I can't believe I have not posted on my blog in over a month. With December's festivities, meaning Christmas activities, things got pretty hectic and busy around here. I've finally gotten the tree down, Christmas decorations put away, etc. So, that part of the busy schedule is done, but my girls, horses, and dogs continue to keep me on my toes.
We had a wonderful Christmas visiting with family nearby, staying at home Christmas Day, and then visiting family in northern Virginia the week after Christmas.
During our visit to northern Virginia we got to visit our racehorse, Marq Your Bible aka "Marcus". He was still on his short break from training and looked awesome. He has grown a lot and looks so mature, from that colt that used to run around our fields.
As of January 8th, he is back in training. He is jogging and will start galloping shortly. We are still hoping for a first start in late March, but we will not push him too fast, as a long career is what we really want, so we won't risk soundness by rushing too fast. This is why we've waited this long, as he will be 3 years old in April.
Some Thoroughbreds are ready to race at 2 years old and if he had been ready, we would have, but it just wasn't in his best interest to do so. His dam has several offspring that raced at 2 years old and did well, so it was worth sending him into training. Listening to him told us to wait. His full sister, for instance, raced 10 times at 2 with a win and several second places, including in a stakes race at Colonial Downs.
We are very excited that Marcus is back in training and everything is looking perfect, so far.
The first week of the New year brought a bit of stress to us, as one of our mares came up lame and we noticed other problems in several others. After a close inspection, I discovered issues with three of our six mares hooves. I called my vet and he called another farrier for me and recommended us to each other. The farrier wasn't taking on new clients, at this time, but I live near him and my vet so highly recommended me as a good horse person that the farrier agreed to come take a look at the two worst cases.
The new farrier confirmed my suspicions, that the other farrier had made some mistakes and the two worst cases were in major need of help. He worked on both of them and is coming back in a few days to recheck those two and check all my horses, to make sure we aren't missing something else with any of the others. I do know there is a minor issue with one other, but it is very minor compared to the issues with the other two.
I was talking to my new farrier and we were talking about the difference between being a farrier in the US versus most other countries, mainly European ones. In Europe, he told me that you have to go to school for 3 years to be a farrier, then you have to apprentice under a licensed farrier for a few more years, before you can become a licensed farrier, yourself. He is for licensing of farriers in the US, where anyone can pick up farrier tools and say they know how to do it. There is no way to know how much training your farrier truly has had, you pretty much have to take him at his word.
In Europe, if a farrier injures a horse they can be fined, and in some cases even sent to jail. it is taken very seriously.
No, I'm not saying my old farrier needs to go to jail or anything of the sort, he meant well. I am talking in whole, because I have had so many farrier issues over the years that it is just not fair to the horses or owners to have to deal with untrained people saying they are trained, deal with people who just show up whenever they feel like it, never mind that you might have plans or other things to do, or farriers who just stop showing up. I have been here for almost 10 years and I have been through nine farriers, this new one is my 10th. I have had some work for me for 2 and 3 years, before the problems started with them not showing up, and a few others got irresponsible or were mean to my horses or were not good with young horses, and so on, so that is why they didn't last long, but the main issue has been the no show problem. It seems widespread, not just in my area, but this area, especially has been the worst I've been in.
Farriers in this area get anywhere from $25 to $35 to trim a horse's feet and it is more if there needs to be shoes put on or there are other issues. So, for my barn of 6, they can bring in $150 to $210 every 8 weeks for 2 hours, at most, worth of work. I know that some of the no show farriers that I have had issues with have also done the same to barns that had so many horses that the farrier was supposed to show up there every week!
I don't understand why these people are not more responsible and have a better work ethic. I heard one would blow off clients to go hunting or fishing and not call clients to tell them he wasn't coming. I mean, ok, if you want to fish, I have a pond right here on my farm you can fish in after you are done and I even told him he could do that.
My new farrier said that, unfortunately, licensing probably won't happen in the US, because most of the farriers out there wouldn't be able to pass the licensing exams and they are part of a lobby that is quite strong, but he said he is part of a group that is for it and keeps trying.
One of the horses that was messed up by the old farrier is doing well, the other is still lame, but is improving. Their hooves were trimmed off balanced which caused different issues for each of them, because of their own pre-existing conditions with their hooves and legs.
I am encouraged by their improvements in the last two weeks, so I am hopeful that no permanent damage has been done, but only time will tell, as these things take awhile to correct.
I will end for now and get off my soapbox about licensing of farriers in the US and I will try to write more frequently on my blog, now that things are hopefully calming down for a bit.
Have a great 2012!
