one year later....he is finally sound. I think.

bit · one year later....he is finally sound. I think.

It's been a year since Gunner devoloped an abscess which went up towards his coronary band, and not down to his sole. You can see where it stops, because you can see the dark bit left to grow out. Kelsey throws thrush buster in the opening when she puts on the eponas, so it stains the opening purple and you can see it through the hoof. I was too sick to work him the other day, so I asked Kelsey if she would. I sat there watching him move, and for the first time, he's moving like he feels good. Not sore, exuberant, happy, big strides, no hesitation at all.
I don't know what he'd move like without his epona's, but he'll not have to find out. I intend to keep him in them from now on. Just the fronts, but he's in shoes from now on. It's been a long road to healing him. Not just eponas, but also diet. No grain, and a very expensive hoof supplement. I'm not sure I would have been able to figure any of this out without Kelsey. Poor kid has had to learn how to shoe a horse because of Gunner. Not something I think she would ever choose to do because it is so hard on her back. I didn't know if he'd ever be ok. He had rotation, he had thrush, he had poor hoof condition, he had Kelsey. Thank God.
Looking forward to a great year of riding, and hopefully healthy horses. It's such a relief to see him moving without carefully placing that foot.

appellativo

Yaaay!

Kim Cassidy

Another YAAAAY..

Also if he is sound, and you are still using the glue, you might want to save some money and just try the IM and Nailing on the shoe. Makes it easier to do a reset as well.

Good for you!

bit

Kelsey had new shoes on him a few days ago, and he's already lost one. I had the other pulled, and he's cruzing around bare foot right now. Some inflamation in three feet, but trimmer said it was probably from grass last summer and is just now growing out. He appears sound, but I think I will have to shoe him to ride him. No epona farriers around right now, unless new farrier will put them on for me. I will have to ask him.

Kim Cassidy

I am sooo glad I shoe my own

Good luck I hope you can find someone who can work with you.

bit

Hey Kim, Farrier was willing to give it a try, but I am sending Gunner up to Iowa for 30 days, and if he throws a shoe, there won't be an epona person to reapply them. I'm going with a tradtional shoe with pads, for now. When Gunner gets home in the middle of June, I'll have the new set of epona's ready, give the dvd to Dean to check out, and we'll try the epona's again. Right now, I want him to be comfortable. He's chipping a bit on his fronts, so have farrier scheduled for this Friday. Gunner is on a great hoof supplement, so hoping that the bit that is chipping is from "before" and we'll see a better hoof once he has completely grown out his hoof. It is nice to see him moving well, barefoot. I rode him yesterday in the indoor, and it's the best ride I've ever had on him.