Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Wisky arrives at REHRC

Wisky is an 11 year old Saddlebred mare. Her owner, Eric, called Friday evening to explain that he just didn't know what else to do to help his mare.

Eric explained that her troubles started with a cut to her pastern caused by a coming into contact with a metal building. That was 2 years ago. I imagine over-weighting her other front leg while the injured leg was healing, started a mechanical founder situation.

Several farriers were called in over that 2 year period to try helping her condition with shoes and each attempt was as futile as the last. Until, the owner, Eric, frustrated and heart-broken could not find anyone willing to try helping her.

Eric explained that he had hit the wall of hope trying to find help for his cherished little mare. He wasn't sure if he should continue with the expensive fixes that different farriers had been trying on her, or make the heart wrenching decision to end her suffering.

Upon my suggestion that he bring Wisky to the REHRC and give me 2 months to evaluate and work on her, he agreed to haul her in that next morning.

Eric and Wisky arrived as planned Saturday morning. Even though Rich and I were due to attend a weekend long open house at Dr Dick and Kathy Vetter’s new clinic, at least at some point during the weekend I could evaluate her. Neighbor's were asked to check on her while we were gone during the day.

Wisky's Hooves






I have to admit that I wasn't quite prepared for her hooves to be in this condition, but this is where she is, so this is where we will start.

With this picture, I was trying to show the apparent stress on her extensor tendons resulting from the balancing act she'd been doing on this set of shoes.


The Plan: Evaluate Wisky's condition and see just what she needs as far as her diet changes, pain management, boot choice and size. She will be deshod and trimmed and once booted, we'll go from there.

Please keep Wisky in your thoughts and prayer's. She's going to all she can get.

1 comment:

restoration42 said...

FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!! I don't know which is more criminal - the damage from the actual shoes and pads, or charging for it.