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Top six triumphant moments at Great Meadow International

Top Six Triumphant Moments at Great Meadow International – Originally posted by Eventing Connect

By Sable Giesler – Jul 10, 2018 – Sponsored by MD Barnmaster

Photo via Lesley Leslie Grant-Law on Facebook

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Top six triumphant moments at Great Meadow International – Sponsored by MD Barnmaster

Top pairs from around the world were contesting at the Great Meadow International CICO3* Nations Cup event over the weekend. This is the only Nations Cup event held in North America and the fifth leg of the series. With many Great Britain fielding a team and Canada and the USA sending their very best to this event, the competition was intense, and there were some serious accomplishments made.

Let’s take a moment and celebrate the “Top six triumphant moments” at Great Meadow this year.

 

1) Ben Hobday (GBR) and Shadow Man’s perfect show jumping round. Ben and Shadow Man, an 8-year-old British-bred gelding, led the field heading into cross-country after their perfect show jumping round. Shadow Man was the youngest horse in the field, and he proved he is one to watch in the future. 20 jumping penalties on cross-country cost them their lead, but they still finished in a respectable 16th place.

2) Jessica Phoenix (CAN) and Pavarotti making Canada proud with their top-three finish. This pair will hopefully represent Canada the fast approaching 2018 Tryon World Equestrian Games. Jessica has been the top Canadian at numerous events in the past, and she reminded everyone at this event that she is a force. She piloted her other ride, Bogue Sound, around cross-country double clear to finish in 12th place. #GoCanada.

3) Caroline Martin (USA) and Islandwood Captain Jack adding only 2.8 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score to climb the leaderboard from 41st to 6th. This pair made the biggest climb up the leaderboard this weekend. It is not very often that the jumping phases are so influential that you can end your weekend with a top-ten finish after starting in 41st. The new FEI scoring, which has dropped the dressage coefficient certainly helped this pair out over the weekend and deservedly so.

4) Great Britain claiming the team victory. The British demonstrated that they are an Eventing powerhouse by winning the team competition by nearly 20 penalty points. The team members were Ben Hobday and Shadow Man, Georgie Spence and Halltown Harley, Sophie Brown and Wil, and Leslie Law and Voltaire De Tre. The United States better up their game if they want to medal at the World Equestrian Games on home turf later this year.

5) Georgie Spence (GBR) and Halltown Harley finishing in 2nd place after adding nothing to their 35.2 dressage score – the only pair to finish fault-free at this event. This duo moved up from 22nd place after dressage to 2nd place helping their team take the win.

6) Will Coleman (USA) delivering a double clear cross-country round aboard Off The Record to clinch the individual win. Time mattered on cross-country for this duo and they only won by .1 penalty points. But Will had no difficulties laying down a speedy clear round under pressure. Making this win even more impressive, is the fact this was only Off The Record’s second CIC3* competition. In 2022, this pair could easily earn a spot on the World Equestrian Games team.

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The Ultimate Working Student Guide

The Ultimate Working Student Guide – Sponsored by MD Barnmaster

You apply for a Working Student (WS) position with the rider who you have idolized for years and you get the job. You have fantasies about exercising their top horses and travelling with them to big events to help groom… But in reality, a WS mucks stalls, tacks up horses, washes horses, blankets horses, turns horses out, sets jumps, and performs various other unglamorous tasks.

Nonetheless, being a WS is an opportunity that will teach you how top riders train and manage their entire operations. If you take on the job of being someone’s WS, you surely want to succeed because future opportunities could result. Many top riders got to where they are today by working for other people to gain experience and credibility. People say there is no such thing as perfect but you can be the exception with these tips.

1. Genuine care for the horses – The horses are the most critical component to any successful riding operation because without horses there would obviously be no riders. Taking good care of the horses is everyone’s number one priority. If you are told to tack up a horse and something does not look quite right, point it out to whoever is in charge. If you see a horse running around its field like a lunatic, walk out to the field and bring it in before it hurts itself. Do not be one of those people that will take shortcuts and turn a blind eye to problems to escape extra work. If you treat the horses like gold, you will be golden.

