In which Foxie Loxie has a few words about shoes (he won't wear them)

Foxie Loxie PantsonFire MacFeagle doesn't see the point of shoes.

"Shoes smell awesome!  But...why?"

He's kinda vague on the whole "horse shoe" concept.  But since I took the photos, he's gonna narrate the process.

Filing off the clinches

First, Auntie Mel comes to the barn and kisses me because I am a dog and I am awesome.  

Then I bark and run around while she does stuff with things  It's all very exciting.

She does a thing with the thing, and I watch.  Quietly, I watch.  So quiet.  Shhhh.  No barking.

The latex "plug" from the removed shoe.  There's isn't usually so much--
it generally falls apart and comes out by the time the shoes are changed.

I am not allowed to bark or run or grab bits of hoof while Auntie Mel is working.  

Shoe removed.  5 weeks of growth.  The black stuff isn't thrush, although it looks icky.
It doesn't smell thrushy, and comes off with a sweep of the rasp.  Hard hoof under.

I sit and wait and think about hoof.

5 weeks growth (summer)  This is from a rear foot--Fiddle usually grows more foot in back.

MmmmMMMM.   Hoof.

Trim, then rasp.  

Have you tasted hoof?  It's amazing.  

trimmed, rasped, and ready

After she does a thing with the thing, Auntie Mel makes big noises by hitting the thing with a heavy noisy thing.

Size 2 shoes for my enormous horse.  Fiddle wears St Croix Steel Advantage shoes--
lighter-weight than the standard St Croix Eventers, with full rolling and good traction.

I am not allowed to bark at this, which totally doesn't make sense.  Everybody makes noise but me?  So not fair.

When she's done hitting the thing with the heavy noisy thing, Auntie Mel plugs in the buzzing thing, and makes noises with that and the thing.

Are you following this?  Do I need to slow down?

Angle grinder takes off a little excess shoe.  A size 1 is too small, and we can cut weight
on the size 2 by taking a bit off the edges after it has been pounded roughly into shape.

Next, Auntie Mel gets the little poundy thing and the sharp pointy things.  I am not allowed to tip over the box of pointy things.  Not sure why.

A plastic pad, cut to size, between the steel shoe and the foot.  

Pounding things with things.  Still not barking.

We can use finer nails in winter, but have learned (hard way) that her feet are too tough in
summer, and the nails just bend instead of pounding in.  

Not barking, not barking, not barking.  Super boring.

The pad and toe will be rasped smooth to speed breakover

Now, the squirty thing!  This makes a very exciting sound....

All-purpose calk.  You can make-do with the stuff from the dollar store if you must,
but calk that's good enough to use around your bathtub is better.

...which I am not allowed to bark at.  Why are there exciting sounds but no barking?  It's a mystery.

One standard size tube of calk fills all four feet.
The calk adds a bit of cushion, but it's mostly in place to keep rocks and sand out.

I can't help noticing that Fiddle does not bark.  Perhaps she needs lessons in barking?  I could help with this.

Quiet, relaxed...and huge.

While Auntie Mel works, the Mama "takes notes." I don't know what notes are. 

A standard entry.  I've been keeping these notes on horse feet since before I got Fiddle.

Finally, Fiddle's shoes are done, and we can go back to taking pictures of cute things.

Roo, saddle bags, and Foxie.  Some stuff is cuter than other stuff.

Like ME!