# Snow already!



## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I wanted to get Charlie on one mountain ride this year, before I pulled her shoes, so took here today to the Panther, and my friend rode my main trail horse, Carmen
Since hubby and I are going out west next week for a few days, taking Carmen and Rubix, who are both sharp shod, this was a day weather wise, that I could sneak in a ride out west on Charlie
The trail was very muddy, snow covered in places, and lots of snow in the trees already. Charlie slipped a bit in places, being only plain shod, but I was very pleased with her, esp since this was only the second time that I rode her in really mountain country, as she is my main show horse now, and I ride her mainly just down the road or in the foothills,plus she is over 16hh, so a bit harder for my old body to get on and off of, then Carmen, who is just about 14.1hh
Charlie crossed rivers like a pro, and made her way up and down hills, riding on a loose rein
I did leave my camera at the trailer by accident, so will have to wait and get pictures from my friend


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

what does "sharp shod" mean?


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

EWWWWWWW, sneaux! Horrible, sorry this happened to you.

Sharp shod means ice cleats I think, some sort of grippy things on the shoe anyways.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

The shoes have borium smears on them, for traction. Because that borium has an irregular texture, sharp shod is a common term out here for such smears, and you sure don't turn horses out together where they might tend to be kickers!
Carmen and Rubix are both good friend, and they are not turned out with any other horses,while shod this way. They have these shoes on for a month , each year, max, and esp for late fall hunting in the mountains, when trails become both frozen and icy


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Here is agood picture, where you can see the borium very well

https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/579-basic-tips-for-borium


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Looks similar to the way horses that do a lot of roadwork in the UK get shod
You can keep the snow, it was photo's of snow in Alberta at this time of year that put my dad off emigrating there to join the bulk of his side of the family!!!


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

We're getting a snow/rain mix right now. Only a few hundred feet higher there's a couple inches sticking.

Still have all the fall work coming up. Will probably be warm again during that, but my farrier is prepared to fix my horse up if the snow stays.

I'll be camping in the back end of my horse trailer. Hope I remember how to prep for winter camping if it comes to that.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Snow is my least favorite 4-letter word! I am such a petunia in my old age.


Sounds like you had a good ride!


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

Snow?????mg:
Ok, I will stop complaining about our 93+ (33* C) right now! :hide:


Living in the South made me a petunia (love that expression @Dustbunny; no idea if I use it right, lol)


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Sounds like you had a great ride Smilie! We've only had a bit of frost at night so hopefully no snow for a while. I think it's lovely, but don't want it yet. I fear we will have a long, cold, snowy winter this year so the later it starts, the better. Although I think the horses prefer the cold to the flies, quite honestly.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

SwissMiss said:


> Snow?????mg:
> Ok, I will stop complaining about our 93+ (33* C) right now! :hide:
> 
> 
> Living in the South made me a petunia (love that expression @Dustbunny; no idea if I use it right, lol)


I'm still gonna complain about it, lollol. Tomorrow (Sunday) is supposed to be a degree or two hotter with matching humidity. Monday the "cold front" is supposed to come in, making day temps in the mid-80's F.

*Smilie, *. Borium on shoes has been common for as long as I can remember, where I am originally from.

The Amish in my home area use DrillTech on their buggy horses but it doesn't have the "give" borium does and is a good way to give a horse an early start on arthritis.

In later years a farrier introduced me to St. Croix Rim shoes and borium head nails. Makes for good grip for rock climbing. I only used borium head nails in every other nail hole, it's all they needed.

Snow ----- it sounds refreshing for the moment. I am growing weary of stuffing ice packs down my shirt to get the stalls cleaned and with the horses furring up for winter, they have to be showered down every night. Our lows are ~75F for T least the next few nights.

My solid red chestnut is such a heavy sweater, he looks like roan from all the salt

That said, I know once you see snow, your summer/fall is over ---- not sure I'd like that either, lollol


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Noooooo! I am not ready for SNOW! :hide:


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

jaydee said:


> Looks similar to the way horses that do a lot of roadwork in the UK get shod
> You can keep the snow, it was photo's of snow in Alberta at this time of year that put my dad off emigrating there to join the bulk of his side of the family!!!


