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 "Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
  
Location: Iowa, LA | It's been forever since I've posted photos of Jug's feet! I've been working every single night with only a handful of days off since August and I'm exhausted..but wanted to show some pics I took today. He's still 100 % sound and NO HEEL PAIN!!! The only reason I have not been riding on a regular basis is because of my work schedule, but he's getting put on the walker when I can and ridden some. I'm soooo ready to get him in good shape so we can start working barrels, but my job is killing me!
So, I'll start with photos from a year ago when he had his last shoes and then show you today's photos. And for those who don't know Jug's story, I'll copy this from my original barefoot thread that is now archived:
Chronically lame 10 yr old gelding with laminitis/MRI confirmed navicular/long toe/low heel/contracted heels/crushed & underrun heels/thin soles. Has had shoes on since before I bought him at 3 1/2 yrs old and every vet said he COULD NOT go without shoes due to his thin soles. I never knew what I'd see when I walked out to catch him. Usually had a slight on/off limp. Tried 3 different shoers and went to 56899532 vets with multiple x-rays and a confirmed negative palmer angle on left front and right front flat at 0 degrees. Second shoer did get the negative palmer to go back to 0 degrees and right front to go positive. Third shoer was the most aggressive, but only worked on him twice before I decided to pull the shoes. Had his first barefoot trim on Sept 27, 2012 (about 2 1/2 months ago?). Has not taken ONE lame step since pulling shoes. Was slightly gimpy over rocks and hard-packed clay for the first two weeks or so. Now moves completely fine over all of my ground here at home and it has been dry as a bone until a this week. Rides fine with or without boots/pads. I was riding him for up to 2 hours a day ponying other horses and he was holding up perfect, but I am NOT competing on him due to thin soles and damaged feet until they completely grow out.
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 jugleft712.jpg (54KB - 313 downloads)
jugright712.jpg (59KB - 242 downloads)
71512jugleftheel1.jpg (50KB - 260 downloads)
jugrback712.jpg (62KB - 254 downloads)
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | And today's pictures:
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rightfrontside.jpg (50KB - 257 downloads)
leftfrontside.jpg (46KB - 255 downloads)
rearview.jpg (51KB - 261 downloads)
rightbtm.jpg (49KB - 254 downloads)
leftbtm.jpg (48KB - 251 downloads)
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  Potato Soup Queen
Location: Alabama | WOW!!! What a huge difference!!! So happy to see nice feet on a horse for a change, congrats to you for listening and doing the right thing by your horse!  |
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | Farrierlady - 2013-11-23 12:30 PM WOW!!! What a huge difference!!! So happy to see nice feet on a horse for a change, congrats to you for listening and doing the right thing by your horse!
Thank you so much for your help!
That left heel did contract for a while because he suffered a huge, long term abscess on his right rear heel (thats the only reason I can think that it had uncontracted and then re-contracted), but it's now un-contracting again. He's mostly turned out and I was wanting to leg him back up this summer, but after having a trimmer read his MRI results she encourgaged me to give him more time to heal those soft tissue injuries he had within the feet. Then I got busy at work and now it's been just over a year since we pulled his shoes. So, hopefully I've given him enough time to safely go back to hard riding?? LOL I'm soooo ready because he feels so good and is moving beautifully. |
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Potato Soup Queen
Location: Alabama | I would start riding him, yes. He's had plenty of time to heal and just start slow. Great job! |
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 Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
 
Location: ND | His feet look GREAT!!!!! |
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 Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving |  Beautiful feet. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
| D-ang!! Good job and I bet a very happy horse!!!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 631
Location: Somewhere in N.C. | Beautiful! love barefoot feet! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 320
Location: Dubuque,IA | Amen think of the thousands of horses out there that could be helped the same way.. There is a magazine for barefoot called The Horses Hoof and they would LOVE to see those pics and that story!!! |
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | raisinrox - 2013-11-23 6:12 PM Amen think of the thousands of horses out there that could be helped the same way.. There is a magazine for barefoot called The Horses Hoof and they would LOVE to see those pics and that story!!!
I think I'm connected to them on FB! Let me check! |
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 Certified Snake Wrangler
Posts: 1672
Location: North MS | Great trimmer who did an awesome job. Just the rear view showing those happy heels are great. |
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 The BHW Book Worm
Posts: 1768
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | This is my favorite comparison with his left front heel! It really shows how that hairline went from a deep "V" to nearly ground level. No wonder those heels were hurting so bad!
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71512jugleftheel1.jpg (50KB - 247 downloads)
jugheel413.jpg (50KB - 264 downloads)
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 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
Location: NC | |
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 Crazy Chicken Chick
Posts: 36132
| annemarea - 2013-11-24 7:38 AM This is my favorite comparison with his left front heel! It really shows how that hairline went from a deep "V" to nearly ground level. No wonder those heels were hurting so bad!
Wow, can sure see why he had heel pain!!! Great job!!!!!!! I wish I had your farrier here... |
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA |
LOL! I had no idea what feet were SUPPOSED to look like or MOVE like. He's got the most beautiful movement now! Love watching him flick that foot forward and landing so smooth on his heels! Nothing like he used to move! Live and learn! |
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | raisinrox - 2013-11-23 6:12 PM Amen think of the thousands of horses out there that could be helped the same way.. There is a magazine for barefoot called The Horses Hoof and they would LOVE to see those pics and that story!!!
Oh, it really makes me sick now....when I look at feet. And when I hear of all these "navicular" diagnosed horses! I think, wow, wonder what would happen if they just gave them some time to grow out those feet WITHOUT shoes and WITHOUT injections/surgeries. But I know most are just like I was, and follow what their vets are telling them...."Oh NO WAY can we let him go without shoes!" Well, sure....if you don't boot them and help them along....it will be excrutiating for them...but boy, what a difference you can make in their lives AND your pocketbook!!! LOL |
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | And just to remind you guys of how bad he once looked... when all the board members were screaming "GET A NEW FARRIER!!!" I sure thought all those pads and wedges were gonna help him, but only helped him short-term!
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frontfeet1.1.jpg (54KB - 257 downloads)
frontfeet1.1left.jpg (55KB - 243 downloads)
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | A comparison I did on my phone. Top photo is at 2 months barefoot, middle photo is at 9 months barefoot, and bottom photo is at 13 months barefoot.
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2913right2.jpg (39KB - 261 downloads)
2913left2.jpg (39KB - 248 downloads)
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