Today I'm doing some light reading - which is including materials on various trim methods. This is a weekly if not daily thing for me lately. I've learned so much since this blog started that I have trouble putting it all into words.
Diego's hooves have undergone an onslaught of assaults from various sources for over a year now, and we find ourselves this week - sitting on the 6 month anniversary of his most recent (and worst) laminitic attack. I am clinging rigidly and (understandably) desperately to all dietary and environmental restrictions to keep D from having another attack right now - but as the months creep by and we finally start to see progress through the dreary daily routine: I have finally started to feel a little more hope.
We're 6 months out and this time, for sure, I am confident that we have good hoof form. As good as it can get really. I haven't had the money for Xays in a year now, so I've had to wing-it by just reading the external hoof signs as well as I can. I constantly scrutinize his sole, his gait and measure the collateral grooves, looking for more depth. The last and most frustrating piece to fall in place has been his soundness. His last event in August left him barely able to drag himself from the paddock to the grooming area and back. Boots and pads only made it moderately better. It was horrible to watch him have so much pain just walking...
We made huge strides (har har) though, and by November he was comfortable - trotting, galloping and bucking with his girlfriend. It was a sight to see! December brought cold nights though, and with his damaged vascular system in his lower legs & feet started giving him issues. He had significant amounts of pain, his legs stocked up from not moving all day long (due to hoof pain) etc. I added some dietary supplements to help - but nothing is a cure. It's still just as cold out now in February, but at the new facility D is kept in at night (not ideal to me but the lesser of several evils I was faced with in moving him), where the temperature is consistently 10 degrees warmer than the outdoors. Guess what... no leg swelling! No owwie hooves with warm coronary bands! YAY!
Try as I might to provide Diego with a more 'natural' lifestyle, it's becoming increasingly apparent that certain domestic 'comforts' are needed to give him the ability to live a decent life after the Cushings hammered away at his body unchecked for 5 years and laminitis ravaged the blood vessels in his hooves. So far this has included blanketing, wrapping the legs and being stabled at night. So I continue down this road of discovery: hopefully with less judgement about "right and wrong" horse management and attached dogma. >.>'
Ok... so maybe this wasn't as much about hooves as I'd intended to write. ;p
I just reread the first post on this blog from 2010 discussing his hooves. What a long way we have come! Few if any of the problems we faced then haunt us now (except heel contraction, but that's possibly a life long pathology by now IMO). I am forever thankful for Marian's willingness to educate me at a time when D and I really needed it.
Amusing event for the week: I got a call from the barn manager early yesterday morning on my cell and promptly panicked (having just read a lovely study on Nitrate poisoning complete with graphic photos). As it turns out she was calling to give me a bit of amusing info. Diego has been introduced to his handicapped herd, but so far they have yet to accept him. There is an evil little pony who attacks everyone (horses and humans alike) who has it out for Diego. Diego finally decided somehow that the pony suddenly held no threat over him anymore and promptly turned his butt to the pony and shot him a "talk to the tail" look. Said pony was so distraught by this that he ran himself around the entire turn out area. I'm sure his ego was greatly damaged by this. I was told Diego had taken up trotting a little with the foals. I couldn't be happier for him... finally... progress!
Showing posts with label natural diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural diet. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Friday, July 23, 2010
New Barefoot Trimmer!
(written post trim, which was on the 19th)
7/20/10
Well I’m stoked. ^_^
It seems like a few things are finally being lined up properly. I had an appointment with our new trimmer Marion Figley yesterday. I got a lot of information about D’s feet and health, conformation and movement and confirmed some suspicions of mine. It also helped do away with some of my pessimism about other issues as well.
Feet First
The condition of D’s hooves, especially the walls were about as bad as I thought. She hardly took anything off except to bevel the walls and lower his heels. His heels are definitely growing forward, and she felt they’re out of balance (the front), and his hinds need to be lowered, gradually to help the toe-drag he does with the hind feet. The integrity of the walls is not good at all and needs to be strengthened by good nutrition and worn properly by – you guessed it – regular work.
Conformation
She noted D’s slightly more ‘upright’ hind legs, the dragging of the hind toes and a slight ‘coon footedness’ (that being the straight line/angle of the hoof matching the pastern is broken one way or another). She feels a good part of the hoof drag can actually be addressed by proper heel height (lower) and hill work to strengthen the muscles. She suggested a joint supplement might be in order but we will have to see, I don’t know if I can afford it currently, so I’m leaning towards the hillwork.
