I hate time crunches but in 11 days the farrier will be out and Pebbles really needs to get her feet done. I can pick her front feet up easily and if I am quick I can get them picked out but her patience for holding them up is still limited. She does not try to jump away but rather she pulls her leg and does an in air pawing motion. It's certainly not the worst case scenario but I also haven't tried holding on to her leg like a farrier would. In the interest of keeping both Pebbles and my farrier happy there is definitely more work to be done. I have decided that I am going to pick her feet twice a day at a minimum and that I will also use my Radius Rasp to get her used to a different sensation on her hooves. My hope is that through this repetition and training overload she will tolerate the things I can not simulate. Her feet have grown a significant amount since she arrived here, likely due to the Vermont Blend and balanced nutrition. I am going to try and get some pictures tomorrow so I can record how her feet change once she gets trimmed. Right now her bars are overgrown and the frog is recessed and contracted. I'm certain she has thrush as well so I mixing up some "Pete's Goo" so that I can pack her feet. It's a tough battle right now with the wet ground and mud but I'm sure we will have her on the right track soon.
In other news, Pebbles has started getting fresh Alfalfa hay and more of the Growth Pelleted feed. I'd like to see her gain a bit more weight before she starts lactating but she's at the maximum amount she can eat per feeding so I am going to have to start adding in a 3rd meal to increase caloric intake. Ohh, and she got a blanket change for extra warmth! After wearing the other blanket through the storm it was damp on the outside and needed to be dried so I put on another blanket that doesn't fit Blue. She was just as good for taking the blanket off and putting a new one on as she was the first time. Truth be told I think she likes having a blanket. This one has a high neck and more filling so it keeps her extra toasty and that's a blessing with the strong and bitter cold winds we have had the last couple of days.
Looking fancy in teal!
Comments
Post a Comment