Update – Hoof Boots Save Foundered Mare
Some of you may remember the two posts we published about Lilla Gumman. If you missed them you can read them by clicking here. Here’s the latest update of a great success story enabled by using Cavallo Hoof Boots.
I started to work on Lilla Gumman last September when she had a devastating founder. She had foundered in all fours but the hind feet were the worst. The right hind was 25 degree rotation and the left hind was 30 degree rotation. That means that P1-2 and 3 were aligned completely vertical, and the coffin bone was starting to come through the sole. She had been laying down for several months prior to me seeing her and the Vet recommended stall rest. After her first trim, I put her into the Cavallo simple boots and she walked out and grazed for the first time in months. She wore the boots 24/7 for 3 months until enough sole had regrown under the coffin bone. She never developed sores and was very comfortable in the boots. They were easy to take on and off daily to be cleaned. This is wonderful for my clients as they don’t have to struggle with the daily process of putting boots on and off. Also I knew that the boots would not come off and jeopardize her fragile sole as she was healing. Now only 7 months after I started trimming her, Lilla is sound and enjoys being ridden by Margaretta. You can see how happy Margaretta is to be riding her special friend Lilla once again. Lilla is a Rocky Mountain Walking Horse and her gaits are just beautiful and so smooth. Margaretta had taken her to the park and ridden her 1 ½ hours and Lilla was perfectly sound and happy the whole time. It was as though Lilla knew she had her life back and was enjoying the trails once again with her beloved owner. Lilla, you make us all proud.
As a barefoot trimmer my goal is to make horses sound and heal their hooves. It is not acceptable to keep founders in a constant state of pain and suffering. Even if they can only be pasture sound without pain is acceptable. I have found that the ABC Hoofprint trim by Cheryl Henderson gives me the quickest and most complete balancing of the hoof so that healing can take place rapidly. I have had success with every founder I have worked on with this trim. I will include more success stories on founder so that you can see this is no fluke or one time lucky break. It is important with founders to make them as comfortable as possible so they can move and heal. I have found the Cavallo boots help me accomplish this so that the feet are protected while they heal. I add soft rubber pad inserts and the horses can finally walk and start the healing process. I hope this article gives your readers hope and knowledge that horses can come back from founder and live happy, healthy lives and be ridden again.
Happy Trails,
Marianne Allen
Advanced Natural Hoofcare
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida