Better Be Barefoot        

ROSCOE

Roscoe was the first "full sized" horse to come live on our farm after we had miniatures.  He was a horse my husband went to look at for western riding.  I was trying a TB for my english riding.  For the record, I voted "NO" when it came to Roscoe.   He was in a nasty barn, in a small stall and he was stinky (literally). He was so coated in crud and dry manure that we could hardly tack him up for a test ride.  He was hot under saddle and a "mutt" if I ever saw one.  But my husband felt sorry for him.  The plan was to buy him, clean him up, let my husband see the error of his ways with the ex-barrel racer, and sell him.

So much for plans.  Roscoe was delivered, crud and all, and promptly went three legged lame, I was unloaded by my TB and fractured my pelvis on Christmas Eve, and winter weather set in with a vengeance.  Things were not good.  I called Sherri - she gave me strict instuctions.

Each day, I limped out to the barn and soaked feet at 5 am, 4 pm, and midnight.  Roscoe and I struggled out to the pasture every day in the snow and wind.   I can't say who had to stop more times along the way for pain.   But we followed Sherri's orders.

This went on for weeks.  Out of boredom, I started talking to Roscoe.   He started listening.  And the unthinkable happened - we fell in love.  

He was soon walking fine.  My pelvis was healed. Spring was upon us.  The first ride I had after the "crash" was on Roscoe who was gentle and wonderful   No one will ever know how close I came to having him put down for his lameness.   Sherri saved us both, though she will only take credit for Roscoe.

So now, the TB is long gone, Roscoe is my "main ride", and my husband still does not have a horse.  Sherri is a dear friend.  I cannot thank her enough. 

 

Tracey Merrett, Lockport, NY

Sherri has been trimming my horses for 3 years now.  She helped my oldest Mustang to overcome a laminitic front foot  My half arab couldn't walk across the stone driveway without limping and taking baby steps.  Now her feet are no longer contracted and she has a beautiful concave sole.  She's able to run and buck with the others.  My youngest BLM Mustang was lucky enough to have started with Sherri and has the most gorgeous feet you have ever seen.

The most amazing problem solved, however, didn't seem to be much of a problem at all.  I had purchased a QH mare to be used as a trail horse.  I bought her strictly for her disposition, as she had a terribly crooked right hind foot.  The foot didn't appear to bother her.  She was not lame and she never seemed to favor it.  So, as you can imagine, having a laminitic horse and another who could barely walk, this didn't seem to be a problem.

However, this horse had the most awful trot I hat ever ridden.  Needless to say, I did a lot of walking on the trails and at my age, that was just fine.  Sherri  decided to try to straighten the foot, maybe more as a challenge than anything.  After each trim, the foot was a little straighter and now, a few years later, it is almost completely aligned.

Here's the interesting thing.  I thought this foot wasn't really a problem.  After all, she had no obvious lameness.  She never seemed to favor it.  This horse now has a lovely floating trot.  I've actually put my dressage saddle on her and started teaching her basic diagonal moves just for fun.  I think had this foot not been corrected, my Sweet Jane would have eventually "broken down".  She was obviously compensating for the misshaped foot trhough her body.  I don't know how the foot happened - if she was born with it or it was "made" that way, but to look at her now, you would never know she was once disfigured.  If you have ever asked your farrier why your horses feet look a certain way and been told, "that's just the way they are", THINK AGAIN!

Diane D. DeRosa, South Bristol, NY