2012, April 20th
Here I was with a beautiful new dressage horse; a dream come true all mine - and we've got one stunted back foot, a sore back, spasms, dreadful feet, no shoes and no riding. Ive argued with the vet, fired one farrier and put another on hold. I'd also met with one barefoot trimmer and two podiatrists. Going well wouldn't you say! How to ruin a horse in four months!
Where to now? I decided to continue barefoot taking comfort from weekly photos of feet! My new found obsession so I had evidence of progress for myself and for all those 'nay sayers' swept up in the process.
My plan was to print out the photos in an album so that i had evidence of where we started. I may also re-x ray in a year's time.
Time for some good news though! Within one week of removing her front shoes, I noticed two massive changes: Firstly her stride length seems to have increased - she was walking out bigger and better in hand. Secondly; she no longer stands with one front leg out in-front of the other. Within one week, she is standing (most of the time) with her front feet together. Also, she doesn't weight shift anymore every 1 minute. Both things I'd been acutely aware of since January, and even taken videos of her moving her weight and front legs in the stable. Suddenly this was gone!
The sad thing is that its now made me realise that Sol who we put to sleep 2 years earlier who also used to stand like Grace was, probably just needed to go barefoot. To think that after hock tests, lameness tests, and goodness knows what else the vets did for Sol, no shoes might have been the fix. Why oh why don't vets and farriers suggest this - what harm can it do after all?
It is too early to be optimistic that i've taken the right path with Grace and her feet, but already I am amazed at how well she is coping and seems comfortable. Of course she's going up to the field wearing protective cavallo boots due to the tarmac shards up the field track.
Ive also now found myself an equine podiatrist Kat Jay - who the angels must have sent me as she trained with KC La Pierre - the guru of my holiday reading. It must be a sign!
Here I was with a beautiful new dressage horse; a dream come true all mine - and we've got one stunted back foot, a sore back, spasms, dreadful feet, no shoes and no riding. Ive argued with the vet, fired one farrier and put another on hold. I'd also met with one barefoot trimmer and two podiatrists. Going well wouldn't you say! How to ruin a horse in four months!
Where to now? I decided to continue barefoot taking comfort from weekly photos of feet! My new found obsession so I had evidence of progress for myself and for all those 'nay sayers' swept up in the process.
My plan was to print out the photos in an album so that i had evidence of where we started. I may also re-x ray in a year's time.
Time for some good news though! Within one week of removing her front shoes, I noticed two massive changes: Firstly her stride length seems to have increased - she was walking out bigger and better in hand. Secondly; she no longer stands with one front leg out in-front of the other. Within one week, she is standing (most of the time) with her front feet together. Also, she doesn't weight shift anymore every 1 minute. Both things I'd been acutely aware of since January, and even taken videos of her moving her weight and front legs in the stable. Suddenly this was gone!
The sad thing is that its now made me realise that Sol who we put to sleep 2 years earlier who also used to stand like Grace was, probably just needed to go barefoot. To think that after hock tests, lameness tests, and goodness knows what else the vets did for Sol, no shoes might have been the fix. Why oh why don't vets and farriers suggest this - what harm can it do after all?
It is too early to be optimistic that i've taken the right path with Grace and her feet, but already I am amazed at how well she is coping and seems comfortable. Of course she's going up to the field wearing protective cavallo boots due to the tarmac shards up the field track.
Ive also now found myself an equine podiatrist Kat Jay - who the angels must have sent me as she trained with KC La Pierre - the guru of my holiday reading. It must be a sign!
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