2. Get to know the horses – Memorize their breeding, age, medical history, schedules and norms. It is critical that you are able to tell when there is something “off” about them so you can react accordingly. If something was to go wrong with a horse and you were the only one around to talk to the vet, it would be imperative for you to know the details. They are in your charge and you need to treat them like they were children you are babysitting.

3. Respect clients as much as your boss does – Your boss works for his/her clients and this means that you do too. An ill-mannered WS is bad for a rider’s business. Remember that students, boarders, owners, horse buyers, ship-in lessons and anyone who pays your boss money is a client. Be polite, helpful, and friendly. Go the extra mile to ensure that the clients at the barn are more than content.

4. Be early, not on time – With horses, you have to expect the unexpected. Therefore, you should always allow yourself time to deal with the unforeseen. It will not kill you to get up 20 minutes earlier to load the horses for a show or make sure a sales horse is ready to be shown to a buyer. Being a little bit early will go a long way and your boss will make life a little less stressful for you.

5. Make friends with other Working Students – Make friends with other WS and barn employees from other barns. Socializing is fun, plus the networking could pay off in the future. Perhaps at a show, something might get forgotten, well you can head over to another rider’s trailer and ask to borrow what you need because you have connections. Not to mention, you can always share tips and learn from others to help you do a better job. Knowing the people from other barns will also be beneficial if you are unhappy working where you are or you just want a change of scenery.

6. Keep relationships professional – Is there a cute boy or girl working at the barn? Eye candy is always nice, but do not chase after them like a love struck teenager. Barns are a workplace and you should act professional about your relations with other workers. At the very least, do not be flirting on the job, save it for after hours.

8. Look classy – You do not have to dress in Ralph Lauren polo shirts and wear $200 breeches, but make sure you look presentable. Always wear a decent polo shirt (you can get them at Walmart for like $5.00), respectable pants/breeches/shorts and try to keep your boots clean. It is important that you give your boss’s clients a good impression of you because you’re part of your boss’s business. You probably aspire to have your own business some day and the horse world is small; make sure everyone who sees you on the job thinks you look like a professional.

9. Do not pretend to know something when you are unsure – If someone asks you to do something and you are not 110% sure you know how, ask. Attempting something you are not confident about could result in a disaster. There really are no stupid questions in the horse world and you are a WS to learn.

10. Pay attention to how things are done – You will not always need to ask questions to figure things out if you learn through observation. Pay attention to your surroundings; watch how the head groom does things and follow suit. When you are working at someone else’s barn, you do things their way. It does not matter if you do not see the point in why something is done a certain way, just do it like that. There is likely a reason behind it that you are not aware of and if you are that curious about it, you can ask politely. Keep your eyes open to the way things are done, you will learn quicker and everyone will appreciate it.

11. Make notes to keep your facts straight – Never trust yourself to remember everything, be proactive and take notes. Use your phone or have a notebook, whatever works for you. At busy barns, there are a lot of horses, people, competitions and plans that you will have to keep straight. It is not your boss’s job to make sure you remember what they tell you; it is your job to keep yourself organized. Taking notes is never a waste of time, you will be grateful that you do this on more than one occasion.

12. Socializing on your cell phone is not okay – When you are on the job it is not acceptable to be texting your friends, lovers, parents, etc. unless it is an emergency. Checking your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram is never an emergency. Obviously, you should have your phone on hand because there could be an emergency or your boss may communicate with you this way. But do not text people when you should be working. People who play around on their phones at jobs outside the horse world get fired.

13. Just keep smiling – You might be dying of exhaustion but keep smiling. Everyone at a barn is working his or her guts out and you will not be an exception. So what if the other WS is complaining nonstop? Be better than them by having a better attitude. The more likable you are in this business, the more success will come your way. Being miserable is a choice, laugh off the tough times and push through. Remember, you are on your way to living the dream!

