With the recent uncertainty of a popular equine blog and the request of several, I’ve decided to officially begin Hooves. The focus will be concentrated on conformation, biomechanics, training, riding, breeding and management of the horse in all disciplines. I’m not opposed to other topics, but those will have to be tackled by guest writers at this time.
This is a new venture for me from a technical standpoint, so I ask for your patience in this regard. There are no advertisements, and as such any costs are mine to bear. There is no fat, pizza eating, soda drinking techie guy in his Mother’s basement making sure the site and blog stay up running and free of malware or whatever that’s called, and as such that too falls to me to figure out as I go along. I also have a life, and while I’m certainly willing to devote a significant portion of my time to this blog, I’m not going to be living and breathing it; at least not, if and until, it makes money – then we’ll talk.
Any topic requests, suggestions or guest articles may be submitted to: thehoovesblog@gmail.com
As you’ll note, I’ve posted my latest article which appeared on Fugly. It was the first of two that I was contracted to do. At this point in time, I will not be posting the second article. It was done specifically for Fugly, and until I’m sure the blog is defunct (or a reasonable length of time has passed), it will remain on the shelf.
Below that article are three small ‘test’ articles that I did merely to get a feel for how the blog worked when I first considered starting it. Feel free to comment on them and discuss amongst yourselves, but I will not be participating, as my current focus will be on putting together a new article and getting it up as soon as possible.
I thank all who’ve stopped by to check it out and hope to see your comments in coming articles.
Mercedes
Hooves 
Just checking in…:)
Great to see your new blog and good luck with it
So glad you are doing this , you have a lot of great information and it’s really appreciated that you are sharing it !
Way to go, Mercedes! Really looking forward to visiting this space!
OK, I think I have it worked out to find this site. Thanks!
This is awesome! So glad you are doing this, your post was so informative and fascinating! I hope that some future topics will include how to do the measurements when assessing conformation, maybe reader submitted confo critiques? I would (gulp) love to hear what you see in my own mare’s conformation as she has had some issues with her right shoulder and if you can see anything else! Really looking forward to following your posts 🙂
Thanks for your kind words (and for everyone else’s as well – it means a great deal to be supported so soon). I am considering doing just as you’ve suggested. I’d like to take it much further than many would anticipate, but let me get into the swing of things for a bit and settled into a routine, then we’ll see where it goes. I am expecting to have the first official blog entry posted by Monday, March 11.
Hey Mercedes
So glad you are doing this and am really looking forward to your articles. I am able to look at a horse and say “yay” or “nay” but have no idea why I like or dislike it. Hopefully, this will help me out!
Can’t wait until Monday.
THAnk you, Mercedes, for giving this new adventure a try. I look forward to reading here in the future. Good luck!!
Good for you! Way to put your money where your mouth is. I am excited about hearing your point of view and sharing your knowledge.
Good luck with this blog, I will be looking forward to the new post 🙂
Way to go Mercedes! I’m so looking forward to this. (I’d suggest an article on unicorns, and how they shoot rainbows out of their nether regions) 🙂
Okay, I’ve added your suggestion to ‘The List’. Unicorns are notoriously tight lipped, but I have a friend of a friend of a friend who might be able to help me with the research. I’ll see what I can do.
Quill, blondemare, I’ve made note of your topic suggestions as well, thank you.
I’d like to resubmit my request for something about telling good loins and hips from bad loins and hips. Your post was so awesome and I learned a lot! I’m so looking forward to future posts on this blog. Thank you so much for starting it!
Mercedes….really looking forward to an Arabian post and perhaps more details on the mishap that has left the breed somewhat low on your list of fav’s.
Arabs would be good, Minis would be awesome!!! Glad someone has picked up the baton, I’ll keep checking back to see how it is going on here…
Thanks so much Mercedes! I’ve been missing my dose of Fugly. I’m a mid 40s Australian re-rider currently living in Germany and training under a German dressage trainer. I’m trying very hard and having lots of fun, and reading these blogs helps me learn. If you’re interested in any info on how much it costs to agist here etc., I’m happy to give a small review of my barn (about 100 horses, mixed dressage and reining – reining is HUGE in Germany!). Good luck!
Welcome, Kristy The Aussie Living In Germany!
Quill has asked that you review strong and weak loins. I am asking that you take each part of the horse and show good and bad…the ugly! As well, please point out what strengths assist what weaknesses or what we can do as the trainer to help the horse overcome what weakness. Does this make sense?
Thanks
Quill (and you) are going to get your wish. This, however, has to be done in several (like dozens) of articles, otherwise it’s just overwhelming.
Currently I am working on a 3 – Part series that will discuss back, loin and hip length. Stay tuned.
Mercedes,
AWESOME, simply Awesome! Glad to see you here. Looks like the same set up as when I set up my blg some time back in 2008-2009 when Cathy was still running FHoTD. At least when I typed in my email address my original signin name came up. Guess it can stay this way even though we have not bred mares since the economy tanked.
Your Longeing Cavasson article is very well written and incredible collection of photo documentation. My longeing cavasson has brass fittings as does my very good surcingle combination. We have a round pen we still use, but have not seen anyone use a correct longeing set up in years. Good luck with this blog. I am also looking forward to your comments on Arabians, pithy or otherwise. Arabs ar for some people and not so much for others.
Looking forward to the whole crew coming on over.
Donna
Many thanks, Donna, for your enthusiam, kind words and well wishes. I’ll do my best to keep things interesting. Some day I will tell the Arab story…maybe. 🙂
PS: really like a blog format as I do not have a facebook, twitter, or any other social media (mess) account, and cell phones are to talk on not text, mine blocks all texts…. Have fun
Looking forward to this blog! I hope I have time to keep up!
Congrats! I am so happy you have started this blog. I have learned a ton from you over the years and I am so excited to find that I can continue learning! And my vote for the next breed is Andi’s (I know you have your reference pictures already) And snaffles! Keep up the good work!
Ah, nobody wants to hear about those boring Andi’s 🙂 Hope the big girl is doing well for you and thanks so much for dropping by.
Hi, Mercedes – Just wanted to say I’m another one who is glad you started this blog and I plan on visiting frequently! I don’t know what has become of our friend Ontario and FHotD (hope it wasn’t death threats from somewhere in LA), but hopefully at least a few of us from there have migrated over here and we can still hang out. I’m looking forward to more of your learned conformation critiques, and also enjoyed the three “test posts” very much. I think the “good, bad and ugly” format is a great idea! Thank you for doing this and keep up the great work!
(I might have a guest post up my sleeve as well. We’ll see…)
Welcome! Thanks for the kind words and I hope you find your marbles soon. I know I was traumatized as a kid when I lost my favorite one. 🙂
I’d love to hear conformation critique for Thoroughbreds, particularly OTTB, and how to pick a good once from organizations or off the track itself. That’s something I think would be super useful!
On the list!
I am SO happy to see you start a blog! I learned so much from you, especially conformation and how it affects things, so I’m glad to see I can continue to learn from you!
PS. 😉 I’m the girl you helped find her Andie on the manesteet forums.
Hi there! So glad you found us here. I remember very well you and your horse. How are things going? Send me an update at: thehoovesblog@gmail.com
I am very happy to see you picking up the “baton” going forward. I look forward to your articles and comments by all the regulars and new people.