11/15/08

Spot

Spot, 14.3 hands (on his tall days!), 14 yrs. old, 1000lbs., Leopard Appaloosa (Quarter horse)

Occupation: Dressage, Pleasure trail horse, Owner: Liz, Wappingers Falls, NY

Spot came to me with severely contracted heels; shoes all around.  Shoes way too small at the time of purchase.  We immediately pulled his shoes, but ran into some difficulties initially.  When we turned Spot out on the rocky dry lot, he was so sore, he wouldn't move, even to defend himself.  I moved him over to a private paddock and booted him for the first 2 weeks, taking care to ensure that there was no moisture build-up in the boots.  This paddock wasn't rocky or hard, but muddy.  When I removed the boots, he seemed fine, but the mud 24/7 didn't help the situation.  He was a bit sore when I rode him in a sand ring, even with booting in the front.  Moved to the new facility with limited turnout and 20 hours of stall confinement each day.  But, he went outside with Donatello and they played...well, Spot played! There were some days that he was fine in the ring without boots, and other days when I needed them  Then torn suspensory ligament ended that phase and he was stall rested for 6 weeks until he basically exploded and we turned him out again.  6 months later, the suspensory ligament had healed, and he was back to light dressage work...very little at a time.  No boots at all even at the beginning and he was fine.  Two months later, I brought him and Donatello over to the final stable with extended turnout, and he has been fine.  I have never booted him in the rings for dressage work.  But he is going cross country much of the time.  No jumping for him, but he travels the same terrain as my pace horse.  In the early spring I booted him to ease him into the trail work, but when I took off Donatello's boots, Spot's came off as well.  Not one problem.  Spot is very opinionated and defiant, so he will demand to take a certain path over rough terrain, but he never hesitates to move forward due to conditions.  He has never chipped, not initially, and not now.  And those contracted heels?  You would never know there was ever an issue! With it being mid July and the ground being so hard, he tells me that he isn't pleased to go down the gravel roads.  So I am patient with him and allow him the freedom to carefully choose how to proceed and to walk on the very edge despite the thorny brush that rubs up against my bare arms.  I have a responsibility to keep him healthy and safe.  I don't ignore the ground and I don't ignore signals from my horses.  I walk when my horses tell me, even if others are racing along.  I'll catch up...I always do! My horses don't come back with abscesses, stone bruises or lameness.  Since going barefoot, I haven't experienced any foot problems.

Spot has been barefoot for just over 18 months.  I would say that his transition took less than 1 year, despite stall rest and heel issues.