In a culture that seems to be all about money and control, horses remind me that it is not. A farrier in a hurry because he was late getting to my house and had clients waiting after me couldn’t wait the 45 minutes necessary for oral sedation to take effect on Zum. He grabbed Zum’s legs with impatience and Zum kicked back. The farrier said he needed to inject Zum with drugs that work faster and then tie up Zum’s back legs with help from another guy. He insisted on charging me too much without waiting to do the job. He left angrily, calling Zum a jerk. He left, leaving Zum sedated and going into a hot sweat. I am fully aware that Zum is a challenge. My humble farrier in Phoenix waited the full 45 minutes and was able to gently and calmly shoe Zum for the first time easily last March. I broke my arm two months ago. I need to heal my arm so I can trim Zum’s feet again. Zum teaches me again the importance of being dedicated to the well-being of the horse.
