Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Maintenance, Movement and Management!

So you want healthy, strong hooves connected to the legs of a sound & happy horse... Well you need the 3m's Maintenance, Movement and Management.

So my job is the Maintenance - this means regular hoof care, I am needed to Trim/Shoe the horse allowing the horse to do its job. I need to "read" the horses movement and bio-mechanics to determine the best care method to use.  Then I need to monitor the horses hoof growth and schedule my visits according to this growth.

Movement - well this may be the most important "M"  and it is the owners job!  Regular exercise/movement is absolutely critical to hoof growth. The hoof is very dynamic and the more the horse moves the more the hooves will grow & support themselves telling me how to maintain them.

Finally we have Management - this is also the job of the owner.  This job is also critical to the entire system working.  Management is the regular handling of the horses hooves, picking them cleaning and checking for bacteria & thrush.  Daily cleaning, weekly treating for thrush and dressing the hoof wall's lets you stay in front of any issues and be able to get me out quickly if something is needed to keep the horse "moving."  Also this regular management will make the Farrier very happy because your horse will be used to the regular handling and will stand patiently for its regular "Maintenance" visit.

J-PDR

The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.
- voltaire



Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Using the Hoof-It Natural Flex Horseshoes.

So I have been using and stocking the Hoof-It Natural Flex Horseshoes for my unique & theraputic pathological issues.

These shoes can be glued on or nailed, I have done both at different times and for different reason but they do work very well in either fashion.  In this particular case I glued them on...


Here you can see that my helper is applying the HOOF-IT 3-in-1 Hoof Glue to the bottom of the shoe. Before I applied this glue I had pre-shaped the Natural Flex shoe to the hoof. this was an easy process of trimming the foot and then outlining the shoe to desired shape and then nipping/grinding the shape to provide he support/protection needed.


Using the "cradle" of my Hoof-It 2-n-1 Hoof Stand I support the hoof and apply my shaped shoe and apply pressure for about 60 secs to allow the glue to cure.


Here is the finished product...  This horse really appreciated the heel support these Natural Flex Horseshoes provided!  I will continue to use these shoes and hoepefully will update you on cases that I've used them on.

J-PDR

www.painteddranch.com

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Massage for better hoof growth!!!


equineproductsllc.com
A complete physiotherapy system that maintains the health and wellbeing of your horse. Niagara Equissage promotes healing and shortens recovery time from injuries such as pulled muscles, ligaments and tendons; laminitis and foot problems caused by poor circulation.

I have had great experience with this product on a variety of horses!  Contact me if you have any questions or would like to see a demonstration of this product.

J-PDR



HOOF-IT 3-in-1 Hoof Glue™


Here is another product I use regularly. Any Farrier, Trainer, Vet or Horse owner will find this very useful to have in the tack room or trailer.
3-in-1 Hoof Glue™ is a polyurethane (PU) based, semi-transparent adhesive designed for hooves. 3-in-1 Hoof Glue™ has the following unique features:
  • Easy to Use
  • Dries Quickly
  • Great Adhesion
  • Ideal for all types of Hooves
  • Can be used with Mixing Tips
  • Can also be Mixed by Hand in Small Amounts 
  


J-PDR

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Using the HOOF-IT Stand

So I have partnered up with a great company Hoof-It and I have been using lots of the products and especially the Hoof-It  2-in-1 Stand!
The hoof stand is a vital piece of equipment for any Farrier/Trainer/Owner/Vet!  This tool allows the user to have a sturdy stable cradle to place a hoof into for cleaning/trimming/treating all while not having to carry or support the weight yourself.  Also with the flip of a quick release lever you can drop the cradle and move to a cushioned post for finishing your trim or just a bit of stretching and patience. 

There are 3 different sizes available, I have been using the jr. and love it.  I rarely shoe draft breeds but the jr. has fit my needs for all types of horses I encounter in my Farrier route.  Please contact me via email at jason@painteddranch.com or visit the Hoof-It website for more information or to purchase one.

Also be on the look out for a video tutorial of me using this tool and showing its many benefits.