Recent content by hillbilly

Wow! Thank you all! So many replies and thoughtful, helpful comments. I am very heartened to have some saddles and ideas to follow up, I was beginning to think there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Short ligaments are bloody annoying, especially when people say, oh just stretch, try...

Hi folks. I am feeling very despondent. I LOVE my coblet Piggy. She is a Heavyweight, 14.2, with a barrel like a steam engine. I am 5ft10, long body, long thighs and short calves. Added to which, I was born with short ligaments, so that touching my toes, sitting cross legged or doing cartwheels...

Hi Wild at Hoof, Thanks for your reply..... The seedy toe was treated two years ago by the previous owners, the photos I saw were horrific...but i suspect it left long term sensitivity, flat soles and stretched white lines...all these are improving. All the others are on alfalfa as the land...

Hi Ester, She is comfortable in the field which is the main thing. Work wise she is ridden four times a week, and this is a consistent level. Stabled from 5pm to roughly 8.30am. Beds nice and dry and clean (it's the only bit of cleaning I am OCD about. The house can go to hell!!). I am...

Well that has given me some encouragement. I know in the scheme of things four/five weeks is a very short time and I would like to give her the chance to be barefoot. She is a big girl, a heavy horse cross, and I would like to avoid ringbone and other arthritic changes later on. Removing the...

I like my horses to be barefoot. For me it is easier to manage as their turnout is hilly and they do like to career around and pull shoes off if shod. This has always worked beautifully until now and the horses hack nd compete barefoot. However my newest horse needed to grow good horn, her feet...

Yes it's NOT a nice feeling is it?!!!😲 the Cavallo boots are fab generally but for slick conditions it's like having a horse on ice.

That's interesting, I've always been a bit cautious about turning out in hoof boots - though they have never come off when riding.....do they stay on well through all the hurly burly of field play???

Thank you paddy555, I shall look them up - she's 15.5cm width 16cm length...! I scrutinised the cavallo grip last night and the problem seems to be the flat raised bit in the middle of the sole (the bit with their logo on. It just prevents the boot from gripping in to a slippery surface...

Oh poo. The easyboot grips have been discontinued. The search must go on!

Oh thank you- I'll look them up now. The small footed mare will transition quickly but the big mare has more long standing issues and I am willing to invest in the grippiest hoof boots I can find! Even if they do wear out faster - it's not much fun when your horse slips over when you're on board!!

I have always had barefoot horses but the two I have at present are transitioning from shoes. They fit size 2 and size 6 cavallo hoof boots respectively - the fit is good and they don't twist or ever come off. However they are an absolute nightmare on the short grass slippery mud combo (like...

Hi Wagtail, I had just been looking at the bomber bits - they do look good, and could be used 99%of the time when we weren't attempting dressage! Why would such mild curved tongue relief not be dressage legal - they offer no competative advantage surely, other than a happier horse?

Thank you for your replies - much food for thought. As I have tried double jointed with no apparent success (which initially surprised me) and the not so surprising dislike of the single jointed bit, I think I will have to try the mullen route - anything to have a happy horse! Eventually would...

Hi, I was hoping your collective knowledge will help me make some informed purchases bit wise, rather than wasting money left right and centre!! My new is a 16hh mare, by a Canadian Percheron stallion and out of a TB cross Shire mare. She looks more like a well built hunter than anything else...