She also explained D’s bump in his spine behind the saddle, calling it a ‘hunters bump’ more technically a spinal subluxation (yeah I had to look that word up). Mostlikely came from an injury or fall, possibly in a pasture where his hind end slid the wrong way – out of synch with his front end. Knowing how wild he can be when he wants I wasn’t surprised. She recommended a chiropractor who’s name I quickly forgot. Will have to get that again… She also noted the muscle wastage all along his back when I pointed it out and recommended her favorite bareback pad (BestFriend Barebackpad). She feels there’s some muscle wastage on top of his quarters as well but that regular hillwork will fill those in.
Diet
His hooves were definitely in that terrible shape from lack of nutrition – plain and simple. Grain just doesn’t cut it (like at Leslie’s) and even the good quality hay at Adrian’s wasn’t enough. To get everything in good healthy growing condition again she suggested a ration balancer, surprise surprise. Needless to say I’ll have him 100% on the Gro N Win again ASAP.
On first glance D’s hooves still seem too long – the toes are. But I can definitely see a difference today in the way he uses his hooves, with the lowered heels. In time I know the toe will be able to be taken off, just not now. He now lands heel first and I see the roll-the transfer of the weight from front to back. Almost a rocking of the hoof… but no straining or digging like if he had a long toe on a 100% flat hoof.
She also was quick to say she’s willing to train anyone who is interested. My boyfriend showed some mild interest in learning and I am definitely interested, so she told us she’s looking to train apprentices. I really should look into this, as she’s moving to Montana next year… o.o talk about timing. ;)
7/20/10
Well I’m stoked. ^_^
It seems like a few things are finally being lined up properly. I had an appointment with our new trimmer Marion Figley yesterday. I got a lot of information about D’s feet and health, conformation and movement and confirmed some suspicions of mine. It also helped do away with some of my pessimism about other issues as well.
Feet First
The condition of D’s hooves, especially the walls were about as bad as I thought. She hardly took anything off except to bevel the walls and lower his heels. His heels are definitely growing forward, and she felt they’re out of balance (the front), and his hinds need to be lowered, gradually to help the toe-drag he does with the hind feet. The integrity of the walls is not good at all and needs to be strengthened by good nutrition and worn properly by – you guessed it – regular work.
Conformation
She noted D’s slightly more ‘upright’ hind legs, the dragging of the hind toes and a slight ‘coon footedness’ (that being the straight line/angle of the hoof matching the pastern is broken one way or another). She feels a good part of the hoof drag can actually be addressed by proper heel height (lower) and hill work to strengthen the muscles. She suggested a joint supplement might be in order but we will have to see, I don’t know if I can afford it currently, so I’m leaning towards the hillwork.
She also explained D’s bump in his spine behind the saddle, calling it a ‘hunters bump’ more technically a spinal subluxation (yeah I had to look that word up). Mostlikely came from an injury or fall, possibly in a pasture where his hind end slid the wrong way – out of synch with his front end. Knowing how wild he can be when he wants I wasn’t surprised. She recommended a chiropractor who’s name I quickly forgot. Will have to get that again… She also noted the muscle wastage all along his back when I pointed it out and recommended her favorite bareback pad (BestFriend Barebackpad). She feels there’s some muscle wastage on top of his quarters as well but that regular hillwork will fill those in.
Diet
His hooves were definitely in that terrible shape from lack of nutrition – plain and simple. Grain just doesn’t cut it (like at Leslie’s) and even the good quality hay at Adrian’s wasn’t enough. To get everything in good healthy growing condition again she suggested a ration balancer, surprise surprise. Needless to say I’ll have him 100% on the Gro N Win again ASAP.
On first glance D’s hooves still seem too long – the toes are. But I can definitely see a difference today in the way he uses his hooves, with the lowered heels. In time I know the toe will be able to be taken off, just not now. He now lands heel first and I see the roll-the transfer of the weight from front to back. Almost a rocking of the hoof… but no straining or digging like if he had a long toe on a 100% flat hoof.
She also was quick to say she’s willing to train anyone who is interested. My boyfriend showed some mild interest in learning and I am definitely interested, so she told us she’s looking to train apprentices. I really should look into this, as she’s moving to Montana next year… o.o talk about timing. ;)
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