Success!

No sedation, no fear, no panic, front shoes on, back feet inspected. All done in one of the most relaxed farrier sessions I've ever had - and I think Sammie would say the same.

I brought him round to the tea and coffee station as he seems pretty happy there. Farrier was happy because it was near the tea supplies. Sammie hardly threw a grump at all. First of all I told farrier I was just going to pick up his hinds as if I was picking them out and brushing them off and he could just come and stand by me and take a look. This worked and Sammie just stood there while we took a good look. Farrier said the frogs were excellent and I was doing a good job. I just need to keep on top of that flare on the right hind, but as he said, this is partly a conformational thing.

Then we moved onto the fronts and Sammie took it all in his stride while I gave him his pony nut treats all the time each leg was being held up. No problems at all, even when farrier pulled his legs forward to finish off. YM and interested onlooker were there as well so we all just chatted away and Sammie just stood there, very aware but not in a panic at all.

I could just feel all the tension leaving my body and that must have helped Sammie too. I'd planned it all out in my head - where and how and I just knew he was going to be alright.

We still don't know if we are going to have trouble further down the line, but we're doing the best job we can and I think Sammie is as relieved as I am about ridding ourselves of the hind shoeing trauma.