Great pictures, Annie. I've never seen a horse get a manicure before. I just love that last picture - he looks so cheerful!

It must feel good to a horse to have this done. He seems so calm throughout the process. Great pics and I'm glad to see dad helping ;-) Thanks for the udate on Copenhagan.

Glad to see that he is happy. Poor guy! That was a long painful road, I'm sure.

So did Wonder Weiner get any of the trimmings?

Alexa

Annie, Copenhagen is a hendsome fella! Glad the shoes are helping. He does, indeed, look happy!

Linda

Hope Cope's "high heels" help him get all better. Good things horses aren't like dogs when it comes to nail clippings!

Alexa, I felt so badly for him, when Ron trimmed him he handed me the trimmed hoof tip. The entire white line was red from bleeding. It'll take at least a year for those hooves to grow out entirely, but there seems to be no sinking of the coffin bone, so he really escaped a danger there. He got the "heart bar" shoes anyway, to give support to the foot bed.

Fortunately, WonderWeiner doesn't like the hoof trimmings, although most dogs will chew on them with great enthusiasm.

Yes, he does look happy, doesn't he? I think all the horse treats Ron brings him helped a little too.

Annie

Annie

Thanks for the update and pictures. It looks just the same as the program I watched on Discovery. And "Cope" does look a lot happier with his new shoes. Bet that line of work is hard on Ron's back but it sure looks like Cope didn't give him any trouble. Do you still have to soak his foot?

Iris

I never saw a horse get a manicure (pedicure?) either! I can't sit still for a manicure myself, but Copenhagen seems to be doing ok with it. What do mean give the trimmings to the Weiner? Dogs eat the hooves?

I'm glad that Copenhagen is doing ok, Annie!
Carol

Thanks for sharing the photos, Annie. Copenhagen is a beautiful horse and I hope he recuperates 100%.

See, Iris, I told you it didn't hurt (well, except that one sore hoof). Copenhagen doesn't mind it at all and he really likes Ron, along with the treats that Ron brings. It took nearly an hour to get all four feet done, but Copenhagen doesn't mind, as long as someone is petting and scratching him. He'll just stand with a foot up for as long as it takes, he's patient and gentle.

I'm still soaking that back hoof in buckets of warm epsom salt water, he's gotten to the point where he really likes it and will just plop his foot into the bucket. Of course, all the petting, brushing and apple slices he gets while he's "soaking" couldn't have anything to do with that. Ahem. I'll keep soaking until it heals a little.

Carol, for some reasons dogs love to chew on the hoof clippings. They are horseshoe shaped, of course, and pretty substantial. Some dogs can eat them completely, others just chew, like a rawhide.

Annie

This has been very interesting! And, as an animal lover, I am real happy that Cope is feeling better.

As continuing education, how much does it cost to show a horse?

Oh wow-- new shoes ! And looks like he was after an "Easter Bonnet " too ! Great shots Annie.

How much does it cost to show a horse, or to shoe one, Cathy?

Every horse show has entry fees, it regularly cost me $35-$50 to enter barrel racing events.

Shoes? That depends. Just a clip and file costs $20, or $5 a foot. Cope's shoes will need to be removed, the hoof clipped and filed and the shoes replaced in about 2 months. That will cost me $45 ($20 for the clip and file and $25 to reset the shoes). This particular episode cost me $85 because I had to buy the shoes. Fortunately, they can be reused several times as long as he doesn't lose one, also known as "throwing a shoe".

I have my horses done usually 4 times a year at $20 a visit, not so bad. With Cope's health issue right now, Ron will come every two months instead, until we can be sure he's alright.

I will admit that farrier services are very cheap here, considering that Ron drives from farm to farm and the cost of gas. I know anywhere around cities or big "horse areas" the shoes I got Copenhagen would cost closer to $150.

Annie

Duh! My question was about shoeing. I thought it would be more; thanks for sharing the information.

Give that big handsome boy a root beer for me.

Jessica, the root beer will have to wait. I'm keeping his sugar consumption down until after the risk of foundering again on the spring gas is over. LOL

Annie

Nice pic's Annie. I'm so glad to hear how well Cope is doing. You've been thru a lot this winter with him.

Nancy

Looks like a heck of a lot of work. I hope Copenhagen tipped his blacksmith Ron adequately. The hat-stealing picture is a good sign of a happy, playful horsey. What a handsome creature he is.

Sol

Sol, it IS a heck of a lot of work, and Ron is in his 60s, but has no plans to retire in the near future. Ron says his "tip" is factored into his bill, but that doesn't stop us from "tipping" in the form of fresh homemade bread, jam, garden produce, fresh fruit or whatever we have available, plus hot coffee in the winter and iced tea in the summer.

Annie