Honey is a horse that lots of folks have tried to help. She had a 'big lick" gait and was probably shod and padded up before my clients bought her. As a result, she's got severe arthritis, especially in her right front. High heels and several types of shoes were tried. On top of her arthritis, Honey has also foundered several times. I was able to bring her hooves back into balance. She lost the one inch band of heat she had in the top of her hoof, but still, there was something wrong as she was still sore. Her owner got x-rays, which was when they discovered the arthritis. The vet prescribed shoes (of course), and a much higher heel, which did not work. Her future is uncertain, but she is one of the reasons I'm am so adamant about the responsibility we have as horse owners not to damage our horses just to serve our vanity. Honey is not the only former "big lick" horse I've trimmed. Few have fared much better. One of these days, maybe those horse owners who get their jollies out of strapping weighted blocks of crap to their horses hooves so they can prance around for "pleasure" classes, "(although I doubt the horse would consider it a "pleasure"") will have a change of heart..and actually care about the damage they are doing. Right now they know they are doing it and don't care. It's outrageous.
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| Honey, Nov. 6th, before trim |
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| After trim, Nov. 6th |
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| After trim, Nov. 20th |
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