I had planned to ride today...  But - when I went up to saddle Farah - the hind shoe that was loose yesterday - was off to the side today.  I'd tried to tighten the clinches when I noticed it, Farah was very patient with my pounding - but I wasn't getting much done.  The nail heads are completely Gone...  This in only three weeks!  The telling number though, is the one Justin asked me about when I called him...  How many miles?  Well...  with the endurance ride & our somewhat normal trail riding - over 140!

Mesh material used to hold the packing

For the first time, I wanted to try Vettec Equi-Pack - a product designed to act as a replacement for traditional pads, along with other therapeutic uses.  My thought - was that after the ride, I would be able to remove or cut out the sole packing, allowing the bottom of the foot to stay dry & hard as they have been, without having to wait a full shoeing cycle to remove pads.  (I'm no fan of pads, but since the horses on this side of the state live in such typically wet conditions - hoof capsules stay soft longer into the year.  (This was something that Jim Bryant, DVM brought to my attention when he hoof tested Khari during her pre-purchase exam.)  For a ride - I like having that extra layer of protection - lameness pulls are no fun.)

We learned several things - first - the double tube of the product was not enough to fill all four of Farah's feet.  We could have used part of another tube.  Since Justin didn't have another of that product, he used a little of the traditional Equi-Pack to fill in some gaps around the edges, thinking that if anything - it would help the packing to stay in.   As with trying anything new before a ride - I was worried about how well it would stay in - but it did.  It wasn't until this last week that they started coming loose.  I cut off what I could & picked out her feet - noticing that the mesh product being under the shoe - seemed to have loosened the shoes a little.

Of course with the nail heads now gone - there just isn't enough to keep the shoes on her feet - especially since she works so well off her hind-end.  So - today - instead of the fine ride we'd planned, guess those weeds are calling my name!

Final Shoes of 2013!

Front hooves freshly trimmed

Seems hard to believe that we're coming to the close of another year - a year that Farah & I have spent mostly out on the trail!  Justin had wanted me to pull shoes for a while this winter, but understands that I want to continue riding in December - at least when the weather permits!

Hinds too

I felt pretty lucky - Farah actually had some decent growth to trim off in the six-weeks since her last shoeing on Oct. 30.  Since we had that - I felt OK in setting new steel.  We were lucky that today has warmed up to 33, warmer than yesterday's high here on the Homestead of 29!

All done!

Within a short time - with both Justin & Tony working - Farah's feet were all done & look Great!  Fingers crossed that this shoeing & these shoes will take us over my mileage goal for this year & across the finish line of the Distance Derby on December 31st.!

Ride ON!

The Shoes~

Left rear

Five weeks to the day & the barium nail head on the outside edge heel is worn even with the shoe.  Justin & I both think they are the only thing keeping the shoes on her feet!  The view from the side, shows just how much steel is gone from the shoe.

Right rear

Justin suggested I might try Cutting with Farah?  As you can tell from the next photo & I can certainly tell when riding her - she uses & works off her rear end!  It's her ability to carry herself on the rear that gives her that cat like quality on the trail that I appreciate so much.  She's by far the lightest on her feet of any horse I've owned.

After 159 miles

Farah's point of break-over is just to the outside on all four feet.  Center is ideal, but if you can't have that - it's better than having the break-over to the inside, which you sometimes see with horses who "paddle" or are base narrow.  (I was so spoiled with Khari, her break-over & feet were as close to perfect as it gets.)  I'm told that Farah's narrow shaped rear feet are a Saddlebred trait?

I'm not complaining!  Sound is my favorite word when spoken by a Equine Professional.  Regardless of whether you prefer your horse barefoot, booted or shod.  Here in western WA when it's so wet most of the year, if you ride, you have to have some type of hoof protection.  Farah doesn't have contracted heels, they're nice & wide open - plenty of support.  Justin also said that being ridden regularly, contributes to strong tendons & with strong tendons, the heel tends to stay in the proper position, neither too low or too high. 

Speaking of protection, riding on all the rock roads we do & as hot & dry as it's been this summer I did leave pads on the front.  With them off now, the frogs look good & her sole should have a few more weeks of decent weather to toughen back up.

Are Rare Indeed!

Time for a drink~

Ok, I have Plenty to do here at home!  Plenty...  But there again...  It was another Beautiful day!  After working for two-days, scanning paperwork & emailing it off, I was ready to head to the hills.

