A client's horse gave me the weirdest shoeing feedback ever

I was trimming a big draft horse named Gus last month, and his owner stood there watching the whole time. When I finished, she looked at his feet and said, 'You know, the left hind looks sadder than the right.' I just stared at her. She went on, 'The angle is fine, but the feel is off. It's not a happy foot.' I almost laughed, but she was totally serious. So, I went back and checked my work. I realized I'd been rushing the finish on that hoof, leaving a slightly thicker wall and a less crisp line. I took the time to balance it out perfectly, even though it looked okay before. Now, I make a point to give every hoof a final 'mood check' before I call it done. It sounds silly, but it made me slow down and see the whole picture, not just the parts. Has a client ever said something that made you rethink a tiny part of your routine?

4 comments

4 Comments

miles_hall1mo ago

A mood check for a hoof. Right. Did she ask if its aura was aligned too?

davis.noah1mo ago

Honestly, I get the joke but it's not that wild. Checking a horse's mood through its hooves is a real thing, like looking for tension or heat. It's basic body language, same as a dog with a stiff tail. The aura stuff is extra, but paying attention to an animal's whole state just makes you a better handler.

mary4141mo ago

Okay, "aura was aligned" made me laugh! I tried to check my own mood through my feet once, just to see. All I got was a need for better socks and a reminder that @davis.noah is right about the body language thing, even if my version was pretty silly.

torres.thea25d ago

Did she ask if its aura was aligned too?" Okay but that's the part that got me. People actually say that stuff for real. I served a guy last week who tried to explain his dog's chakras. I just poured his drink and nodded. It's one thing to notice if an animal seems tense, but a full spiritual reading? Come on.