chapter 357
Working Wood
horses, train, & plane
8/3/2014
Captured this poignant moment at the track with my Grandson. On the backstretch tour they let you touch one horse. It's Buddy, a 17 year old at midlife actually classified as a pony that they use for the outriders. These are non thoroughbred horses used to ride with and calm the race horses out to the starting gate. Melissa acquired (stole) this Dutch/Kentucky Stockoff's Kerckhaert aluminum racing shoe. The farrier was installing new shoes next to the Barkley Tagg stables, where Kentucky Derby winner, Funny Cide had trained. It was full of M&M's, mud and manure so she gave it to me. Cleaned and polished up nicely, mounted on a cherry board from Dad's sawmill in Virgil. Sitting on the upholstered stool Grandpa Hayden made for us 40 years ago. Was using it out on the deck as aide to replacing some decaying planks. Use it all the time.
The March company nails were still in the shoes. Hadn't realized it before but they go up through the hoof out to daylight, are bent over, clipped and filed down for a secure install (pic). You'll notice the swedge is a groove in the front of the shoe meant for gaining traction. My shoe shows wear of that groove, perhaps the need for replacement, but the hoof grows like a toenail and needs a shoe change in a month. Buddy had no shoes, unnecessary for just walking on the backstretch.
Visited Troy's Burden Iron Works a few years back. These workers led the nation and made one horseshoe per minute supplying the Union Army in the Civil War.
Had needed to thin the thickness of my cherry board so contacted old friend Jim. The 13" portable Delta planer did a wonderful job. They had upwards of 800 people go thru their Hostas outdoor garden on the Schenectady Secret Gardens tour. I'm not crazy about green weed looking things, but I liked the frog ponds.
When I repurposed my old hockey sticks in 2003 into a serving tray I'd used John Lee's antique planer. I shaved down the mahogany floor board free samples making a beautiful border. There's something about natural wood grain that is so appealing to me. Cross drilled for dowels and Gorilla glue making a strong structure with the clear lucite top. Cleaned up the 35 year old horse shoe from Shawn's playhouse. It too was an aluminum racing shoe (California Thoro-Bred) probably from the track. It has a front steel insert clip design for traction. The crystal wine glass was one of our first big purchases together. Kathy was so excited when we got a whole 24 piece set on sale at Macy's for $75.
Created this storage shelf under the garage steps from more sticks. They are very sturdy. Dad's Bear Paws and midwife's leather bag from Great Great Aunt Nellie Ray Butler (Grandma Wilna's Aunt born 1864 Pocahontas Co, Iowa). There are so many stories lurking.
California Thoro-Bred
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