We all know the struggle of finding a “good” farrier for our precious ponies, aka horses. A farrier whom we can rely on to deliver the best possible pedicure and usually fresh pair of shoes with accurate balancing for their performance. Also, to be available at the drop of a hat as soon are our problem child pulls a shoe frolicking a little too exuberantly out in the pasture. We put a lot of trust behind them in being a professional resource of all things hoof related and more – while hunched over and basically under our horse. A tall order, am I right? If the role were reversed…what would they ask of us? How can we be the best possible client and helicopter pony parent?
When chatting with professional Mitch Taylor, owner of the Kentucky Horseshoeing School, he said, “OK, there is a lot that a horse owner or a barn manager can do to make the shoeing process efficient. It all begins with a great set up and stand up. What is a “Set Up and Stand Up?” Mitch was happy to oblige in going into detail on this…
“When we, or any farrier, come to a farm for a job – we are truly looking forward to a good collaborative and productive relationship with the client. Having a clean, dry and level location is ideal. Icing on the cake would be a paved level area, shaded, near a power source in case we need it and fly-free. This is what an ideal “set up” looks like for us.”
“Now when it comes to a good “Stand Up”, this is on the owner and how they train and present their horse. Dry – and I mean dry, no hoof dressing of any kind on the outside. It makes the hoof slick and sticky, not ideal for a good trim. Picked out would be great too! Now comes in the training and manners. Of course, we prefer the horse to stand and let us pick up all four legs quietly and easily. But we know some have a few quirks, and we are usually happy to help as long as the owner is collaborative. However, we don’t want this to take up a ton of time as the focus is on a good shoeing. Next comes the fly-free part. We are asking a lot of the horse to hold their body weight on three legs.”
“When biting flies come into the mix, that makes it difficult for us and painful for the horse. I highly suggest being proactive with fly management at a barn and using quality fly spray that one, isn’t slick, and two, actually works. In my experience over time, and recently – Absorbine’s UltraShield has been a real winner. The initial application seems to last, and it doesn’t make the legs slick when we go to work on the horse. I repeat – we don’t want slick legs or hooves. Some horses can be concerned with the sprayer, that’s when I suggest a mister or applying with a cloth.”
About Absorbine’s UltraShield Fly Spray
Interested in what else this “gets the job done” fly spray from Absorbine has to offer? End your fly frustrations with UltraShield, as it kills and repels up to 70 different types of biting bugs and is weatherproof for nearly 17+ hours with UltraBond™ Technology. Additionally, UltraShield® EX can be used on dogs too, so your horse’s barn buddy is equally protected! Fun fact, Red can be used on llamas, alpacas and donkeys too. Check out the full line up below…
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