jinglejoys
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by jinglejoys on Dec 19, 2006 18:37:15 GMT 1
I've been watching Mark Rashids tape "Finding the try" in wich he rides a Belgian Heavy and I'm sure thats docked from my vague memories of French work horses as a child.Are they still docked in the States?
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bertie
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Post by bertie on Dec 19, 2006 20:47:06 GMT 1
Docking was banned in France around 1996
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laine
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Post by laine on Dec 20, 2006 11:14:47 GMT 1
Will find out what sort of quantaties he uses - my friend doesnt bother with pig oil any more though he just uses veggie oil as its easier for him to get - does just the same job!
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bertie
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Post by bertie on Dec 20, 2006 12:40:21 GMT 1
Thanks laine!
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Post by muckshifter on Dec 20, 2006 19:16:29 GMT 1
When we first started going to Peterborough Shire Show years ago the competition between Whjtbreads greys and Youngs black shires was intense. No-one could beat them because their turnout was so professional. I am so sorry that the brewers who have taken over Youngs have decided to drop the horses. As a Northerner, the only way I knew about Youngs ales and the Ram Brewery was through its horses. They are an amazing form of publicity. John Young died the day the last brew was made at Wandsworth. He probably felt the same as the rest of us heavy horse lovers. Truly a sad day!
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Steff
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Post by Steff on Dec 20, 2006 22:17:36 GMT 1
great pics.
I agree with you bertie things need to be changed in the heavy horse world. i've been told by numerous fellow competitors at shows that i should have shoes on my mare and that her hooves arn't shaped "properly" when in actual fact i think that my mare has the best hooves out of the lot. she is trimmed regular and their isn't a crack to be seen, however the ones with chunks missing and totally unbalanced shoes always seem to come at the top of the line. NOT good juding at all!!!!
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2girlfriday
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Mon ami elle est mort.
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Post by 2girlfriday on Dec 23, 2006 0:07:25 GMT 1
Young horses are usually only shod for the show and the shoes are removed afterwards. I agree, some heavies feet are in a shocking state but I know the Shire Horse Society for one are trying to make changes and sorting this problem. I am from a family of Shire judges and if a well-shaped foot (not shovel shaped) are presented shod they will always be put higher than these shovel-footed horses. But on the other hand an unshod will not be put above a shod horse if they are well matched in every other way. The consideration is that the handler has gone to great expense often exceeding £100 per horse to present to the judge shod. Very difficult decision I wouldn’t want to make it!
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Post by muckshifter on Dec 23, 2006 0:54:49 GMT 1
A lovely shot of your girl in your avatar. I wish I'd known her when she was well. Ploughmen hate to see big feet on heavy horses because there is no way that they could work like that and part of me believes that whatever we choose to do with our heavies, they should still look as if they could do a day's work. Some of the Peterborough Shire champions have had feet like shovels. I await the day that the champion also wins the best shod foot class. That would be real progress!
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2girlfriday
Intermediate Poster
Mon ami elle est mort.
Posts: 187
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Post by 2girlfriday on Dec 23, 2006 1:09:15 GMT 1
Yeah it's a shame ploughmen and showmen dont really meet as we know some opininated ploughmen, dont we? that would give the showmen what for for turning out horses in that state.
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Silversons
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Post by Silversons on Dec 23, 2006 9:17:20 GMT 1
I will be showing my percherons for the first time this year, my horses will go out properly trimmed and shod if ness. Will just have to risk being put down the line, but wont risk messing my horses up for fashion.
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Post by MirandaSophie on Dec 23, 2006 9:32:28 GMT 1
great Pictures...at the place I used to work we had a couple of heavies like you've shown...One was called Guinnes (we called her Mrs. G) (i rode her, she was GREAT fun) and the other......gah i can't remember...
I saw some REALLY big heavies at a show once, and jsut thought...."blimy, if one of those decided to take off..." LOL they are so huge!
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bertie
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Post by bertie on Dec 23, 2006 10:52:20 GMT 1
Young horses are usually only shod for the show and the shoes are removed afterwards. But do you not feel that it is abhorrent to force a youngster as young as one years old to have to be shod? I agree, some heavies feet are in a shocking state but I know the Shire Horse Society for one are trying to make changes and sorting this problem. I am from a family of Shire judges and if a well-shaped foot (not shovel shaped) are presented shod they will always be put higher than these shovel-footed horses. That's good to hear! But on the other hand an unshod will not be put above a shod horse if they are well matched in every other way. The consideration is that the handler has gone to great expense often exceeding £100 per horse to present to the judge shod. So what I guess you are trying to say with that is that money over a horses well-being rules the day. Crickey... the English call the French barbarric with some of their horse handling methods, but the English Heavy Horse show circuit can beat the French hands down with such unnessary shoeing! It's about time that the head honchos in the Shire Horse world actually learn about the 7 structures of the hoof and how they work together.... and then decide about the dire shoeing that I have seen at these shows being placed about a good, healthy hoof that is either unshod or shod correctly! I apologise if this sounds harsh... but it's something that I feel very strongly about! We expect so much of these good natured animals and they do so little to complain about the pain that they must feel going through their un-balanced, grossly flared feet. It's about time that we as horse lovers stand up and make their silent voices heard!
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Post by Ryan&Dizzy on Dec 23, 2006 13:43:38 GMT 1
does anybody know how farriers are expected to shoe in shire shoeing comps? are they looking for a shovel foot or a 'nice' foot?
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Post by muckshifter on Dec 27, 2006 8:47:44 GMT 1
The competitions I have seen reward the farrier for a correctly-shaped foot. Farriers often have arguments with Shire owners about how they want their horses shoeing. If you feel strongly about this you should bombard the Shrie Horse Society with complaints then perhaps they might take notice. Their address is East of England Showground, Peterborough. When we bought our gelding his feet were like meat plates. Our farrier is still trying to get his foot to reasonable proportions after two years' hard effort. The trouble is that many Shire owners shoe their own horses after claiming "grandfather's rights". An American Shire owner called Thomas Smrt tried to get them to change their ways by awarding a cup for the best shod Shire at the Peterborough Show but like I said in my earlier posting, the winner of that is never the champion Shire! It's only really a problem with in-hand Shires. Working horses like Youngs have beautiful feet.
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