Feet and an update

Here are the first pictures I have taken of Ruby's feet.  They aren't very good and I haven't taken the time to take solar shots, but they'll get me started so here goes.

Front feet

Front feet

Hind feet

Hinds again

Not too bad to start with.  There isn't much flaring, though her quarters are jammed up, especially on the front feet.  I don't know what's up with the cracks in the fronts either - they don't go all the way through the hoof wall, so maybe it's nutritional?   What you can't see is that she has very thick hoof walls (her feet are HARD), and some white line stretching, but nothing major.  She has deep frog clefts, so the coffin bones are way up there in her feet - but she is flat-footed.  I haven't seen a nice, concave hoof since I've been here but I'm not sure if it's an environmental or management issue.  The farrier is coming out on Monday.  If he's the type to take direction (don't cut out any sole, really roll the edges, etc), then I'll continue to use him. If not, it'll be time for me to break out the rasp myself.  I've got to dig out my Pete Ramey book.  Unfortunately, there are no real 'bare foot' trimmers around that I've been able to find. 

All that being said, Ruby has me pleasantly surprised. She has been great and tries very hard to please.  She's also been very easy-going - if I'd had my helmet, I would have ridden her bareback this morning, she was that good.  Alas, I haven't brought out a helmet to keep at the barn (I take my lessons at another place, so keep the helmet at the house, doh!), so we practiced giving to pressure.  I also climbed up on the fence and waved my arms all around - in preparation for teaching her to line up to things for me to mount.  We also went for a stroll down the road.  She was checking everything out but not spooky.  There are horses (not part of our barn) at the corner that came galloping up to meet the newbie - she did not lose her cool or forget that I was there, woohoo!  On our way back, a truck came zooming past - no response.  And, she doesn't seem to be the least bit ouchy on asphalt. 

She's doing so well, it's hard to know when to stop everyday.  I'm asking a lot out of her and don't want to push her too far, too fast.  She does not know a lot, but she picks up on things VERY fast, and takes everything in stride.  I'm going to have to keep in mind that it's probably time to stop when I most want to keep going.