Meet Amber. She is a sweet, older mare who lives near Greencastle with her other animal and human friends. Her owner, Ginny, writes about her ....
My 29 year old mare lived with a large crack in the front middle of her foreleg hoof for 3 years. The trimmer at that time kept insisting it was white line disease, and that I was to keep cleaning the crack and as long as it did not split up into the wall it would be fine. I was reassured continually that it was very common and many horses in this area had the same problem. I was frustrated beyond belief. I knew this wasn't right and I hated to see her hoof that way. Even as a first-time horse owner, I could see myself that the shape her feet was very wrong. It did not cause lameness but I feared eventually it would.
A dear friend recommended that I call June. June had been her trimmer for awhile and my friend was thrilled with the improvement in her own horse's feet since June started visiting her farm. I called and June began to trim Amber as she believed to be correct and natural. I learned that it was not white line disease, it was actually a case of her poor hooves not being trimmed short enough. Over 3 years her toes had been allowed to grow gradually ever so long by her previous trimmer. Each trim, more and more hoof was not being taken off. Towards the end of the situation, the trimmer was taking of a tiny edge around the hoof, leaving the giant crack in the middle for me to "keep cleaning". Simply put, not enough hoof was being taken off. The hoof wall was splitting in the middle to adapt and relieve the leverage pressure on the top of her foot.
Fast forward 2 years, and Amber has the nicest hooves on the block. Her feet are appropriately sized, healthy, and NO CRACKS! It has been an amazing turn-around, with a happy ending. Thanks June! October, 2015
A dear friend recommended that I call June. June had been her trimmer for awhile and my friend was thrilled with the improvement in her own horse's feet since June started visiting her farm. I called and June began to trim Amber as she believed to be correct and natural. I learned that it was not white line disease, it was actually a case of her poor hooves not being trimmed short enough. Over 3 years her toes had been allowed to grow gradually ever so long by her previous trimmer. Each trim, more and more hoof was not being taken off. Towards the end of the situation, the trimmer was taking of a tiny edge around the hoof, leaving the giant crack in the middle for me to "keep cleaning". Simply put, not enough hoof was being taken off. The hoof wall was splitting in the middle to adapt and relieve the leverage pressure on the top of her foot.
Fast forward 2 years, and Amber has the nicest hooves on the block. Her feet are appropriately sized, healthy, and NO CRACKS! It has been an amazing turn-around, with a happy ending. Thanks June! October, 2015
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