Resisting Using My Anvil On Rosemary's Head

St Patricks Day

I finally was able to do Rosemary's shoes the day my insurance adjuster came to look at the trailer. My anvil still needs a base to support it, but I made it work. I attempted to preshape the shoes somewhat before bringing Rosemary inside. I sorely underestimated the roundness of her feet. When I pulled her left shoe, it laughed at the new shoe.












It took me a bit to get my muscle memory back and remember how to use the anvil. That first shoe seemed like it would never widen.  Shaping steel is no joke. Persistence paid off and it began to take shape. Once I tweaked the heels it was ready to nail.

Same shoe type: left worn 16 weeks (two resets), right new

I took a deep breath because getting the toe nails in is key and freaking hard on a moving horse. Rosemary surprised me by standing still and letting me get the shoe nailed on with little leg pulling.

Half way

Half way done and I did not realize the real battle was just beginning. The right shoe ended up being too wide.  Hand to head... sigh. I had to remember how to close a shoe. While I was working, Rosemary decided to jig about the aisle. Her patience was done. She pooped in the aisle, so I put her in the stall.

She knows she is on the shit list

A million tweaks later, and at my wits end, the shoe finally shrunk and fit. I thought the hard part was done, but Rosemary decided to up her rotten pony act. The toe nails were a nightmare as she yanked her leg and pulled back in the cross ties. I was with in a half inch of getting the second toe nail in when she stomped her foot down. I cursed a blue streak and told Rosemary I would murder her. My patience was at an end too.

I took a breath and picked up her foot. I was able to save the nail despite its crunched look. Rosemary refused to cooperate for the other nails. That is a dangerous point in the process with nail points sticking out. No way to I want to be impaled by some nails. I was at the point of deciding between using my hammer or my anvil on Rosemary's head. I resisted barely.

Done, whew

She got a reprieve when Roscoe's breeder messaged me. The break was not enough. She was a pain, continuing to yank her foot while pulling back on the cross ties. Finally I broke. I made her back up, move her haunches and then back up again. I backed her butt all the way out of the barn and down to the arena. I have to say with all the drama, the shoe stayed on with only two nails.

This never ending shoeing was at the "get it done" point. The remaining four nails went in faster than I thought they would. Rosemary was more settled. I guess our discussion worked. Both of us were thrilled when I finished setting, clinching and filing. I did not even attempt to trim her back feet. We both needed to be done.
That weekend my farrier came and looked at her after shoeing the older horses. He gave me a thumbs up and said she was landing flat. I swear I felt like I passed a final exam. Now that I have a set of her shoes, I can preshape the new ones and hopefully keep her happier during the process. I save about $80, but boy do I work for it.

I am way behind with posts, so I will jump ahead and say that Roscoe is going to a jump chute clinic on Monday. Because you know that is the best way to get ready for a dressage show...