02/02/2023
❇️OLLIES HOOFS❇️
the symptom that fuels my learning and sharing about whole horse wellness.
🔘In 2016 when I took ownership of Ollie-the SCREAMING symptom of “lameness” was laminitis.
🔘Ollies hoofs taught me 3 main lessons:
1️⃣HOOF=FOUNDATION
No hoof, no horse. It’s the foundation of equine health.
2️⃣LAMINITIS=HOOF INFLAMMATION and chronic cases can result in coffin bone loss which affects potential sole depth
3️⃣SOLE DEPTH is required for callus building comfort and depends on coffin bone concavity
👆🏼I didn’t learn ALL of this while he was still with us unfortunately BUT I am lucky enough to keep learning from him NOW and share my discoveries with others.
🔘After a few bouts of laminitis and efforts to prevent it-I acquired hoof X-rays that reassured the sole depth was dangerously thin.
🔘We worked very diligently on his nutritional needs, environmental conditions and hoof care with all the people who knew and loved Ollie to provide “all he needed” to grow that sole!
🔘Over time, his sole depth actually got thinner(see X-rays)which led me to learn one of his most valuable teachings…
✳️LAMINITIS isn’t always grass or metabolic related.
I had ALL the tests ran over and over.
I restricted his grass almost 💯 to just “safe” grazing hours of the day.
I provided him with 24/7 hay access in a herd living on a track.
❇️Then came extensive diagnostics from head to tail to try and find out where this inflammatory problem was originating and what/if I could help him.
🔘After X-rays and ultrasounds, we discovered a deteriorating meniscus of his right hind.
We injected every supporting joint more than once to bring relief to no avail.
🔘I knew that Ollie had been involved in a trailer accident as a 3 year old(15 when he came to me and 20 when I lost him)and sustained injuries from it but never knew the extent….until I found him falling.
🔘He was sleep deprived and falling flat on his right side-every time sending an inflammatory response through his body that would settle down to his hoofs. (Discovered via surveillance cameras)
✳️I’m pretty convinced Ollie had been experiencing this cycle for most of his life-I just took the time to peel the layers back and find out why.
💚My beloved hoof care provider was able to obtain Ollie’s feet when he passed so the we could keep learning.
❇️The coffin bone has no concavity and had quite a bit of bone loss around the edges.
💚This means:
•he would never have been able to grow that sole depth to be comfortable.
•I did all I literally could for him and allowed him to pass with dignity and go on to educate, future vets, fellow pros, new students and be my driving force to never stop.
💚Never stop helping people help horses.
