FROM FOUNDER TO SOUND
Howdy Friends! Trimmed Rosie this morning as she munched her hay. She has surely come a long way in 40 months. From foundered, overgrown feet to positively perfect feet today!
A lot of things went into rebuilding these perfect feet, diet (Including Kiss Trace Minerals), targeted exercise,-and- Doc Thomas’ Chinese Herbs. And of course precise trimming.
In the beginning it was no fun.
It takes serious trims to pull feet back from collapse. Rosie had eight founder rings in her hoof wall in the beginning!) But look here friends – It darn sure can be done. And I believe every time.
To have a totally healthy barefooted horse (and all my friends know it is my absolute belief all horses should be barefoot) we should trim every 10 to 14 days. Just a light rasp around the outside and only touch that which we are removing. Took me about 8 minutes this morning.
Leave the bottom alone!
Nope, I don’t touch the sole, the frog, the heels. In fact nothing on the bottom. (To be fair, at first with Rosie I had to cut the heels back they were so far underslung. And the heels took work for the first 20 months or so.) But in the sound maintenance trim, don’t need to touch the heels. “If the toe is correct the heels take care of themselves.”
Why trim so often?
Because bare feet grow fast! Healthy blood flow! AND when the toe or side wall get the LEAST bit out there it stretches the lamina. And that opens the door to abscesses, thrush, founder, weak hoofwalls and other undesirables. Read more in my book, It’s For The Horses.
I truly believe every horse owner can, and should, learn to trim their own horses. Sound maintenance trim is easy to master. Read more “Tips” for trimming your barefoot horse here.
So, go bare, and trim often! For the health of your horse!
~ Gitty up, Dutch.
MORE ABOUT FOUNDER HERE: A FOUNDER PROTOCOL
READ MORE ABOUT ROSIE HERE: HEALING A HORSE: ROSIE UPDATE: DSLD, FOUNDER and MORE: AND HERE: SHE’LL NEVER BE RIDDEN:
Have you ever dealt with a horse with wry feet? I’ve been working on a mare for years. Can’t remember how long. In the process she foundered. Almost there, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for your inspiration.
Howdy Hull! Keep up the good work! Diet (Very basic) exercise, careful trimming, exercise,avoid all chemicals and toxins, that’s all it takes