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How to make boring barn chores a total blast

How to make boring barn chores a total blast – Originally posted by Eventing Connect

By Sable Giesler – Jun 26, 2018 – Sponsored by MD Barnmaster

Horse people love what they do; there is no better way to spend time than being at the barn or better yet, on the back of a horse. But let’s be real, numerous unavoidable barn and riding tasks bore you out of your mind. For example, cross-country schooling is AWESOME but mucking stalls sucks. The majority of an average rider’s time at the barn is spent performing mindless tasks. These jobs are not awful, but after a while, they evoke high levels of boredom.

Audiobooks to the rescue

Escape the barn while you are performing repetitive tasks with your smartphone (If you don’t have a smartphone, join the 21st century and buy one!) and an audiobook app. I use Audible, you can try this app for free for the first 30-days, and I’m sure after you do you’ll be signing up as a member for the affordable price of $14.99 USD a month. With this app, you will look forward to long trot sets, mucking out the entire barn solo and braiding your trainer’s dozen horses for a show. Even clipping will suddenly become fun!

While you execute these monotonous tasks, you will get to listen to whichever book suits your fancy. Spy, romance, thriller, self-development, sci-fi, you name it, and the book title is likely available. Unfortunately, since equestrian books are not a hot seller, there are few available as audiobooks. Escaping to another realm by listening to an audiobook makes time fly. You should not perform all horse related jobs while listening to an audiobook but I do not recommend listening during a cross-country school. Although, these horsey tasks definitely call for audiobooks:

  • Driving to horse shows
  • Sweeping the barn
  • Fitness work for your horse and/or yourself
  • Braiding
  • Stuffing hay nets
  • Clipping
  • Painting jumps
  • Mane pulling
  • Hand walking a horse
  • Mucking stalls
  • Working on a tractor
  • Foal watch

So, what are you waiting for? Don’t waste a minute being bored, download an audiobook right now and immerse yourself in a world of intrigue, romance, humour or education!

Main photo: ©nyul – stock.adobe.com

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Top six triumphant moments from the Luhmühlen CCI4*

Top six triumphant moments from the Luhmühlen CCI4* – Originally posted by Eventing Connect

Sponsored by MD Barnmaster

1) Liz Halliday-Sharp (USA) earning her career first top-10 finish at a four-star. Liz made America proud by finishing in 8th place with Deniro Z. Liz was the only North American rider to complete this event and she did in style aboard a horse that was making his four-star debut. The US selectors will certainly have their eye on this duo for future major games.

2) Tim Lips (NED) and Bayro delivering a flawless 24.10 dressage test. Tim started off his weekend in the number one position by riding a near perfect test. He almost went on to win the entire event adding .8 cross-country time penalties to his dressage score and show jumping a clear. However, he also missed a flag on cross-country resulting in a very costly 50 penalties. This pair are certainly ones to watch at their next big event.

3) Cathal Daniels (IRL) and Rioghan Rua finishing in 7th place with a double clear cross-country round. At only 21-years-old, Cathal was the youngest rider in the field over the weekend. But his age does not reflect his superb riding abilities and he added only two rails to his 33.6 dressage score to finish well inside the top-10. Surely, the Irish selectors will be eyeing this duo for this year’s World Equestrian Games.

4) Laura Collett (GBR) piloting Mr Bass to a 2nd place finish at his first-ever four-star. Although Laura lacks no four-star mileage, this event was the 10-year-old Mr Bass’ first crack at the four-star level. Laura did a superb job riding this freakishly talented horse all throughout the weekend. They finished on their 29.9 dressage score and were the only pair to achieve this fault-free feat.

5) Anna Freskgard (SWE) riding Fly Away v/d N. Ranch to a 10th place finish at their first four-star. Anna was the highest placing rookie four-star rider at this event, bringing home a top-10 finish. She added only 11 show jumping penalties to her 39.3 dressage score. What a dream four-star debut!

