We applied Easyboot Rx boots on all four of the horse's feet for a whole week, and his hoof was dry and there was no rubbing whatsoever when we removed them yesterday. He has a little carpal varus (bowleg) in his RF, so that boot does tend to turn a little (increasing his chance of rubs), so I am especially impressed that there was no rubbing on that foot. We did liberally coat the inside of each boot with Gold Bond Medicated Powder before application. So far, I'm quite impressed with these boots!
We are using 6# Happy Hoof Pads in his boots this time (all the way around) to stimulate healthy growth and provide him with some comfort and support. His frogs have healed (and expanded) enough now that I can clearly see a featherlike growth (canker) in the central sulcus on 3/4 feet. I think the expansion of his heels is going to be critical in treating the canker. The "canker paste" that I have been using (metronidazole, acetone, and benzoyl perioxide) has really helped cornify the frog tissue and kept him comfortable. I'll get pictures next time and post them to show the progress.
Canker in horse hooves - Update (2 weeks)
September 15th:
September 29th:
In just two weeks, there is a good amount of improvement. The frog has shed twice, but still bleeds easily. The outlook is optimistic.
September 29th:
In just two weeks, there is a good amount of improvement. The frog has shed twice, but still bleeds easily. The outlook is optimistic.
Founder Trim
An example of a setup trim on a foundered horse is below. At the next trim, the toe will be brought back further, and the heel will be lowered more. Following the trim, the horse was put in Deluxe Equine Slippers with Happy Hoof Pads for comfort and increased perfusion in the feet.
Before trim:
After trim:
Before trim:
After trim:
Client Spotlight
Here is the lovely "Belle" in her harness and modeling her new Easyboot Gloves. Belle and her owner drove to their trimming appointment today at a neighbor's farm. Isn't she adorable?
Keith Seeley Trim Clinic scheduled for December 12-13, 2009
Download the flier from my website, or visit KeithSeeley.com for more information.
Canker in horse hooves
I have recently started working on a horse with canker. The horse was scheduled to be euthanized the same day I was called to do an evaluation. With the help of a veterinarian, we hope to achieve full recovery. I plan to fully document the horse's treatment and progress. Stay tuned for more information or email me with any comments or questions.
Pianos and hooves
I was recently reading a post on Carolyn Resnick's blog in which she was comparing a horse to a piano:
"A piano is a generic instrument. You can play classical music or jazz on the same piano. The only requirement is that the piano be in tune."
I believe horse hooves are similar. If everything is in balance, you don't need special shoes, pads, or trims to get a horse to give you his best performance. This includes quarter horses, walking horses, and every other breed that many believe need certain types of shoeing to perform.
"A piano is a generic instrument. You can play classical music or jazz on the same piano. The only requirement is that the piano be in tune."
I believe horse hooves are similar. If everything is in balance, you don't need special shoes, pads, or trims to get a horse to give you his best performance. This includes quarter horses, walking horses, and every other breed that many believe need certain types of shoeing to perform.
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