This week my Farrier is going to hoof test Reiss’s hooves when he is shoes him and evaluate his feet to see if the shoes could be bothering him. If Reiss has a bruise or an abscess starting to form in his hoof it would sense as to why he does not want to work. I asked Joey what he would compare a hoof with a bruise or abscess to. He responded by saying that it would be like a person walking around in very tight sneakers with a pebble or small rock inside the shoe. It would make us uncomfortable, sore and we would probably walk funny or limp. Thankfully when he checked out his hooves and tested them to see if they were sore there was no reaction, which means to bruise or abscess.
Joey watched me ride Reiss earlier before he worked on his feet. This way he could see if it was the type of shoe that was on Reiss’s hooves that were bothering him. Joey was talking to and James after I rode Reiss about trying a different type of shoe for him. It is called a beveled or rounded shoe. Instead of the shoe being flat on the bottom the front edge would be rounded so that it is easier for him to break over. Joey thinks that it will help him move a little better because it will take some pressure off Reiss’s tendons and already have old injuries. I agreed to try the shoes because I trust Joey and he knows what he is talking about. Shoes are very important to horses just like they are to people. The wrong shoes and the wrong fit would bother anyone.
I hope his make a difference for Reiss. Next week I am going to try to help Reiss’s stomach. He does have a sensitive stomach, and he also has a history or colic.
Horse Sense 