6) Jonelle Price (NZL) winning her 2nd CCI4* in a row, this time with Faerie Dianamo. Jonelle has been on fire this season winning Badminton in May aboard Classic Moet and now claiming Luhmühlen. What makes this all the more impressive is she was not competing last year because she gave birth to her first child. This woman has certainly proved that being a mother does not mean you cannot still be one of the world’s top eventers. Making these wins even cooler was the fact both of them were aboard mares. #GirlPower

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Top six triumphant moments from the Mars International Bromont

Top six triumphant moments from the Mars International Bromont Three-Day Event – Originally Posted on EVENTING CONNECT

Sponsored by MD Barnmaster

This year’s Bromont Three-Day Event was filled with highs and lows for riders across the leaderboard. Some riders were competing at Bromont to try and secure a spot on their respective nations’ World Equestrian Games team and other riders were earning their first CCI1* completion.

Let’s take a moment and celebrate the “Top 10 triumphant moments” at Bromont this year.

1) Jenny Caras (USA) and Fernhill Fortitude show jumping a double clear round to win the CCI3*. This pair added only 2 cross-country time penalties to their 34.9 dressage score to move up from 8th after dressage into 2nd heading into show jumping. A flawless double clear show jumping round moved them into the lead to win it all. This was their fifth CCI3* completion and their first win at the three-star level.

2) Ariel Grald (USA) finishing her first CCI3* with Leamore Master Plan in 4th place. They only added 8 cross-country time penalties to their 38.3 dressage score to move from 13th after dressage into the top-five. Just finishing your first CCI3* is a huge accomplishment but to do so without a jumping fault and a top-five placing is a major accomplishment.

3) Jessica Phoenix (CAN) and Bentley’s Best winning the CIC2* on home turf. Jessica was the only Canadian at this Canadian event to deliver a win. This pair finished on their 30.0 dressage score to climb the leaderboard from 3rd after dressage into pole position. The Canadian team selectors will certainly be eyeing this duo for next year’s Pan American Games.

4) Cornelia Dorr (USA) and Sir Patico MH defying gravity at the first water complex to pull off the ‘save’ of the weekend. Cornelia and Sir Patico were competing in the CCI3* and finished 12th overall. But their weekend almost came to an abrupt end at the first water complex when they had a mega awkward jump in. Even after watching the video below in slow motion I still don’t know how they pulled off the save. What a cool pair!

The save of the weekend. Featuring Cornelia Dorr and Sir Patico MH.

5) Holly Jacks Smither (USA) and Candy King delivering a 2nd place finish in the CCI1*. Last week, I predicted this pair would easily finish inside the top-five and they did just that. They finished on their 27.2 dressage score to end the weekend in an impressive 2nd place. They were the highest placed Canadian pair across all of the CCI divisions. This is such an exciting pair and I see Canadian teams in their future.

6) Charlotte Collier (USA) and Clifford M finishing on their 39.7 dressage score in CCI2* to move from 29th after dressage in to 8th. The cross-country course for the CCI2* division took its toll on the leaderboard, with only 12 pairs out of 32 starters finishing with a double clear. Charlotte and Clifford M blazed around cross-country and then came out the next day and show jumped a fault-free round. This pair made the biggest climb up the leaderboad over the weekend and their 8th place finish was well-deserved.

 

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Rider alert: Pairs to watch at the Mars International Bromont

Rider alert: Pairs to watch at the Mars International Bromont Three-Day Event – Originally Posted on EVENTING CONNECT

Sponsored by MD Barnmaster

The Bromont CCI will kick off tomorrow, with the first horse inspection. Numerous top riders from around North America have made the trek to the Pedigree International Bromont Three-Day Event in Bromont, Quebec. The event is running four FEI divisions – a CCI3*, CCI2* CIC2* and CCI1*. The competition will be fierce across all the divisions with many young riders looking to qualify for this year’s NAJYRC and riders in the CCI3* seeking to earn a qualification for the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

I have attended all of the CCI3* events on the East Coast and I believe that Bromont is undoubtedly the most impressive. Course Designer Derek di Grazia, who is also the designer at the Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, has created the tracks again this year. I am sure there will be plenty of massive open oxers and corners, along with some intimidating brush jumps that riders will need to put their brave pants on for.