Amazing ground covers in full bloom

This time of year, our landscape seems to change daily.  I've always considered Mid-May to be our most beautiful time of year - closely followed by Mid-Oct. - weather dependent for the fall colors I enjoy as much.

Farah is in season again, but instead of the unmotivated ride of last Fri. today - given her head - she started off with a nice trot.  Hitting the right hind shoe to the bottom of the right front at every stride.  Here's an article.  We'd worked through this with Art, just before we did the 30-mi. of the Centennial trail - since it was an issue that was showing up with the flat work.  Art had tweaked the shoeing to perfection & it lasted until we made our appointment with the new shoer.  I was told that we could have gone another couple weeks on those shoes, but that there was no problem putting new shoes on - that a few days wouldn't make that much difference.  I wanted shoes that were a couple weeks old for inspection day - which we will now have.   When he was here last week to re-set the RF that was twisted - I mentioned the problem & was told that Farah had at least 6" of clearance at the walk.  Right - at the Walk!  It's speed dependent, we either have to go faster, gallop, or go much slower to not have the forging...

Fast Trail~

It was so clear that the white peaks of the Cascades stood out against the blue skies & puffy white clouds.  We're within a few miles of breaking 400-miles, year-to-date in the Distance Derby.  It was a surprise to find that we'd made it to 12th place - by a few tenths of a mile on Tuesday's leader-board update, especially since we're competing against riders with multiple horses. 
As we were coming toward the end of our day's loop, Farah gave one of her biggest spooks to date!  I couldn't blame her a bit - since we had come upon what I firmly believe to be the ugliest piece of heavy equipment that I've ever seen!

Obviously able to eat a horse in a single bite!

Farah took us from one side of the road to the other in a single leap :-)  I had to convince her that it was OK to pass & thankfully she knew it stood between us & our ride home!

Once home, I hosed her off & turned her out as I did chores.  (Butch was working late.)   I called her to come up out of the pasture for dinner, but no - it was nice out there.  I walked down to hurry her up & she started up the hill in a nice straight line, light trot for the barn.  "Click, click, click, click" -- Enough to make me cringe & not rider error...  No rider!   Now - what to do?

This Farrier said to ride in bell boots so I wouldn't pull off another shoe, as I'm a bit south of his range & obviously his work unlike Art's - is not guaranteed.  Did that - did I say that they were literally pressed FULL of mud by the time we were back at the trailer???  The mud was stuck hard to her hooves... just what I need!  NOT!  Do I call him?  Offering unlimited cash to FIX the problem?  There's not enough hoof growth to do anything major - but I think that we have to slow the hind feet down, or do more with the toes...

Miss you Art, we really miss you~

High Overcast - Perfect Riding!

Another Victoria Loop~

Today I met up with two friends, one just back from a successful endurance ride with her other horse & the other conditioning up for a possible 100-miler later in the season.  I'm always just happy to have congenial riding friends :-)

Lake McMurray

A totally different day from yesterday - a layer of ocean air drifted in, overcast, cool - we had misty rain at home when I pulled out the gate.  It had stayed dry further north & I was the first one at the parking area.  We weren't out to break any speed records, just cover some ground - so I took point position :-)  I think that Joyce & Charlotte figured that I couldn't possibly get them too lost :-)  Though I made a wrong turn somewhere in my attempt to duplicate yesterday's ride, I did manage a decent loop & we again knocked out 11-miles.

Joyce on Jesse, Charlotte on Fancy

These two "Endurance" riders seemed to stick with me the entire ride!  :-)  The three of us hadn't been out on a ride together for a very long time.  Schedules change, lives move on & even though the three of us ride often - it's not often that we manage to merge our schedules nowadays...

Farah always has to unload, then grab some grass before we unsaddle!

Farah is running on her first shoes not put on by Art...  She's already managed to reef one & bend it to the point where the balance is now off - so we have a call in to the Farrier who is new to us - that we used for the first time one week ago.

Yep, Twisted...

 I'd warned him that we can't have much heel support without taking the front shoes off...  At least it stayed on - but obviously I'm anxious for the re-set.  Hoping to get the bugs worked out Prior to our AWS Inspection mid-month!

