Praise!

I don't normally do this, but I wanted to give a little bump and publically (sort of) thank my wonderful new farrier, D.S. If you want to know more about her and her work (including her actual name), check out her website here.

Long-time followers of this blog will remember Stella splitting her head open after she reared while getting her feet trimmed. Not the farrier's fault, but since then she has been super nervy about having her feet worked on. Lifting, picking out, not a problem. Come near her with a rasp, nipper or try and put her foot between your knees and the eyes bug out, the lip gets tight and she gets fidgety.

This woman is SO wonderful. Most of the farriers I've had haven't always been the quietest around the horse. They did a good job, they were knowlegable and they were patient, but there was just something very mechanical about their work, especially with nervous horses like my dear old Ernest and LBM. (Though I should mention that Ernie LOVED the farrier...he'd nap in between feet, sometimes even during the trim/shoeing).

Stella has been trimmed twice now by D.S and has been SO much more relaxed and laid back. She has started to get snuggly with me, which is adorable but surprising. When this mare lets go and chills out, she's a totally different horse. Oh, and her feet are great! She has a pretty classic flat-foot, not terrible, but not wonderful, and has the potential for shelly, weak feet if we don't watch her toes. D.S doesn't do a "shoe trim" like other farrier's I've had: she does a real, honest to God, barefoot trim but without the (sorry to pick on him) Pete Ramey "shoesarebadbadBAD!!" attitude. If anyone is in Vermont, particularly Chittenden county, and is looking for a good farrier, let me know.