Keep your eye on these pairs at because no matter how they place at the end up of this weekend they have the ability to make waves in the Eventing world in the near future:

Holly Jacks (CAN) & Candy King – CCI1*: Holly and Candy King, an 8-year-old SHBGB gelding, have had a consistently competitive 2018 season. This year, in Florida, they delivered three top-five finishes a the Preliminary level and finished in 21st place at the Ocala International CCI1*. Most recently, they won the Open Preliminary at the Grandview Spring H.T. Candy King is a very exciting young prospect for Holly who has competed up to the four-star level successfully. A top-five finish this weekend is well within this pair’s capabilities and they have the potential to represent Canada at major games in the future.

Dana Cooke (CAN) & FE Mississippi – CCI2*: FE Mississippi, an 8-year-old DSP mare, is one of the most genuine and talented horses I have seen. Dana has been competing this mare since 2016 and together they have had numerous top finishes at the one and two-star level. Last fall, they finished 5th at the Ocala Jockey Club CCI2* on their 45.5 dressage score. If they repeat that performance again this weekend, they could be victorious at Bromont. Keep your eye on this duo on the lead up to the 2019 Pan American Games.

Felix Vogg (SUI) & Colero – CCI3*: Felix has been competing in the United States this spring to prepare for this year’s Tryon World Equestrian Games. Felix and Colero, a 10-year-old Westphalian gelding, have has a seriously successful winter/spring season. They finished in 3rd place at the highly competitive Carolina International CIC3*. Colero is a superb athlete and Felix has been producing Colero since 2015 when this horse competed in his first one-star. Felix is very experienced having represented Switzerland at the 2014 WEG and the 2016 Olympics on a different mount. This pair could easily win the CCI3* this weekend and continue on to finish in the top-10 at this year’s WEG.

Allie Knowles (USA) & Business Class – CIC2*: This pair has delivered stellar results at the one and two-star level. Business Class, an 8-year-old ISH gelding, is a world-class quality horse. Allie has plenty of four-star mileage under her belt and has done a great job producing this talented horse since she got the ride in 2017. Last fall, this pair won the Ocala Jockey Club CCI1* on their 40.2 dressage score. Most recently, they finished 7th at the Ocala International CCI2*. They should easily deliver a top-three finish this weekend and it will be exciting to see how they perform at the three-star level in the future.

 

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Mastering the art of jumping narrow fences

Mastering the art of jumping narrow fences – Originally posted by Eventing Connect

Narrow or skinny fences are on every cross-country course at the Training level and above. If you want to be an eventer, you need to be able to make it between the flags even when they are only feet apart. Narrows often confuse horses because there isn’t much for the horse to focus on and making a detour around these jumps is mega easy. If you want to finish cross-country with consistent double clear rounds, then you need to become a master at getting your horse over narrows. Conquering narrows doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly doesn’t happen the day of an event. You need to spend many jump schools training your horse to understand how to look for and jump narrows. Begin your quest for mastering the art of jumping narrows by following these six straightforward tips:

1) Start low and not so narrow: When you start introducing narrow fences to horses, always start at a height that your horse could jump from a literal standstill. You are not testing your horse’s scope here. Also, don’t begin with a super narrow fence. Standard show jumps are 12-feet wide and many cross-country jumps are even wider. Start with a jump that is around 6-feet wide; on a green horse, this will be trickier than you’ll anticipate. To get this perfect introduction fence, you could cut a show jump pole in half or find a small log and cut it to this size. Sometimes, show jump poles break in half from some schooling mishap, these make perfect narrow poles so keep them.

