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My own experience of going barefoot, is in winter, the warmth and ability of the hooves to flex (being unconstrained by metal) meant snow does not ball up in hard icy lumps, so the horses don’t totter about unbalanced. They can walk more surely on sheet ice too.
I do not ask them to move large amounts of timber, so cannot comment on how it would be then, in woodland.
I agree with Carl, that whichever way we choose, poor trimming and shoeing will do great harm, so do it right, or get someone who can.

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Hi wldbrry. Congratulations on your new Association, I wish you a good first year, and many more happy ones in the future. Nice website.
When I take my Shires to an Association event here in England, the activity which is the biggest challenge for us in the obstacle course, is to ‘Stand Still’ for the alotted count!
When they first arrive at the site they are as good as gold, and follow everything I say. But after a while, it seems they think “ok, it’s fun here, we can guess what we have to do next, so lets get on with it”! lol
I look forward to having an opportunity to go out with them, for them to meet new animals and humans, and practice their skills. Also I am grateful that generous people make their fields available for the event, it’s not always easy to find somewhere you can do farm work with horses.
Hope this helps 🙂 Have fun.

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Sorry for your loss. He sounds like he has left a mighty big hole in your lives now.

It also sounds as though he was a lucky ox, to be so cared for, and appreciated during his lifetime.

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Hello Ira! Glad you posted, hang in there.

I think that is a great thing Mr Rutledge, to invite Ira onto the commitee. Often he has given me good advice, and his wisdom and way of getting to the point has helped me greatly in the past with my horses, on a forum.

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This is a very interesting discussion. I hope you do remember to report, drybranchfarm, it would be good to know what you think of them.
Goodcompanion, do you have any experience of eating older, 3-4 yrs geese? I have a few too many really, have heard they have to be under a year old to eat. Could they be cooked anyway to get them tender?
Good luck with your dominique project, Erika.

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Is it ok to confirm, Tom, you don’t put a needle in their mouth? Just in case a person misunderstood. I know what you mean though. Thanks

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The horse is suffering from colic. It is very, very serious. The horse is in pain. Your horse might die.
Call the vet. Do what they say.

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Cogratulations! Welcometo your boy.
What is his name?

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Thank you very much for this film, I know I will return to it, it is beautiful and useful too.
By the way, thanks also for the information you posted about the breeds of cattle in the conversation about rare breeds and oxen. I looked at them – it is good people aren’t losing that gene pool.
Keep posting! carter

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Just a thought, patch. Your horse, or one of the others, isn’t turned out in a rug/blanket
are they?? The shock won’t go through the material. One horse can push and disconnect the wires, and any horses who haven’t learned to respect the tape, will push through.
I have seen this.

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Thank you. I’ll bet those traditional breeds are better, folk wouldn’t have gone on using them that long if they weren’t suitable. It is great that people are keeping them going. I’ll seek out the info later to find some pictures of them. I notice most names end in ‘vieh’ , so I’ll try to see what that means. I shall have to watch out, I can feel myself being tempted down the oxen road….

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Thanks for your welcome. I am interested which oxen breeds do you have in Germany? Would any breed do for training? I have heard that dairy breeds are not as placid as beef cattle.

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