Having a Fine Time~

Riding the north end of Victoria~

(The black is our route today.  Overlaid on part of the red from Monday's ride.)  I woke to rain...  it wasn't much - but it was enough to freshen the air.  It was overcast, but I ran out of the rain on the drive north.  We headed out - both horses with brand new shoes!  We decided to meander - it was one of those mornings.  Tired of the poor quality of my smartphone camera in the woods, I brought the Nikon Coolpix.

As we head out ~

Onto the trails~

Beavers created a spectacular wetland, but lots of trees are dying~

We climb up the ridge~

To the top~

Back into the woods~

Bears recently debarked this tree~

With the wind shift, the smoke rolled in~

Haze over Lake McMurray~

Linda & Count patiently wait :-)

 We did enjoy some INCREDIBLE trotting through the trees!  Count in the lead, Farah determined to keep on him...  missed the trees by the narrowest of margins!   I started yelling yippee as we cleared each one! :-)   Farah started flying up one hill - hitting 14 mph & then slipping so smoothly into a run that we were both sorry that the hill ended.

Both horses are running much better now with angles back up where they should be - another reminder that regardless of what the Farrier tries to schedule - when those angles start dropping & we're putting on these miles & hours on the trail - he needs to keep up!  :-) 

Another Incredible Day!

Moonrise over Three Fingers~

So far, so good when it comes to November!  Much nicer than last year, who can complain about these clear, mild, beautiful fall days?  I worked raking leaves, waiting for my farrier, who was scheduled to shoe both mares.  When I went up to get Farah, I discovered that she had managed to catch a back shoe in the horse wire between the paddocks & pulled it 1/2 off!  Good timing for the shoes!  Her pastern was swollen & tender to the touch.   Art put new shoes on the front & just pulled the rear.  

I called Dean for an appointment tomorrow.  Putting a poultice on wasn't easy!  She's touchy about her hind legs anyway - so we did some dancing...  Finally - I kicked her!  That settled it!  She stood with the foot on the ground for me to wrap!  (evil grin)  I can't see any lameness whatsoever - my hopes are up that she will be just fine.

Khari's shoes were worn & it was time to get those pads OFF!  I never like to pad, but for rocky rides I do appreciate the extra insurance & the often debated shock absorbing properties of Shock Tamers.  ( I started using them when they first came onto the market, for Jas - who's feet problems were legendary).  Once Khari's feet were trimmed up & before the shoes went on  - I painted her feet with Durasole.  Her hoof walls were nice & thick.

By the time I was done with chores & heading down from the barn, the moon was coming up over the mountains.   Incredibly beautiful evening.

Pulled shoe...

The offending shoe~

Had planned a nice long ride with Joyce yesterday.  I was there early, we were on the trail early & had hoped to get up high enough to see what should have been some crystal clear views of the Olympics & Puget sound.  NOT!  About five-miles out, doing a nice trot in the lead, it felt like Farah had decided to stop in less than a stride, she almost went down, then down again - until she could recover.  She trotted off about 3 strides when I saw the head bob & felt the shortened stride!  Got off, No Shoe!   Took the photo where we found it, ground into the gravel.
 
Art leaves just enough shoe to support the heels, but nothing to "hang" out the back!  Even so, Farah managed to catch the back of her left front shoe with the left hind foot!  Luckily, she's not sore or lame today, from the wrenching pull that it took to get it off.  These shoes were new on Tue. & only her second set ever.  I know her stride is lengthening as she's becomming more fit, her angles are good & she's moving great!  Art was out this afternoon to get it put back on.  We both think it was just a "fluke", time will tell! 

Joyce & I finished our afternoon with a nice cold wine cooler while we sat out admiring the horses & enjoying the sunshine!  All & all not a bad way to end a short ride!

Happy Feet!

Before~

I'd scheduled 8 weeks since Khari's last shoeing.  Trying to get closer to HOTR before setting new shoes.  Toes were long, though the angles hadn't slipped much.  Art mentioned that her shoes had been worn any thinner, he could have shaved with them :-)  Don't think we'll schedule this far out next time!

Small hole on the left heel

Under the shoes, feet looked Great!  Just one tiny hole on the left, toward the heel.  There was more than enough hoof to trim off, walls are thick!  I use Durasole on a regular basis, it flows into any holes & really keeps the soles tough.  I also put Dean's "Blue Cream" into the hole.  I've been doing that for months now & by the next shoeing, usually all sign is removed by the trim.

All done!

No, her right front isn't crooked, just the way she's standing!  The feet look good, toes are back where they belong, plenty of heel support & we're on the road again!