In the world of horse ownership and horseshoeing disasters do happen. The following story is one of which you would not want to experience.

I received a phone call from an old client (I’m a horseshoer) the other day asking me if I’d come out to work on her horses. The story was that her Farrier had made her horses quite sore during his last visit. Before this story unfolds much farther I should mention this woman (the old client of mine) has been winning shows and cutting with her horses for years- her horses are moderately expensive, she paid 10,000$ each and she has been a horse person for the better part of 25 years. So the story was her horses had been quite sore due to the last trimming by the Farrier.

I showed up to help with her horses as they are now just recovering and ready for shoeing again. As I began working on the horses I was told more about how the horses were made sore. The horses were more than just sore I was told. In fact the horses (two of the 5) had become so sore they wouldn’t even stand on their feet and instead chose to only lie on the ground. The horses lying on the ground didn’t happen for just the day this lingered and lingered.

The Veterinarian was promptly called out and my client had been informed that if she wanted to save these horses she would need to administer anti-inflammatory and pain medications for starters. She was also told she would need to get these horses up on their feet so she could ice pack the feet. These horses’ feet had been trimmed so short they couldn’t even stand.

Not for days but for “Weeks” my client had twice a day ice packed both of the horses. Somehow she managed to get the horses to stand long enough to put the water and ice into the bags that were wrapped around the lower leg and foot – but the horses would quickly lie back down – but it was just enough time to get the ice pack done.

The vet warned that the icing shouldn’t be done for more than ½ hour or too much contraction would be put on the ligaments and that the coffin bone of the foot would most likely rotate. For days the icing continued – for days my client had worried if the horses were to be permanently ruined, her horses that had won contests – her horses that had been so highly trained, and both lying flat on their sides.

I was told the horses were severely lame for over two months. I was told so much work went into the rehabilitation of these horses my clients back went out in the process from all the work involved. The money spent on the medications, the money spent on Epsom salts every day twice a day for two months, the baby diapers that were used to hold the ice and the wraps that followed. My client told me she went to bed many times crying and asking herself how could she have let such a thing happen – the self blame hitting hard.

The work continued until after just over 8 weeks the horses finally started to look like they were going to recover. That’s why I was asked to come out and work on the horses, as they were now after 10 weeks finally able to be shod again. No way would the Farrier who was responsible for all the pain and suffering of the horses be allowed to return.

What I had a hard time believing was how after 10 weeks the horses feet were still so short. In several cases the feet looked short enough that there was basically “No Growth”, I just can’t imagine how short the feet must have been, but obviously it was severe.

As short as these horses were the toes of the feet were still much too far forward and out in front, so severely so it was obviously stretching the deep flexor tendon even while the horses just stood.

My works commenced but not before a thorough explanation of all the principles of horseshoeing that are necessary to correctly shoe horses. My client after hearing everything explained was amazed. Her eyes had been opened – opened to the truth. What she found out were things she never heard of before or even ever was aware of until I told her. For my client it was truly one of those light bulb moments. No longer would she have to rely with blind trust what other Farriers might tell her – now she knows the truth.

Who would have thought after all her 25 years with horses such a vital piece of the necessary information regarding horses and horses feet would have remained a mystery to her? For my client that’s all behind her now and another doorway to advanced horsemanship has been opened for her.

To close this story I want to mention the farrier that caused the near destruction of the horses is a Farrier that I know. He’s a Farrier that has been shoeing horses for over 20 years. The moral of the story is “There’s no substitute for knowledge and the truth”. If you want to guarantee you are doing the utmost for your horses feet you simply need the truth and it must be proven.

When you decide you want the truth and a “Proven” method of horseshoeing with a 16 year 100% track record “Not One Single Lame Horse” simply click the website address below in the author bio. There are two kinds of people – those that do and those that don’t and those who know and those who don’t. Which one will you be? Remember the horses depend on it.

Author Bio: John Silveira, Farrier, Aikido practitioner, spiritualist, born and raised in San Mateo California the bay area. For information on his shoeing method and the 100% track record just go to Care4Horses.com Care4Horses.com and leave contact information.
thank you and remember to Care4Horses

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