Pretty Works

A welding teacher of mine used to say, "weld to grind, grind to paint." For those who haven't done much or any welding, this means that if you take your time along the way and do every phase of the job well it will get easier as it goes and you will not only save time but you will have something to be proud of.

This can easily be applied to trimming horse's feet. I've been criticized for years for doing too much "pretty work" when trimming. Some feel that it's not necessary to make it look nice, that good function is all that's important. In my mind I can't separate good form from good function. Every time I've seen a photo of a wild mustang hoof or a high mileage horse's bare hoof in person I see a natural work of art with beautiful curves and beveled edges. It's something that you want to feel in your hands. I always think, if this feels so nice in my hands it must feel nice to the horse as well.

This may be a good consideration when deciding whether enough time has been spent rasping a bevel or shaping the highly sensitive frog. How is this going to feel to the horse? If he likes the way I've shaped the back of his foot, will he want to use it more? If he uses it more, will he start to wear it that way? Will it last until my next visit? How much time will I have to spend then? Personally, I find trimming enjoyable and rewarding. I love collaborating with a horse and the terrain to see what we can build. Every time I hear the words "that's just pretty work" or, “Pretty is as pretty does.” I just have to smile.