Dear Sir,
My 3 year old niece and 5 year old nephew were given a 2 year old pony in
December 2006. We have let him roam freely in the pasture, but I have noticed he is
experiencing some difficulty with ambulation. His hooves appear to need
trimming but my Daddy (an old farmer) thinks he is foundered. I am a nurse and
have experience with humans but must admit have no knowledge of equine species.
The pony's original owners were looking for a home with kids who would have more
time to spend with the animal and he is actually a very sweet and very kind
pony. My Daddy states there is no treatment for "founder" except trimming of
the hooves, and the pony will probable always be "lame". Surely if we have
techniques that replace a man's heart we must have some treatment that can help
alleviate the discomfort this animal is experiencing. Some one advised me you
were a horse expert. I hope you can take a few moments to offer some advice and
guidance of what we should do next.
Thank you for your time,
S
Hi S,
Mostly
it's important to find someone knowledgeable with natural hoof care in your
area. Many of the websites out there have lists of trimmers. Do a computer
search for "barefoot trimmer" and see what you come up with. Only two years
old, I'd bet a good amount that you'll be able to get the pony back on the road
to health and soundness.
Dr.
TT
get that pony off of the green grass and keep him in a dirt paddock with low starch hay and no grain!!!! they are finding that fat pony disease as it's often called is due to insulin issues caused by too food also get a good farrier
Posted by: sam | September 28, 2008 at 07:21 AM