That heading, that expression, is centuries old and it's absolutely right. If, though, you're reading this blog for backcountry advice in deepest Louisiana (I had a call from Oregon last week, if anyone fancies ranch backcountry time down there and a beautiful website too) this locally based blogged information, to-within-say-50-miles-radius of Cochrane, Alberta probably won't be much use (at all) to you. Smile.
But to a rider (and their horse) a perfectly balanced good foot is a big deal. Trimming, shoeing, all take expertise and given that horses have different shapes, different shapes of feet then experience kicks in.
The angle that somehow just seems right, the heel elevation, shoes for cross-country eventing (with stud holes, try unlocking the studs afterwards from their screwed into the drilled holes that are threaded, when your 1200 lb athlete is prancing around high on adrenalin.....). Character forming, definitely, that one.
And then for this snow-laden province right now, another ton of options. Ditto racehorses with aluminum plates, show jumpers landing hard down from 5' elevations. Ponies knee high to a grasshopper where your core back muscles need to be super-flexi.
This kind of expertise comes from the experiential. This means your farrier has done it. Preferably lots and lots and lots of times, over years. Someone that notices how a horse may not like holding up one foot in a certain way and thinks lateral about why, or why the skeletal frame may be out of kilt, these experts are worth gold dust.
My own horses (near Cochrane) are now benefitting from the skills of a young man, Bryan Schoures, who's headed west for the love of a good woman (and now girlfriend), and building a business where multi-talented horses are part of the deal. Poor man, he even listens to me yakking on about chiro work done the week before on, say, yet another tweaky horse, which leg, or shoulder. Neat thing is, he also translates that into a horse with a tight stifle, or a shoulder that's had injury.
And. My! The horses definitely pick up on that thoughtfulness.
On a colt with a seriously low attention span in a Chinook wind one afternoon...... the speed those feet were trimmed - and trimmed well - had the colt not quite realizing he'd even picked his feet up. I didn't time it but it was at world record speed. I had to grin that particular day at the colt's amazement, mine and Bryan nonchalently taking another layer of clothing off from his orginal four thermals.
So, for a personable young man, experienced, who knows to handle horses with respect, trims and hot-shoes, his name's Bryan Schoures, his email address (it's the Blackberry thing) is bryanschoures@yahoo.ca - and (cellphone of course!) is 403-613-5770.