2) Increase narrowness, not height: Once your horse is comfortable jumping a 6-foot wide ‘narrow’, it’s time to make things skinnier not higher. If a horse understands it is supposed to jump between the flags no matter how narrow a jump is, the height will surprisingly be a non-issue. Again, you might have to get creative to find something narrow to jump. Some things I have used over the years to create narrow type fences are box jump fillers, plastic barrels, mounting blocks, broken rails, random logs and so on. Just make sure whatever you are using is safe.

3) Use some ‘training wheels’: To prevent your horse from learning that it is way easier to just scoot around narrows, put a pole on each side of the fence to make a chute. Also, use flags or standards on each side of the fence. This is important because you want to train your horse to look for flags and it helps you know whether your whole horse jumped the narrow. Use this pole chute tactic until your horse feels honest and confident about jumping the narrow. Then remove them and try to jump the narrow. Your horse likely won’t even notice they are gone.

4) Don’t override, correct (calmly): When you are schooling narrows at home, there is no big prize on the line so you don’t have to ride like your career depends on clearing the narrow. Overriding narrows at home will make it challenging at events because you will dull your horse to your extra reinforcements. Make your life easier by schooling narrows just like you would any other fence. If your horse gets confused and runs out, calmly halt, rein back so you are right in front of the jump then let your sniff and look at the jump. After it has acknowledged the jump by putting its nose on it, rein it back in a straight line far enough away from the fence that you can pick up a canter or trot and jump the fence immediately. I learned this narrow schooling method from Clayton Fredericks, and I find it works like a charm. It helps your horse understand what it is supposed to be jumping without becoming stressed.

5) Repeat, repeat, repeat: Training a horse how to jump narrows doesn’t happen in several jump schools. Make jumping narrows a regular part of your jumping training. Even if your horse has never had a runout at a narrow in its life, you should still school this type of fence on a regular basis. You are better to be safe than sorry.

6) Switch things up: If you seriously want to master narrows, you need to practice jumping as many types of these fences as you can dream up and create. You also need to play around with the types of line you jump the narrows on. At events, narrows can be on bending lines, straight lines, one-strides, in a water jump, after a down bank, on top of a mound, etc. Put on your course designer hat and get creative about how you jump narrows. Don’t assume jumping a narrow in your arena is the same as on hilly terrain. Have some fun with your narrow schooling and keep switching things up.

7) Ride like you mean it on show day: You shouldn’t override narrows at home, but at events, you don’t want to take anything for granted. I’m not suggesting you ride like a rabid squirrel and startle your horse making your job difficult. Ride an absolutely straight line to the narrow, setup and balance your horse’s canter at least eight strides before the narrow question, keep your hands wide to help guide your horse, and kick like snot if you feel your horse starting to back off. Remember, the way you train and the way you compete is not always the same.

Acknowledgment Eventing Connect: Mastering the art of jumping narrow fences – MD Barnmaster has partnered with the writers at Eventing Connect to share their expertise on a variety of horse subjects. Stay tuned for more valuable tips and insight from writers who are competitive riders.

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Healthy Horse Hooves

Powerful advice on keeping your horse’s hooves healthy – Originally posted by Eventing Connect

With a barnful of Thoroughbreds, I’ve seen my share of less-than-ideal feet. And the old saying is true: “No hoof, no horse.” Through a combination of an EXCELLENT farrier and proper management, I’ve been able to improve some horses’ feet and help them stay sound to do their jobs.

Your Farrier
First of all, I cannot stress enough that an educated, experienced, quality farrier is a must– someone who knows how to balance a foot, and understands how the horse’s feet will impact how the whole animal moves. My farrier is dedicated to improving his own skills and knowledge, attending annual conferences to further his own education. Horse shoeing is part art, part science, and a good farrier knows the fine line between helping a horse move better and fixing something that ain’t broke. You can’t shoe every horse “perfect,” but rather according to his natural conformation and way of going. When you find a farrier you can trust, TRUST HIM and let him do his job. Ask questions– not as police interrogation accusing him of doing something wrong, but because you genuinely want to learn what and why he trims and shoes your horse a particular way.

