Below is left hind after a little trimming and rasping. Both hind hooves after rasping
My other hoof pics didn't turn out, so I will take more tomorrow to show the changes between the before
and after pics. I did a very minor trim on all the hooves, I could have done more but I like to be cautious. I
would rather take small amounts off over the period of a week or two rather than one large amount all at
once. The horses have less chance of becoming sore and less chance of thinking that trimming causes
pain.
March 12, 2006
Well Miss Sera is really starting to feel good. She greets me several times a day now, with a big whinny,
prancing, and some head tossing. I would say she is starting to figure out life as a regular horse.
Yesterday when all the other horses laid down in the afternoon for the ranch wide horse nap, Sera joined
in for the first time. She hasn't been comfortable enough in the past to lay down during the day when
everyone is milling about, but today she decided she was safe enough to join in, lay down and rest. It was
a beautiful thing to see.
April 4th, 2006
Not much to report, since the weather has been such a challenge, there has been very little I could do
with Sera. Shes just hanging out, eating, sleeping and beginning to really enjoy the life of a regular horse.
and after pics. I did a very minor trim on all the hooves, I could have done more but I like to be cautious. I
would rather take small amounts off over the period of a week or two rather than one large amount all at
once. The horses have less chance of becoming sore and less chance of thinking that trimming causes
pain.
March 12, 2006
Well Miss Sera is really starting to feel good. She greets me several times a day now, with a big whinny,
prancing, and some head tossing. I would say she is starting to figure out life as a regular horse.
Yesterday when all the other horses laid down in the afternoon for the ranch wide horse nap, Sera joined
in for the first time. She hasn't been comfortable enough in the past to lay down during the day when
everyone is milling about, but today she decided she was safe enough to join in, lay down and rest. It was
a beautiful thing to see.
April 4th, 2006
Not much to report, since the weather has been such a challenge, there has been very little I could do
with Sera. Shes just hanging out, eating, sleeping and beginning to really enjoy the life of a regular horse.
May 5, 2006
Sera is making amazing progress, I am so happy with her attitude and ability. Man, can she trot, she
absolutely floats across the ground with no effort. Today we worked in the round pen on all she has
learned. Shes lunging freely and on a line in both directions, walk, trot, and canter. Shes learned what
"ho" means, which in my mind is a big deal for an OTTB. Shes backing up with just a wiggle of my finger.
Shes changing directions on command both on a line and off. She joins up with me happily every time we
work together, today we spent 10 minutes just walking around the pen in all different directions, stopping
and starting, backing, all with out the aid of a lead rope or stick. Shes getting very good at paying
attention. Her body condition is good, shes still a little thinner than I would like, but lots of groceries
should take care of that.
Yesterday she and my mare Lotta had a fight thru the fence. We had to remove 8ft. of mangled wire, no
one was hurt. While we were repairing the fence Sera saw her chance and escaped into the pen of the
mare she had been fighting with. It was interesting to watch, there were no fireworks what so ever. Sera
just really wanted to be in there with Lotta and Dreamer. I let her stay while we completed the fence repair
job. I took about an hour and a half. Shes been alone in a paddock since about her 3rd week here, I think
its time to change that and get her a buddy, she clearly wants a friend of her own.
Sera is making amazing progress, I am so happy with her attitude and ability. Man, can she trot, she
absolutely floats across the ground with no effort. Today we worked in the round pen on all she has
learned. Shes lunging freely and on a line in both directions, walk, trot, and canter. Shes learned what
"ho" means, which in my mind is a big deal for an OTTB. Shes backing up with just a wiggle of my finger.
Shes changing directions on command both on a line and off. She joins up with me happily every time we
work together, today we spent 10 minutes just walking around the pen in all different directions, stopping
and starting, backing, all with out the aid of a lead rope or stick. Shes getting very good at paying
attention. Her body condition is good, shes still a little thinner than I would like, but lots of groceries
should take care of that.
Yesterday she and my mare Lotta had a fight thru the fence. We had to remove 8ft. of mangled wire, no
one was hurt. While we were repairing the fence Sera saw her chance and escaped into the pen of the
mare she had been fighting with. It was interesting to watch, there were no fireworks what so ever. Sera
just really wanted to be in there with Lotta and Dreamer. I let her stay while we completed the fence repair
job. I took about an hour and a half. Shes been alone in a paddock since about her 3rd week here, I think
its time to change that and get her a buddy, she clearly wants a friend of her own.
