WORTH EVERY PENNY
It’s no secret that really good head horses and bad-cat heel horses are hard to find. Their teenage years are their prime—and that’s when unsoundness can arise. What would you give for one more year on the best horse you ever had? Longevity happens when you know you have a good farrier because you know a thing or two about what your horse’s feet need to look like. If you’re still not a believer, consider what several good horse vets have told farrier Lee Olsen of Brock, Texas: At least 70% of the injuries they treat are related to hoof care.
HOOF CARE FALLACIES
Bad shoe jobs are subtle but destructive. One or two don’t hurt (usually), but years of imbalanced trims, too-small shoes or contracted heels can leave your horse with chronic soft-tissue injuries and permanent damage.
Badlands Circuit Finalist team roper Lee Olsen now shoes for world champion colt-starter Chris Cox, for the Rocking P Ranch (home of Metallic Cat) and for gold-buckle heeler Paul Eaves, plus he works with several vets around Weatherford, Texas.
“There are so many misconceptions about horseshoeing; it’s shocking, offers articles and videos covering everything from how to safely remove a shoe to catching warning signs of hoof problems.
