Pepper: Founder Rehab
Founder is not a death sentence. With the proper diet, lifestyle and trim aimed to realign the rotated coffin bone within the hoof capsule, horses who have foundered can still lead productive, sound and healthy lives.
Pepper was likely suffering from founder; a rotated coffin bone for more than a year. Her owners had given up all hope that she would recover, noting that "once they founder, they are likely to again." This is actually very true, unless you completely change your horsekeeping program. Founder is a clue that something is very wrong with the care. Pepper's problem was that she was overweight, getting too much food and treats, not getting enough exercise. |
Elapsed time: 13 months. Dec 2015- Jan 2017
Left Forefoot |
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Pepper showed significant improvements in a very short time. Her diet was changed from standing at a round hay bale and being fed treats. She was given free choice Wheat Straw (no round up or chemicals sprayed, grown right at home) with a sprinkling of hay in the morning and night. Her food was spread sparsely in the paddock to encourage movement and foraging. We removed ALL supplements, grain and treats. Seriously. No carrots, apples, crunchies... NOTHING. She was also encouraged to dig and search for food under the snow in a herd environment. The herd encouraged movement. She became a fast herd favourite. We began to ride her and ground drive her. She was pretty close to sound, being only slightly tender on gravel. We fitted her with her own pair of hoof boots... the rest is just... history! |