26/07/2024
Let’s talk about “servicably sound” horses.
This is Forrest. When I found him, he was a 2 year old already started under saddle with wonky knees. Clearly, conformation is not his strong suit. I’ll be honest- I wasn’t sure about him. He was a bit too big for his britches and pushy, maybe even a little arrogant. I knew he needed several things- consistent boundaries and ground manners, time to grow up a bit more before having a rider on his back, good groceries, good hoof care, and a family to love him. His lineage was reasonably impressive, but it seemed that he was not put together quite right. He would never see the inside of a show ring or chase a cow or jump or carry a barrel racer to victory.
One of my favorite quotes about horses comes from the movie Seabiscuit: “Every horse is good for something. You don’t throw a whole life away just ‘cause it’s banged up a little.” For Forrest, the things he was good for were many. He keeps us laughing, is patient with folks who are new around horses, loves being loved on and visiting with his humans. Children love him and he loves them. A show horse he is not, but after immediate retirement from riding once he came home to me and a restart with a firm but fair trainer at the age of 6, Forrest became a trustworthy mount who takes care of his rider and can handle trail riding on flats just fine. That haughtiness I saw in him as a c**t gave way to brave and inquisitive; he asks questions before deciding what he thinks of a situation and never bolts no matter how much he doesn’t like something. I’ve had photos sent to me from neighbors with his entire head in the window of their vehicle asking for face scratches. All of these qualities make him an easy favorite and a recognizable personality with our horse friends in the community.
That said, that tricky conformation needs consistent attention. There are lots of things we do, but let’s focus on his hoof care. For a horse like this, I prefer trimming every 3 weeks with maybe a bit of rasping in between depending on how fast the hoof is growing. For his front feet, the name of the game is keeping lateral flare from pushing his knee further to the center.
Remember that what is “perfect” or “beautiful” may not be functional. What might be a great trim for one horse might make another one uncomfortable. We have to look at the whole individual- how the horse moves and why- and most importantly, how he feels.
Here’s to the servicably sound horses. Maybe they don’t move or look quite like what every horse “should” but they still give us their very best every time. Conformation says nothing about heart, loyalty, lovability, bravery, or consistency. They deserve the best we can give them, even if it means they need a little more than average.
-River Horse Natural Hoof Care
