Farrier trimming feet a photo by World Horse Welfare on Flickr.
Today is International Helmet Awareness Day, part of a worldwide campaign to urge more riders to protect their heads while on horseback. But it occurred to me that there are times when helmets come in handy on the ground too. World Horse Welfare recently published this series of photos, which I thought would be appropriate for today.
An operation to round up 93 semi-feral highland-type ponies in the North East of Scotland was launched with the help of Horseback UK, The Royal Marines and the staff and students of The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
Each of the horses was microchipped and issued a corresponding equine passport. They were then sorted into herd groups, and then 41 males were anesthetized and castrated, which gave plenty of practice for the vet school students!
Donald Nicol was the farrier who trimmed the feet--you see him working on a mare in this photo.
The vets and students wore helmets too.
Retailers are offering discounts today to people who purchase helmets as part of the International Helmet Awareness Day program. So, if you're a vet, technician, or farrier, there may be a very good reason for you to keep a helmet on hand, even if you don't ride!
More information: http://www.riders4helmets.com
