A bad summer for hooves

Although our summer hasn't been as dry as some parts of the country, it has indeed been dry. I really noticed the effect of the lack of moisture on the horses' feet during this last farrier cycle, which ran from mid July to a appointment earlier this week for a trim and shoeing (for Dude) and trim (for Bestie).

Dude and Bestie have very different hooves and are on the same combination supplement with biotin in it for hooves. It was interesting to see how the dry summer weather affected them.

Dude, who has soft feet, fared better. His hoof edges got a bit ragged with some chipping. Bestie, who has harder hooves, had significant chipping and vertical cracks.

I was relieved when farrier Scott came out this week and cleaned them up. Here's what Bestie's feet look like now (with a coat of Absorbine Hooflex All Natural Dressing):

Pretty nice. 

Changes at the barn

Over the last month there have been a couple exciting changes at the barn. 

Especially nice is the newly painted and redecorated bathroom, with lavender lower walls and floral prints, a huge new vanity, and hooks on the wall to hang clothes. Barn owner Julie had her horse stuff in the bathroom before, so there wasn't much room if anyone needed to change, and I'm sure it was a squeeze for her and at times inconvenient if someone was in there and she needed her stuff. She now has a spot in the tack room, so a whole end of the bathroom has been freed up for changing - the space is to the right of the vanity. Super nice, especially for all of us who come straight from work.

The other project that was completed recently was a redesign of the feed room, located in the center of the barn just off the main front entry. Larry installed an old kitchen counter along the side wall, which gives much more convenient access to everyone's supplement drawers (which used to be stacked wayyy high). Grain cans are off to the left and along the back wall, and extra grain bags are kept under the counter. Larry also installed a big utility sink just to the right of the entry door, meaning no more trekking down to the other end of the barn to access the big sink and hot water in the former milking room. Larry hooked up a water heater in the bathroom, so there's hot water there as well as in the feed room.

I really appreciate the way barn owners Larry and Julie are always making improvements. Feeling a bit spoiled!