Thanks Cherie,

Actually...day after he was showing some lameness, he was fine.  My barefoot trimmers came over the weekend and noticed two small absesses had come out on his rear hooves and that is probably why he was feeling off.

Unfortunately, we were walking on the trails over the weekend, and crossing trails, and we sunk into soft dirt and pulled a shoe.  Next day he was really struggling to walk up our little hill to get back into the pasture....I am worried he pulled a muscle or something when we sunk into the soft stuff.

Vet coming out tomorrow to check him out....I am angry at myself for forgetting to put on his support wraps when we were out there....might have really helped.  Especially if he hurt his suspensory ligament....not sure, but will know more hopefully tomorrow am.

BUT, his rear hooves with no shoes held up amazing out on the trail.  No problems there!

Eric

Had to laugh at your "love in the pasture" story!  Our general pasture is a hysterical soap opera.  My Red is in the midst of it in his continual quest to be the Boss Mare's Top Gelding.  Whenever we get new horses he becomes a wild boy - it lasts about 1 week.  Usually he comes when I call him but never when he is defending he SO VERY IMPORTANT place in the herd hierarchy.

Here he is challenging Sweetgrass (Red is the er, red horse, lol)

And here they are shortly before Red got bumped one down the the hierarchy.

Just catching up on the thread......

If you were following the thread......now is all good.  My horse will come out of the pasture with me no problem.

His rear feet are fine!  We have been extending our trail rides each week and no soreness.  I am not sure about pulling his front shoes, because he's soooo big, and heavy on the forehand I am not sure he will adjust well.  Our trails are also very hard and rocky.

His hooves are white in color...I have heard that means they might be softer than a dark colored hoof?  Has anyone else heard that before?

Either way...my horse is awesome!  He now leads on the trails when he refused to early on.  His confidence has grown greatly, and he and I have really bonded.  All is good in the horse world.....for now :)

E

Hi Eric, sounds like you guys are doing great!

The white hooves = soft feet is an old wives tale.  It's not true ;-).

As for pulling the fronts, I would ask your trimmer about hoof boots.  That is what I use on my mare for trails.  She's sound for arena and pasture riding, but our trails are really rocky too.  I use Old Mac's G2 boots now, but I'm thinking of switching to Renegades or Easy Boot bares (the Old Mac's rub her pasterns on longer rides).