Have you ever worn shoes that were too big? What about shoes too big for days at a time and unable to take them off? Shoes that are too big while you are working? What if they were too big and on backwards? I bet you would not find any of these options particularly appealing or comfortable. But we expect our horses to perform like this. When we let our trim cycle go more than 3-5 weeks, you are expecting your horse to perform all of the above. When working in those conditions, your horse's tendons, ligaments and muscles are overextended trying to compensate. Your horse is painful and becomes prone to injury. Keeping your trim cycle short helps your horse stay comfortable and reduces the risk of injury. During spring, some horse's feet grow quickly. I find I am trimming my horses every 3 weeks. During the heat of summer or cold of winter, growth is not as excessive and I can sometimes go 5 weeks between trims. While it may seem more expensive to keep a short trim cycle, it works out to 3-5 extra trims per year. Maybe $300-$400. I can assure you that is much less expensive than rehabbing an injury due to over stress.
Trainer’s Tip Tuesday
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