Yes, that un expected snow , is kinda a trade off, far as that heat and humidity I re call, growing up in southern Ontario

Late spring blizzards and early fall snow can get depressing, as it makes the nice riding months rather short, thus, you learn to seize any good days of riding!
Still, we had an excellent day, as the clouds cleared up, and the sun came out. By the time we got back to the trailer, clouds were building again
Hubby and I are going out for a few days, starting on Monday. At first, next week was supposed to be sunny, with temps in the high teens and even 20C
Already has been down graded,with rain (most likely snow in the mountains), by Wednesday
Might be back early, but we are taking the tent and stove, plus half of the place, by all the packing I have been doing!
My friend took some pictures, which she posted on Facebook, but I have no clue how to copy them here, without a Facebook link


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

We had a very wet storm Friday. Most areas above 8,000 foot got 1 foot of snow. But it will melt fast. It's too early in the year for it to stick around. Now if we keep getting storms like that every week, It'll stick, But I expect we will just be riding in mud as we start rounding up cattle next week. I hope it melts and drys enough that it's not sloppy. But a little wet will keep the dust down and thats nice when you are trailer 100 cows.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I am so glad to see the snow photos. I know it can be in a inconvenience to you all, but to me, it's lovely winter scenery, something we see too little of these days, and I fear will be a thing of stories within 20 years.

"Tell me about the days when there was actually snow on the ground, Grand ma".


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> I am so glad to see the snow photos. I know it can be in a inconvenience to you all, but to me, it's lovely winter scenery, something we see too little of these days, and I fear will be a thing of stories within 20 years.
> 
> "Tell me about the days when there was actually snow on the ground, Grand ma".


 Come to Alberta!

The year I had my knees replaced, around the first of November, it had been about 20 C the day before-lovely fall day, as I sat with my horses in their pasture, dreading being laid up, worrying if I would be able to ride afterward
A blizzard hit the next day, and hubby was snowed in,unable to get out of our yard, let alone back to the Red Deer hospital
The snow drifts in the front yard, were as high as the garage roof
There were several blizzards , where we were snowed in, lost power (once when a mare was foaling in spring, in fact, it was Charlie who was born that time.
Another time, we had to leave our horses, in the trailer, at a service station we managed to get to, as an unexpected blizzard hit, and the roads, including major highways were closed for several days
You just need to move to Alberta, and live close to mountains !
Sorry for the old pictures, but I am waiting for my son to install photoshop once more, so I can scan in pictures on our new computer, being too computer dumb, or apathetic, to learn how to upload pictures from my camera card, to here, or scanned pictures-so, old snow pics


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Pretty as it is, I probably haven't the backbone required. I've already been city spoiled. But, our weather has gone from mild to sissified in recent years. We almost never see snow. It's As if there are only three seasons a year.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Some people have all the luck! Actually got a few little white things falling on us on a ride last week, though I'm not sure whether they count as snow or hail. (Horses did not like it at all.) Now it's back into the upper 70s for the next week at least.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I've never been a fan of cold weather and hate it more than ever as I get older. 
I'm not on my own here as I've got several born and bred New England friends who threaten anyone who dares complain about the summer heat with some huge penalty because it's like wishing winter on us!!!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Ugh...on the first day of fall we got snow.
Show season is over, sliders pulled and tacked on Eventers. Just waiting for the really hard frost in the valley bottom so I can turn heifers out on the alfalfa pivots.
And so it begins....


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

It was warm today, and no sneaux. KEEP THE SNOW TO THE EAST!


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## Saddlescamp (Sep 23, 2016)

Shod horses for twenty years for a living and used borium on working Draft horse shoes. The drafts pulled a carriage on concrete in Paducah, KY. Worked well to keep shoes from wearing out so fast. Some folks here, not many, would have their trail horses shod with borium in winter. Rocky and some ice in our winter, but nothing like what you way up there northerns experience.


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