Discuss how your horse is going– does he seem sore on hard ground? Is he weak behind, could he use more support? Communicate well with your farrier, so he can best keep your horse’s feet sound for your use. Your farrier’s job isn’t easy: he has to keep the horse sound despite its natural flaws, maintain a quality foot (often starting with a poor one), and keep the owner happy while respecting the owner’s budget. Keep your farrier happy by offering him good working conditions– a clean, flat, dry work space, and a well-behaved, clean and dry animal. While your bank account might prefer a cheaper farrier, a good (if expensive) farrier will often save you money on the long road, by keeping your horse sound and able to do the job. An unbalanced, poorly shod foot can cause injury to tendons, joints, and back problems.

Your Part
Amazing as farriers are, they are not miracle workers. They cannot keep your horse’s shoes on under Any and All conditions. It’s up to YOU to hold up your end of the bargain and manage your horse’s care with good sense. If you turn your horse out in a deep, muddy paddock, and then bring all his friends in while leaving him out alone to run the fence line for an hour… whose fault is it if he loses a shoe? I wouldn’t blame the farrier for that!

I try to manage my horses with their best interest in mind, and that includes their feet. A dry foot is a hard foot, and a hard foot holds horseshoe nails much better than a soft, weak foot. Some horses are genetically predisposed to thin, weak walls, so it’s even MORE important to manage their feet carefully. Try to limit hosing and standing in the wet ground; if the horse is just barely sweaty, skip the hose and rub him dry with a towel. Perhaps turn him out during late morning or evening, rather than standing overnight in wet dew. I treat my horses’ feet with Keratex hardener before every ride, and then coat their hooves in Corona before hosing off or overnight turnout. The Keratex prevents cracking around nail holes, and the Corona sheds moisture to keep water out of the nail holes. The wet/dry cycle is what makes hooves chip and crack around the nail holes– when that area is weakened, the nails shift and wiggle, letting the shoe work its way loose. For this reason, painting with random hoof oils is not really advisable; you don’t want to make the hoof softer on a daily basis. I will use a cheap hoof oil right before hosing a horse off– again, to shed water from the nail holes– knowing that most of the oil will be washed off during the bath. My shod horses also wear pull-on bell boots 24/7; while bell boots won’t prevent all lost shoes, they do help and $12 is cheap insurance.

Management also includes good nutrition– without good feed, it’s harder for a horse to grow good feet. Quality feed and hay, with adequate protein, is enough for most horses. Others will see improved growth and horn quality by adding a supplement high in biotin, methionine, and zinc.

Mostly, use common sense. Look at your show schedule and work out your farrier dates in advance, so you don’t end up competing on long toes and loose shoes. Don’t put your horse in an avoidable situation where he’s likely to rip off a shoe and half his foot. If you notice a sprung shoe, call your farrier immediately and do your best to prevent losing the shoe. If you’re able, remove the shoe yourself so the horse doesn’t tear his foot and you’ll have the shoe handy when the farrier comes. If it’s just a minor sprung branch, consider wrapping the foot with duct tape to prevent grabbing it. Going cross-country schooling with a half-off shoe is not a good idea. Communicate with your farrier about your horse and your goals, and be willing to implement his suggestions.

Working together, you and your farrier can keep your horse’s feet sound and healthy, allowing him to maximize his potential. I often take photos when my farrier finishes, so we can look back on how far a horse has come after a number of shoeings. I’m always amazed at how he can place nails on a weak wall, and over time bring the toe back and encourage heel growth from some pretty terrible pancake feet. I appreciate him for his attention to detail, immense skill, and dedication to his craft. In turn, he appreciates my efforts to keep his shoes on and not screw up his hard work. 😉 In the end, we both win: he creates a better hoof to work on, and I get a sounder horse to ride.

Acknowledgment Eventing Connect: Healthy Horse Hooves – MD Barnmaster has partnered with the writers at Eventing Connect to share their expertise on a variety of horse subjects. Stay tuned for more valuable tips and insight from writers who are competitive riders.

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