3. Flicka's Journey - Hoof and Nutritional Care

Amanda cleaning the hoof and measuring temperature.

On Saturday, the stars aligned and my long term hoof care specialist, Bob Laye arrived right after Amanda Kroeker of ARK nutrition had started evaluating Flicka.  Check out her website: ARK Nutrition.  Amanda had been working with me since 2008 to manage my horses nutrition in as natural way as possible while also giving the herd as much freedom to forage and run in their river valley as possible. I watched the two specialists and just held my pony as they evaluated and shared knowledge of hoof care and nutrition . . .

The good news according to Amanda and Bob, is that Flicka had been self correcting with each “sugar rich laminitic episode”, her body was really trying to help itself despite the wrong diet, inconsistent of hoof care and lack of exercise over the last few years.  (Horses find high sugars in fresh spring grass, especially mid to late in the day during growing season, and they get it if their owner feeds them any grains such as oats and barley, hay with alfalfa in it, or gives them access to straw even for bedding.).  Amanda observed that fat was evenly deposited throughout the pony's body, with the obvious thick fatty deposit on the crest of the neck.  Founder yes, but no metabolic disorder which would manifest itself with odd fat deposits behind the shoulder and on the rump.

Nutritionist shares . . .

Hoof Care Specialist shares . . .

Although her kidneys were hard, and on the 1 - 9 condition scale where 9 is severely obese, Flicka scored 8; she was however, much to my relief, not a lost cause, (nowhere near a lost cause in fact, after I checked out some website  testimonials showing laminitis rehabilitation).
Bob recommends reading Australian researcher Chris Pollit's website.
http://www.laminitisresearch.org/chrispollitt_whatislaminitis.htm

Flicka's first 4 years were known to me.  Flicka was the special project of Catherine Thompson, a Long Rider who mentored with a talented lady in Saskatchewan learning all she could about natural hoof care and natural horsemanship. http://studiofiain.blogspot.ca/p/long-rider.html
I believe, because of 4 years of health and high quality care, the pony was able to show incredible resilience to the later years.

Flicka's front feet before the trim.

Right side (left front) done, it is so satisfying!

I am so happy to have my hoof care specialist and nutritionist finally meet!

A natural hoof care specialist can tell where the coffin bone is sitting by looking at the lateral grooves and studying the angle of the leg.  Bob had me walk Flicka so he could study her movement with the excessive hoof growth.  Shortly after, with Amanda looking over his shoulder, he got to work on the left front.  You could see the “white” lamellae stretched like “bubble gum” trying to keep the hoof wall attached.  It was separated, mild to medium severity founder; the coffin bone very close to the outer edge of the sole, and the angle so bad that Flicka was indeed walking on the tip toe of the coffin bone, her knees locked, her muscles adapted to an unnatural stance.  Another fortunate observation was noted, the feet were trying to mend, and while they had recently abscessed, they were presently cool in temperature.

Amanda uses an infrared sensor to measure the heat in each foot during an assessment.  She also reads the rings in the hoof wall like a forester reads the rings in a tree.  Horses naturally relax near her, they know she is there to make sure their hind gut is working, they are obtaining the correct micronutrients and mineral to support their workload, their health, and to correct any issues that have developed.

You can see the separated hoof filled with the white lamela stretched, about half an inch thick.

Bob did a founder set up trim, he did not trim right down, this is a gradual and specialized process.  He is returning in 4 weeks to continue to set up the hoof.

It was so satisfying for me to watch two specialists work together as they should since nutrition and hoof care are indeed inseparable. And, so good to know the pony mare has a good outlook of recovery for the future.

Flicka walking just after all feet are trimmed I already see a difference.

copyright Windy Coulee Canadian Horses - Heidi Eijgel