A Healthy Horse Starts From The Ground Up MICHELLE KUNJAPPU Lancaster Farming Staff ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.) There is a lot riding on a horse’s hooves. Tom Siegenthaler, Centre Hall, a farrier, knows what a healthy, well-shod hoof should look like. At Ag Progress Days in Au gust, Siegenthaler demonstrat ed the process he goes through to shoe a horse. To begin, he stands the horse on blacktop to see the balance of the horse’s hoof, which has the responsibility of supporting equally the leg col umn and keeping the animal in balance. In addition, Siegenthaler eyes the animal’s hooves from behind, making sure the hooves are of equal height. Sire and Dam both go back to Wing Commander and Private Contract For Trainable, Game. Foals With Color, Breed Your Mares To “My Gemini’’ a Big Bay Stallion That Is Upheaded Big Boned and Has Good Motion Standing For A Limited Time At Christ King, 99 E. White Oak Rd„ Paradise, PA 17562 * Contact Christ (610) 593-7938 or Sam Jay Miller at (570) 547-6555 FISHING Tack Shop 2861 State Rt. 42 PO Box 494, Millville, PA Tel: 570-458-5131 ft Purina & Blue Seal Feeds ft Vet Supplies ft 1849 Western Show Wear ft Wrangler Jeans ft Double H Boots • Dansko ft Montana Silver ft Outback Trading Company ft Bailey Hats ft Breyer Models SPECIALS ON SADDLES BY: Tex Tan • Billy Cook • Action f-'NGCKEi 1 “My job as a horseshoer is to come in every four to six weeks and readjust a horse’s balance,” he said. He checks the shoes’ wear to ascertain exactly how the horse should be shod. Siegenthaler places a rasp down the middle of the horse’s foot to check symmetry, his goal for the hoof. With the rasp he removes the “flares,” or extra hoof along the edges, then checks for a straight profile of the outer hoof wall by laying the rasp alongside the outside of the hoof. “Ninety percent of horses are lame in the front end —• keep horses on a regular shoe ing basis,” he said. (Turn to Page El 4) Equestrian yameslp<LKylztapn^^ntemporary home 5Ac , U|£l2i|3ilSlSl£Ui&SflU >x sta^s 2 miles interstate7f^3497lßor Century 21 Park Road, Mary Lee Davis, 610*372*5633 x 3149, direct 484*333*3691. www. FarmsForSalel n Berks.com Other properties -Oley, Berks Co., 30+ ac. parcel, $376,000. 36 ac. parcel $415,000. Additional acreage avail. Clean & Green. HOURS: MONDAY - FRIDAY 10 - 5 • SATURDAY 10-2 • CLOSED SUNDAY Siegenthaler uses a hot shoeing technique, where he puts a heated shoe on the bottom of the hoof. The technique does not hurt the horse but seals the fi bers of the foot and allows the farrier to see how the shoe fits. MONARCH TRAILERS ' - All Steel Horse & Stock . . .. Trailer Sales Kk^^uilt Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 15, 2003, Boarder & Trainer-El3 Tom Siegenthaler, Centre Hall, shared his horseshoe ing expertise at last summer’s Ag Progress Days. Photos by Michelle Kunjappu 4 5 & 6 Horse Models Various Dressing Room sizes available CvE-9mvmCATiOlV mm TRAINING Teaching Programs for the Horse aud Rider ADVANCED APPRENTICES IN CONDmON RESPONSE METHODS Get Educated / Gain Control Develop a relationship: Control without pain = Trust & Respect Understand a horse’s language D Responsiveness to the bridle E Emergency brakes V I Better backs & lateral movement E > Go forward cue L I Calm down cue O 3 Ground manners/trail or loading p Overcome barn & buddy sweetness 814-749-
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