Pat Cleveland
Foundered Horse Hoof
With holistic support, a horse with founder can recover from this life-threatening condition. Long toes and contracted heels led to Mechanical Founder, which was initially hidden by shoes and pads.
The owner, after losing 2 horses to conventional founder treatment, decided to try a Holistic approach – no shoes, no drugs.
Right front foot -- where we started.
(Right) Angles are changing.
The coffin bones started to change angles. These changes occurred with the use of holistic and alternative therapies to care for founder.
9 months later his soles started to heal the holes.
VIEWED FROM THE BOTTOM
Long to
Pat Cleveland
Bottom of Founderd hoof
e, a sole that has not been cleaned out, contractions of the heels and frog, and poor blood circulation resulted in stretching, the toe creating too much pressure on the coffin bone and the navicular site.
As the angles of the hoof change, the frog gets ready to spread, the walls and sole split open to allow the coffin bone to redefine its natural position.
Constant therapeutic care involving essential oils, LED hoof boots, soaker boots, massage, acupuncture, chiropractics and daily exercise assisted the growth of new feet.
Abscessing is a good thing, clearing the foot of old scar tissue and toxins, while thinning the foot’s surfaces to allow changes to occur.
Trims occurred as needed, sometimes every 3-4 days, other times once every 2 weeks.
The bottom falls out in March five months after we started this founder therapy. This is where most conventional founders worsen. Holistic Equine Husbandry, homeopathic, and alternative therapies are responsible for this progression of the healing without infection. It hurts, but no infection!
We used no drugs except Epsom salt soaks while this very painful period progressed. The hoof needs to split allowing the foot bones to correct their position. Assisted by keeping the body alignment straight and centered over the leg joints, the bone positions will self-correct.
The right front foot was damaged the worst and is still redefining the angle of the coffin bone. There is lots of sole and the toe is working back.
After one year of healing, this horse walks, trots, and canters on his own!
Pat Cleveland
Full hoof bottom
Is it painful? Absolutely. By chewing hay 24-hours a day, this horse dealt with his pain. He is alive today because of his courage, the owner’s involvement, and the natural process to heal that alternative therapeutic care supported.