Stronghorse Church, Barefoot Farrier

Today the horses finally received hoof care. As with every venture here on the farm, finding the right person and making the arrangements took far longer than necessary. Perhaps it’s because we have so many different projects going that items slip my mind with regularity. Perhaps I’m just a neglectful scatterbrain. (I would prefer to believe the former, of course.) As with so many items on this farm, we found our farrier through Craigslist Nashville. Once again we are very happy with the result.

His first name is Orion. Orion Stronghorse Church—what a wonderful name! And so fitting for a farrier. When asked about the origins of his name, he volunteered that he’s half-Sioux, and agreed his would be an unusual name for a Caucasian male. His Native roots show in his thick black hair, his skin tone, and his sturdy build. He works well with the horses and prefers to see them on a loose lead than on the more restrictive crossties with which I was accustomed (some thirty years ago).

When he first unpacked the tools of his trade, I was struck by the jack. Being unusually good, I resisted the urge to make a wisecrack about jacking up the horse (as one would a car) to make the work easier. But, indeed, that is practically what Orion does. I’m used to seeing farriers balance hooves on their own thighs and knees. Orion saves his back by using the jack—such a clever device!

He started with Millie. Although she had been shod when she arrived, she had managed to throw all but one of her shoes and the remaining one was on its way out. Orion pulled it quickly, then showed me how terribly overgrown her hooves were. Also, he showed me lines, almost ripples, around the outside of her hooves denoting a flirtation with foundering. (The appropriate word escapes me, just now.) We discussed possible causes: too rich diet? No. Undue stress? Not likely. Toxicity from American Black Walnuts? Absolutely. Indeed not three posts down from where Millie likes to slip through the fence, the fencepost is a Black Walnut tree. Apparently just walking through the ground around the tree is bad for Millie. This gives me one more reason to expedite the front fencing; however, it was Lucy’s grazing down front that Doc Kinslow identified as instigating that mare’s buttercup allergies—and Millie is beginning to show the same signs of scabby bumps followed by hair loss in tufts. This presents a conundrum I’ll need to confront shortly.

Next came Sweet Stella. Her hooves had not grown out so much; Orion asked if she runs about the rock-lined pasture much. She does not. Neither does she get ridden any more than Millie. Whatever the reason, her hooves were trimmed up and rounded off quickly. Orion noted a soreness in a hing leg, one that had escaped my notice. We’ll keep an eye on that.

Although we had been working beneath the shade of a tree on the flat of the stone driveway (okay, Orion had been working, I’d just been standing holding a lead rope), I was not eager to try bringing Lucy out of the pasture. Indeed since the day I finally coaxed Lucy and Janet into their pasture, they have not been out. Should I be spending more time schooling the filly? Absolutely. Time seems to be a scarce commodity around here. Luckily for me, Orion did not mind moving into Lucy’s pasture, even though the slope was greater. He was able to work on her feet while little Janet orbited around her mother.

When it came time to attend to Miss Janet’s diminutive hooves, she was a bit skittish at first but got over it quickly. She is really a very gentle filly and she radiates calm—when she is not excited about seeing someone or perhaps dinner coming, then she whinnies a high-pitched whinny. It’s very cute. And you know I’m not biased. ;-)

We set up an appointment for the four-week schedule Orion employs. Sadly, he’ll be moving an hour farther away in short order for school. If he can garner local customers enough to make the drive worthwhile, we will continue to see him. Otherwise we will need to find a new farrier.

For now, all of our gals’ hooves are trimmed and they’re looking fine.