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Your horse can be sound again. We can help.
Even if your vet and farrier agree that nothing more can be done there is actually one more avenue to pursue. Hopefully you are reading this before you spent many thousands of dollars on theraputic shoeing and drugs that were only stop-gap measures, not a cure. If not, don't worry there is still hope for your horse! We're just truly sorry that you have had to go through such a frustrating ordeal.
There is only one solution that really works and that is to eliminate the reason why your horse is lame (from founder, navicular disease/syndrome, low ring bone and other hoof ailments) in the first place. Once the cause is eliminated the hoof can get on with the business of healing itself. And it will! The hoof is truly a miracle of Nature.
So what is the cause? First and foremost is physiologically incorrect hoof mechanics. (If we are talking founder then diet also plays a crucial role.) What does "physiologically correct" mean? Nature designed the horse's hoof to operate in a specific way. A normal hoof is supposed to have a relatively short toe and a wide robust frog and heel. (See the photo to the right.) A good footed horse will walk with a smooth swing in his shoulder to land confidently on his heel. That "heel first landing" is crucial to long term soundness.
Many horses we see have a long toe and a contracted heel. (See photo to the left.) The heel is contracted because the internal structures that are supposed to be protecting the back of the foot have shriveled up. To further add  insult to injury as the heel contracts it becomes a haven for thrush (and the like) which causes pain. Eventually the horse starts to not want to land heel first anymore and thus begins the downward spiral to all manner of hoof related problems. Research has shown that even the worst cases of changes to the navicular bone is due to improper mechanics over a long period of time. The same is true of other boney changes, such as low ringbone. All due to improper mechanics in the hoof. The good news/bad news is bone does remodel. It takes time but if poor mechanics caused the bone to change in one direction, good mechanics will cause the bone to remodel back to normal.
But, you say, I have a great farrier! He or she may be a great person and sincerely doing the best he or she knows how. Unfortunately, many of our farriers seem to have been taught more about 'fixing' problems with iron than about seeing the source of the problem in the first place. Today most farriers, and even vets, would look at a 'sick' hoof and call it normal. Just because they don't know. As more vets and farriers become educated about proper hoof form, hopefully we will see less of these kinds of problems in the future.
For now though you are stuck with a Situation and you are looking for a Solution. Depending on your circumstances you've got at least two options.
Find a natural hoof care practioner (or get your farrier to change the way he's trimming) and start to get the hoof mechanics under control today. We are happy to help you through this process in any way that we can. This works for quite a few people.
Or, send your horse to the Nexus Center where he can get round-the-clock professional care. Our facility is designed specifically to support the kind of healing we know needs to occur. Here's what your horse would get:
- Remove shoes and trim. A physiologially correct trim is the foundation of the program.
- Diet. Customized blended diet consisting of grass, hay, supplemental grain as needed, plus balanced vitamins and minerals.
- Movement. 24x7 turnout in large grassy pastures with varied terrain
ensures that the horse keeps moving. Movement is critical to the
process. Healing is takes place over miles, not hours. The more the
horse moves the better. As the horse becomes more comfortable we will
start him on a light dressage-based exercise program. Chances are his
body needs as much rehab as his feet do since living with that kind of
pain his going to have its fall out.
While your horse may think he's at the Spa he will in fact be working hard at healing his feet! And we will be working hard to help him get there. This is not a retirement home. We are not a rescue facility. Our job is to get your horse back to you and fit to ride again.
The all inclusive fee for rehabilitation services is $450 per month. Contact Lauren Gruber to learn more.
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