Dorset lifestyle
William and Toby Ready for the farrier, an early start for them at 0730 on a very wet day, their hooves were ok, just needed leveling off, William’s seedy toe is no worse. They always get a ginger biscuit before work starts and they were relaxed enough to be held and not tied to a rail. The paddocks are very wet so no time on the grass, they had to make do with nibbling silver birch logs and eating apple twigs. A wet day with strong winds.
It’s ten weeks since the donkeys had their hooves trimmed, William’s seedy toe is improved in places and looks clean and white when the farrier has finished, Toby has an inward stepping gait so the hooves on his hind legs wear unevenly as steps one hoof in front of the other. After last nights rain the paddocks are full of puddles so no time for running around, the sheep were out of their shelter as usual even though it was a drizzly start to the day. Warm sunshine broke through the cloud so one less fleece required. Lucky to see a barn owl flying over the field at dusk, pancakes for tea.
William and Toby showing off their clean hooves, William has a virus called seedy toe so his white-edged hooves have been cut away and are not the usual neat donkey hoof shape like Toby’s. There’s no cure for seedy toe and William didn’t mind having his hooves trimmed, they’ll grow back again within six weeks, Toby has never had the virus so it’s a mystery why one donkey should have it, and not the other. The farrier gave them both ginger biscuits so they were happy. Cycled 15 miles from Witchampton, lovely views and quiet lanes. A cool misty cloudy day with occasional drizzle.
It’s eight weeks since William and Toby had their feet checked by the farrier; Donkeys should be walking on hard surfaces all the time to wear down the front of their hooves and keep them flat, ours spend a third of their time on straw or grass so a bit of trimming and rasping was required. They each had a ginger biscuit to start off with and the farrier put two more on top of a post for when he’d finished. At some point Toby knocked these off the post so he snaffled both of them while our attention was focused on William – lucky Toby! A warm sunny day, watered the hedge, picked tomatoes, basil, nasturtium leaves, apples and pears. Nearly forgot to mention that it’s National Chocolate Day – hooray!
Lovely white hooves after trimming and rasping, the green wellies didn’t get any attention. William’s seedy toe has improved and there’s no sign of laminitis which is good, the hooves will be brown again by tomorrow. Foggy start to the day and very hot first thing, cooler later with a little rain but no thunderstorm, watered the veg. Regular straw delivery arrived, 24 bales stacked at the end of the workshop should last a month. Raspberries and blackcurrants very tasty. Fencer expected tomorrow.
