an evening with many hooves

Yesterday afternoon I felt well enough to tackle the ongoing chore of hoof care for the herd here on November Hill. We've had many weeks of wet ground and almost as many weeks of sick humans, so after their trims on Friday I was determined to get back in the swing of things.

It was time for Salina's lunch so I got her tub ready first and went to let her in. She was, as usual, waiting by the gate, accompanied by Keil Bay, who is determined that at 21 years of age, he, too, should be brought in for a mid-day meal. Because he was covered in dried mud and clearly needed some attention, I let him in with Salina.

He followed me around like a big puppy, doing his best to look hungry. Salina wisely went into her stall and waited for her tub.

Can you guess how this turned out?

Keil Bay didn't actually get a full meal, but I couldn't resist a small meal of soaked timothy cubes in the barn aisle while I picked his feet. He was about as happy as he could be.

After the two seniors got their meals I realized the paddock needed mucking, so I sidetracked onto that and ended up letting everyone into the big barnyard while I worked.

By this time it was nearing sunset and I had not yet started the hoof cleaning I came out to do!

But it needed to be done, so I set up a "station" in the barn aisle with a tub of soaked timothy cubes inside the wheelbarrow, a hay net to the side of that, my cleaning materials, and brought in Cody so I could get to work.

I've done this in different places and different ways, but I really liked the way it turned out yesterday. I had a big jug of clean water, a flat pan to put the hoof in, my hoof pick, scrub brush and cleaning materials, and my little bottle of oil of oregano in my pocket. We have lots of red clay here, and without a thorough cleaning of the hooves, it's hard to see what the bottom of the hoof really looks like underneath. So I scrubbed and rinsed and treated as necessary with the oil of oregano.

One hoof at a time. Times 6 equines. Equals 24 hooves.

As I finished each horse, I put them into their clean stall with hay for their evening stall time. Fortunately my husband came out and helped - otherwise I might still be out there working!

But what I found, again, is that there is a rhythm to almost all chores, and if we take the time to set up properly, and then look for the rhythm, the chore progresses more easily and with some pleasure.

Yesterday the barn was clean and quiet and DRY, and for the most part the equines were content to have a little meal while getting their feet cleaned up.

I think I hit a little bit of a zen moment as I studied each clean hoof. They began to look like artwork - varying colors and shapes and individual characteristics. A sharp contrast to how they look day to day, the color of the earth they walk on.