Update: Pony goes home for the second time!! Pony went home this fall where his Mom is riding him several times per week! I'm so glad that Pony's run-in with the gate, and subsequent re-foundering did not cause him lasting harm! See details below. Here is a recent video of Pony playing at home:
Pony is a Welsh/Arabian/Appaloosa gelding who
originally foundered in 2004. He came to
Daisy Haven Farm, Inc. in March 2005 for foot rehabilitation. At that time Pony had been diagnosed with
Cushings Disease and had been laminitic for over 8
months. He was facing euthanasia due to chronic pain. He
was on pergolide and very obese.Over
the next 5 months at Daisy Haven Farm, Inc., Pony was given a small dry lot
paddock, stabilized using a low sugar/starch diet, and trimmed to correct the
damage to his feet from the laminitis. He went home in July 2005, sound and ready to
be back under saddle!
These were Pony's feet when he first came to DHF,
Inc. in March 2005 and then right before he left in July 2005.
Pony came to us in egg bar shoes with snow
ball pads, and while he did not have major rotation of his coffin bone, he
had significant evidence of long term inflammation in his feet.
He also had strong digital pulses and hot feet. We immediately
pulled his shoes and trimmed them to create better balance.We used Old Mac hoof boots with pads to keep
him comfortable while he was healing.
After 4 years of health and soundness, in July
2009 Pony kicked a gate and injured his left front leg.He subsequently developed laminitis again,
with the worst of the inflammation in his compensating leg, the right
front.After being stabilized by the
local veterinarian, he is back at Daisy Haven Farm, Inc. as of August 2009 to
continue his rehabilitation.
