Iberia, "Ibby" JULY 29, 2015
Ibby came from California, she was being used in a lesson program here, teaching young children how to ride.
There was talk of founder and the ever looming threat of euthanasia, at 23 her owners were not sure what was best for her. The hoof care she had was just not working well for her. One of my favourite parts of this story was asking Connie for her help. I half expected her to say "sorry, the horse is just too old.. or the feet are just too bad..." but the only answer I got from Connie was "great, when can we go and see her?"
These are the pictures from her first trim, July 29, 2015. You can see that she had a hole in the sole of the left front (bleeding) and two very different shoes on. She was having difficulty standing and walking, and no real desire to do so.
Ibby had a treatment of white lightning after the shoes we removed to help kill any bacteria that could have gotten into the foot via the hole in her sole. The threat of septic infection is real when the sole of the foot is compromised.
There was talk of founder and the ever looming threat of euthanasia, at 23 her owners were not sure what was best for her. The hoof care she had was just not working well for her. One of my favourite parts of this story was asking Connie for her help. I half expected her to say "sorry, the horse is just too old.. or the feet are just too bad..." but the only answer I got from Connie was "great, when can we go and see her?"
These are the pictures from her first trim, July 29, 2015. You can see that she had a hole in the sole of the left front (bleeding) and two very different shoes on. She was having difficulty standing and walking, and no real desire to do so.
Ibby had a treatment of white lightning after the shoes we removed to help kill any bacteria that could have gotten into the foot via the hole in her sole. The threat of septic infection is real when the sole of the foot is compromised.
The Healing Process: days and weeks after
Ibby's left front foot was soaked everyday in warm water and epsom salts: to prevent infection and speed up the healing process. Her boot was removed for cleaning and to allow airflow to the foot.
You can start to see the new sole underneath! Typically, new sole takes about 4-6 weeks to grow in.
Ibby was fed sunflower seeds to help her put on weight without compromising the health of her feet. Within a few weeks, her coat darkened and she looked like a totally different horse!!
You can start to see the new sole underneath! Typically, new sole takes about 4-6 weeks to grow in.
Ibby was fed sunflower seeds to help her put on weight without compromising the health of her feet. Within a few weeks, her coat darkened and she looked like a totally different horse!!
Aug 19, 2015 (3 weeks later)
I think every picture I have of Ibby during this time was of her with her head in a bucket or a pile of hay. With her feet feeling better her appetite returned and her dull coat regained its shine.
She sure loves those sunflower seeds!! We kept soaking the foot just as a precaution, and allowing the foot to breathe.
Sept. 24, 2015
It looks like I've left too much toe here: I could feel the sole covering moving while I was rasping: I didn't want to take it away just yet. I left it just incase, I felt it was not ready yet, the sole needed the protection a little while longer.... it didn't look the prettiest, but sometimes it's better to take it slow. The picture from the side view really shows that.
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