Sunday, January 5, 2014

So, yesterday was one of those rides where so much happened, I'm kind of at a loss as to where to begin.  LOL

Let's start with Sassy.  We'd been riding for about 6 hours when it felt like she was limping.  Of course, I jumped off her and checked her legs.  I did find a small cholla cactus stuck in her right back leg, so I removed that and gave her lovies and climbed back in the saddle.  We took, rather "she" took about 2 steps, and her front knees buckled!  She did not fall, however, but she certainly stopped walking.  I jumped down again, and she held up her left front hoof.  As I took the hoof in my hand, I could NOT believe what I was looking at.  All our horses have had stones or debris "stuck" in their shoes at one time or another, but this was more like a boulder!

I patted her and told her I was going to fix that immediately.  Reaching in my saddle bag, I grabbed my "trusty" hoof pick.  LOL  As you will see in the pics, the hoof pick was anything but trusty in this situation.  Try as hard as I did, the hoof pick was no match for Mr. Boulder.

I grabbed my leatherman and went to work.  It took me no less than 10 minutes of sitting on the ground, holding her hoof and doing my utmost to dislodge the "hoof crippler."

Here's probably the most amazing part of the experience, at least for myself.  Sassy completely stood still, and not one time did she pull her hoof away.  ??  Seriously, is this normal?  A few weeks ago, she'd gotten tangled in barbed wire and had several significant cuts in her back hoof.  Some of you will recall that escapade from my accounting of it on Facebook.  There again, Sassy stood perfectly still and let me do what I needed to in order to stop the bleeding.  I've had people tell me that "horses do not think" because their brains are factually the size of a standard size can of corn.  Hmmmm, the brain size analogy may be a fact, but I respectfully disagree about horses actually thinking.  Somehow, some way Sassy knew in those instances that she needed to stand absolutely still for me to help her.  (Ok, if I'm fantasizing, let me have my fun please.)    ;)

Here are the pics of that ordeal:

It's a good thing she was due for new shoes, right?  I'm happy to report she had her new ones put on this morning, and she's a very happy camper.

Speaking of the Sassy girl, I'm on my way to feed her.  When I get back, though, I have a couple more stories to add!  I think I may really like this blogging "thing!"    Don't let the trails get dusty while I'm gone!   ;)