Gordon Adair Barefoot Horse Trimming

12/10/2023

Alfalfa is not grass, it is a legume

Alfalfa is full of nutrition making a great supplement but, it’s harmful in large amounts. Alfalfa should only be feed as a pasture balancer, as other feeds, in small amounts not as a main staple. As I wrote, alfalfa must not be fed to Iaminitic horses even with words: fermented, or meal added to the name.
Over weight from over feeding is also a cause of laminitis, feed less rich hay that is slowly eaten throughout the day not in ten minutes, no grains or anything else.
Laminitis isn’t a disease, it’s a condition cause by one or multiple sources, eliminate the sources… laminitis goes away, reintroduce the sources… laminitis returns.

12/10/2023

Tractors have extended emission warranties beyond the manufacturer

The Federal emission warranty act, could save you a fortune in repair cost for most vehicles. If the dealer doesn’t mention it’s available, it will be in your vehicle’s manual explaining your coverage. Don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer’s customer service if you have to, it will save you money. Still having trouble and you bought your tractor new for personal use try the; Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. I’m not a lawyer just a consumer who had to do research.

11/30/2023

On the personal note… burrrrrrr!
When working on one of our cold mornings, the horse’s coat was fluffy and warm so, I snuggled into the warmth while I trimmed. When doing so, I remembered when I was growing up in Michigan: how my friends and I would ride ba****ck in the winter laying forward hugging our horses to stay warm, it was heaven! Did you do the same?

Give your horse more hay on cold nights, they are burning calories to stay warm… unless they need to lose weight. Overweight is a cause of laminitis.

11/30/2023

The temperature is dropping, horses with a winter coat can flex their hair from flat (equal to a windbreaker) to standing upward (equal to a down jacket) or anywhere in between for comfort. So, if you decide to blanket your horse make sure to use the proper thickness for the proper temperature. Putting a sheet on your horse will flatten the hair and limit the warmth to thickness of the sheet, reducing the ability to stay warm.

09/07/2023

Acorns are falling. Horses like eating acorns which can result in laminitis. You can rake and remove them, temporally fence the trees off, or move your horse to a safer pasture as I do for my horse.

09/04/2023

Water oak trees and hurricanes don’t mix, well… water oaks don’t mix with anything! Yes, they are fast growing but they shed continuously - be prepared to pick up limbs and cut down dead trees. Palm trees aren’t any better, at least the breaches can be used to start fires to burn water oaks. Live oaks trees are the best. I’m on my 12th pickup load of limbs with more to do from hurricane Idalia. Fortunately, I have my tractor back from repairs after changing dealerships.

07/29/2023

Replacing Shavings With The Benefits Of Grass Hay
A heathy hoof is hydrated and shavings is one of many causes of dry hooves. Consider less desirable hoof friendly grass hay, the type that is left but gone by the next day. 1) Hay absorbs stall moisture but little hoof moisture. 2) Provides food to nibble on when the stomach is empty avoiding ulcers and wind sucking. 3) Provides slow grazing instead of fighting with neighboring horses avoiding injuries. 4) Increases movement that helps hoof blood flow when searching for the best blade of hay. 5) More biodegradable and will improve your soil where shavings breaks down slowly and damages the ph of soil requiring costly removal. The grass hay I have used instead of shavings is Bahia

05/17/2023

Miracle: I trail rode my horse after two years, no longing (if you need to longe you are over feeding), he remembered everything for a quiet ride, side-pass to mounting block, opening/closing gate too, (horses have great memories make sure they’re positive), grass is still better on other property (it’s fun tasting different grasses, if you can’t control your horse demanding to eat… take lessons). Chief says “we need to do it more often!”

05/15/2023

Shout out to Love Power Equipment: My New Holland Workmaster33 has gone through three exhaust regenerations… Yay! After 9hrs (bucket work), 4.5hrs and 6hrs (tree debris). Completed cycle 10-15 min. Thank you for getting my tractor to regen!

04/04/2023

Kayaking on the Silver river I videoed manatees eating

03/09/2023

https://barefoottrimming.blogspot.com/2016/02/analyzing-radiograph-of-horses-foot.html?m=1

© By Gordon Adair Professional barefoot horse trimmer Below is a radiograph that I was asked to evaluate for an owner, and I often ...

03/03/2023

Having trouble curing laminitis read these two articles

If there is no cure for laminitis and founder then, should we try a different treatment? © by Gordon Adair Disclaimer: Most of my l...

02/18/2023

Florida Soils, Which Is Best For Pastures

There are three main types of soil in Florida: “organic black sand” which is the best for drainage, growing pasture, and just the right amount of moisture for your horse’s hooves.
“Sugar white sand” which is bad if you want pasture (there is nothing for the roots to hold) great if you like gofer and turtle holes but, bad for your horse, the sand dries the hoof causing cracks then bacteria has a place to live.
“Clay” is bad for pasture and drainage (ponds indicate clay) but, great if you want your property to be a swamp during the rainy season, your horse’s hooves definitely dislike bacteria infested water causing rot. I find picking out dried clay from hooves is time consuming and back breaking.
If you are buying property look during the rainy season, and if a pasture doesn’t have horses grazing it could be only one of the two can be done.

02/18/2023

Make Organic Black Sand
If your soil isn’t organic enough, no worries, there are plenty of leaves, manure, and old grass to mix into the sand. I just finish mowing leaves, start along fence or building blowing outward, reverse doing the same and repeat outward until there are no more leaves. Dragging manure is a endless job producing lots of organic matter. Start a compost pile with stall material until it transforms into great soil.

02/07/2023

Drag After Freeze
I have always learned from my clients, what not to do and what to do. My client with the best pasture just told me to drag the dead frost grass to make room for the new grass. Your horses will graze better with the old sour grass gone. Dragging the old grass breaks it down adding organic matter to the soil.

02/07/2023

Florida Trees To Watch
Trees on the property can tell you the quality of the soil. Limestone is generally found around Live oaks (the best tree) which makes the richer grass.
Water oaks are ok when young but a nightmare when old (found in organic and other soil), they grow thick and shed limbs when windy. Water oaks will gain water and during acorn season large limbs break, during droughts they become diseased and fall down. Acorns are harmful to horses (laminitis) when over consumed.
Sweetgum trees (found in clay areas) will shed nasty sharp seed pods that get stuck in horses feet, they hurt when we step on them too. Clay will expand and contract between rain breaking the tree roots making the trees look sickly.
Pine trees like deep sugar sand regions where grass has trouble growing unless organic material is brought in or produced on site.

With good pastures, horses will move more creating blood flow thought out the horse’s feet and body!