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Winter

Winter is always a tricky time for horse owners, rain and muddy fields make life challenging at times. Mojo is out most of the time unless the weather is very bad, but he doesn’t like being in for too long. I went one day and he had been a bit of a handful for the yard owner as he didn’t want to be in his stable. However he was very good for me doing his feet and he enjoyed being the in the arena to stretch his legs.
The hoof trimmer had been a few times and mostly he is now good with offering his feet, he has a little rest between doing the ends, and usually a hay net now instead of constant feeding. He still has carrots or something else yummy as his hinds are off the floor.
I did have to cut some tangles out of his mane and tail, and trim his feathers – so they don’t drag in the mud.

A very dirty horse having his feet trimmed.
Mojo having his feet trimmed.
A horse having his hind feet trimmed.
Mojo having his hind feet trimmed.
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Autumn

The end of summer is sometimes difficult for humans, less daylight hours, more bad weather to cope with and horses getting their winter coats. Mojo is out most of the time, unless the weather is really bad and/or the fields flood. He seems happy out with his friend Smoke (my daughters horse). Sometimes though I worry that I don’t see him often enough, but does he care – I suppose not as long as he is fed and checked daily by your wonderful yard owner.
Yesterday I went to check on hm and he enjoyed the treats I brought for him, I don’t often give him treats outside of training, I usually do his exercises and then give them. It does not make horses nippy if you hand feed, I know some people say it does but it all depends how and when you give them. Mojo knows now how to take them gently and to not ask for them all the time. Of course it can cause frustration if we give food and then walk away – I like to use an all finished sign so he knows that is the end of the session.
No photos today as I didn’t take my camera, but autumn can be a beautiful time of year with the changing of the colours in nature, so try to enjoy all the seasons of the year with your horses.

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Mojo and his feet

Mojo had his feet trimmed on Wednesday 12th July, he was bit fidgety as it was hot and there were a few flies around. The front were done as normal and then he stood on his mats for the hinds, all in all a good boy but not as relaxed as last time.
He is due to be sedated in a couple of weeks for his teeth to be rasped so I will rasp his feet and trim his feather then.

Mojo having his front feet rasped.
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The Natural Animal Centre

A few years ago I did a course with the NAC on equine behaviour, I passed level 1 and started level 2 but lost interest in doing this as a career. So just read it for my own benefit. Recently the NAC has been taken over by some excellent behaviourists and their courses updated and added to, and accredited by the ABTC (Animal Behaviour and Training Council).

Take to look – it is an excellent place to train and learn.

https://naturalanimalcentre.org
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April 27th 2023.

Mojo was brilliant with his feet, the hoof trimmer did 3 feet without him standing on any mats. We then realised and stood him on the mats for the off hind to be done. His hinds are looking much better now with the regular trimming, well done Mojo.

Mojo having his feet trimmed.

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Progress

Mojo had his feet trimmed on Tuesday 28th February 2023. My daughter took him in the school first and free lunged him, didn’t video until the end but he did trot and looked sound.
I used the calming spray and he did seem to be very calm and let Penny trim all four feet.
Very pleased with his progress and do hope it continues, he has physio next week so all see what she says,

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Mojo and his feet

Mojo had the hoof trimmer today, 29th November 2022. He was good with the fronts and stood with his front feet on the mats so she could do his hinds. I also gave him some calming spray – it contains valerian and seemed to work. Although it is difficult to tell whether it was the mats and treats, or the calmer that did the trick. I don’t give him anything to pick out his feet and he has been good with them since his last trim, and has let us put them on the hoof stand. So once he seems ok more often I will not give him any.

Today he got a bit fidgety as we had to move him from the yard due to a hay delivery, so we went in the school to do his hinds. However he soon settled and had his hinds on the hoof stand for trimming and the flair rasping.

Mojo having his feet trimmed
Mojo having his feet trimmed
Mojo having his feet trimmed
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Positively Equine

I am closing my other website, it is easier just to maintain one. So I am adding a few things from there to here – they will appear under the new menu item “Positively Equine”.
If you have arrived here from my old “positivelyequine” web address – welcome. You can find some of my articles under the main menu.

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Progress

Update 18th October 2022

Mojo has been good with picking up his feet in the field and in the school, so it occurred to me that he may be sore on his front feet rather than the hinds.

The plan was then to take him in the school before the hoof trimmer came and do some pole work, then to use the play mats for him to stand on whilst he was having his hind feet done.

He was good with the fronts, so we then put down 3 mats for him to stand on, he was very calm and let Penny do both hind feet with no fuss and even putting them on the hoof stand didn’t trigger any bad reactions. I did click and treat each time he had his feet in the air.

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March Update

Mojo has been struggling with foot lifting, I now have help in the form of Kristie Jillings of Equine Harmony

We have been training for duration of the foot lifting and now have some yoga blocks to help with his balance. So he puts his feet on the blocks for an increasing duration. So far he is fine with the fronts on the blocks and will let me place his hinds on them.

The idea is to get him to step on with the fronts one cue, then try and do the same with the hinds. Then transfer this to the hoof stand.

We continue with his stretches and exercises over raised poles and he is moving better now.

Mojo with his hind foot on a yoga block
This is his more difficult hind. Photo taken by me 5 year old granddaughter.
Mojo doing pole work.