May 8, 2006
Well, Sera has been making great progress on her ground work. I have even been dragging her around
the ranch and doing things I would not normally do with an OTTB, at least not this soon. But Sera's
different, she willing to try just about what ever I ask. Today I wanted to clip up her bridle path and
whiskers. Normally I would do this at the grooming area, but today I was feeling a bit lazy, so I took her
over to the tack room, which is located near the parking lot, pulled the clippers out and stood on the top
step while I clipped her up. She was a gem, didn't even flinch.
May 11, 2006
Well, Sera and my mare Lotta got into another fight today, thru the fence of course. Destroyed a section
of fence for the second time. This fight, Sera lost, she cut up her left hind leg and hock. No work for
Sera for at least a week, shes good and swollen, big dork. I didn't have time to tear down the mangled
section of fence so I decided no time like the present to see about moving her back in with Connie. I can
only say good things about Sera except when it comes to her ability to get along with other horses. I
believe that all of her time spent in isolation at the race track has had a very real effect on her social
skills. She desperately wants to be with other horses but once she is with them she behaves poorly. Its
almost as if she becomes frightened and has to protect herself, at least in her mind.
Today Connie taught Sera some lessons. I guess since she was already going to be out of work for the
week, its not the worst time for Connie to teach Sera to be nice. Sera has several scrapes and small cuts
on her chest from being kicked. Hopefully Sera will figure out this herd thing in a timely fashion, or I am
going to have to pick up some more wound cream.
Well, Sera has been making great progress on her ground work. I have even been dragging her around
the ranch and doing things I would not normally do with an OTTB, at least not this soon. But Sera's
different, she willing to try just about what ever I ask. Today I wanted to clip up her bridle path and
whiskers. Normally I would do this at the grooming area, but today I was feeling a bit lazy, so I took her
over to the tack room, which is located near the parking lot, pulled the clippers out and stood on the top
step while I clipped her up. She was a gem, didn't even flinch.
May 11, 2006
Well, Sera and my mare Lotta got into another fight today, thru the fence of course. Destroyed a section
of fence for the second time. This fight, Sera lost, she cut up her left hind leg and hock. No work for
Sera for at least a week, shes good and swollen, big dork. I didn't have time to tear down the mangled
section of fence so I decided no time like the present to see about moving her back in with Connie. I can
only say good things about Sera except when it comes to her ability to get along with other horses. I
believe that all of her time spent in isolation at the race track has had a very real effect on her social
skills. She desperately wants to be with other horses but once she is with them she behaves poorly. Its
almost as if she becomes frightened and has to protect herself, at least in her mind.
Today Connie taught Sera some lessons. I guess since she was already going to be out of work for the
week, its not the worst time for Connie to teach Sera to be nice. Sera has several scrapes and small cuts
on her chest from being kicked. Hopefully Sera will figure out this herd thing in a timely fashion, or I am
going to have to pick up some more wound cream.
April 24, 2006
Well the weather is finally nice and the ground has dried out enough to start working the
horses again. Today I took Sera out to the round pen for the first time. She loved it, she ran
and ran for at least an hour and then of course, had the obligatory roll in the sand. I just let
her have some fun for a while. Everybody has been so couped up for so long, myself included.
After she finished stretching her legs we went to work. It was nice to see that she had not
forgotten all of the ground work we had already done. She remembered everything we worked
on. Shes a good student. Tomorrow we will start serious body conditioning and get her ready
for saddle work. Below are a few pics from her romp today.
Well the weather is finally nice and the ground has dried out enough to start working the
horses again. Today I took Sera out to the round pen for the first time. She loved it, she ran
and ran for at least an hour and then of course, had the obligatory roll in the sand. I just let
her have some fun for a while. Everybody has been so couped up for so long, myself included.
After she finished stretching her legs we went to work. It was nice to see that she had not
forgotten all of the ground work we had already done. She remembered everything we worked
on. Shes a good student. Tomorrow we will start serious body conditioning and get her ready
for saddle work. Below are a few pics from her romp today.
