Case Study: Mack
Background:

• 12 year old Percheron gelding
• Adopted from a pheresis facility 3 years ago
• He had limited exercise
• Living in a herd with approximately 50 other horses
• Feed mainly hay and grass in the summer months
• He had routine farrier trims

• Large toe crack on his left front hoof, approximately 2 inches long, almost reaching the coronet band
• His hooves all suffered from chipping and breaking even a few weeks after each trim
• Closer examination showed his hoof walls on both front feet were separated half way up the hoof from white line disease
• Shoes were not an option for correcting the splits because there was nothing to nail to

• After a regular training program was started, Mack began having rotating lameness in both front feet along with chipping and splitting, which delayed his training for days
• He was put on a hoof supplement with no results
• 5 months of normal farrier trims had no impact
• His personality changed, he became spooky, edgy and hard to handle
• He refused at times to walk to us in the pasture
• Clearly, we needed a new approach

• We began routine hoof soaks of tea tree oil and organic apple cider vinegar and warm water to kill the bacteria and clean out the cracks and crevices (3 times a week minimum)
• In between soaks his hooves were picked, cleaned, and sprayed with tea tree oil and vinegar
• His heel height was lowered to 3.5 centimeters, excess growth of the sole and bar were removed
• Diseased frog was removed
• Diet changed to eliminate excess sugar and increase protein: from senior processed feed to crimped oats and black oil sunflowers seeds
• Hay was increased so he could forage all day
• Regular maintenance trims were done every two weeks to keep the overgrowth down and keep the pressure off of the hoof wall, allowing reattachment of laminae and coffin bone
• Easy boots were fitted and used during the winter months for protection from the hard ground
• After 6 months of a full rehabilitation program, Mack was able to resume working

• During the wet conditions his feet are sprayed with a tea tree oil and vinegar solution
• Easy boots are used when we are riding on stony areas

• Kim bought Hero in June of 2008, he weighed approximately 800 lbs
• His feet were in fair to poor condition
• His overall health was questionable as he was severely underweight

• Poor condition feet
• Shoes were recommended
• He did not like the farrier - he was petrified and had to be drugged each time his feet were done

• Jeff Eddy explained the barefoot trim and we started with that in the spring of 2009
• After the first trim Hero was much more comfortable with getting his feet done and now he stands like the perfect gentleman for Jeff

• In September 2009 Hero started to be intermittently lame - great one day then off the next
• After 4 weeks of random lameness, he was x-rayed and diagnosed him with Navicular
• The Veterinarian recommended shoes with a 3 inch wedge and a regiment of bute and isoxiprine for 30 days, then a report on progress

• This treatment plan was discussed with Jeff and his instructor, Lisa Huhn, they both felt that raising his heel would make the problem worse not better, and transfer the pain from the heel to the toe
• We decided to continue with the barefoot trim with adjustments to rehabilitate the foot.
• Hero was taken off of Bute after 30 days

• Jeff trims Hero’s feet every 4 weeks
• Hero remains on isoxiprine for the blood flow and has been sound and going better than ever