Sunday, September 16, 2012

Hoof improvement

Let's recap! Here's how nasty Dixie's hooves looked a week ago, when the packed-in sole came out:

Sept 8 - sole flaking out

On Tuesday, I trimmed.

Sept 11 trim

Sept 11 trim

By Thursday, her heels were opening up.
Sept 13 - heels opening

And today, they look really nice. I could take the heels down a bit more, but her frogs look way better - the deep black crevices on either side of the frog have filled in.

Sept 16 front sole

Sept 16 front heel

Yay!

The white things you see in a few of the pics are teeny-weeny gauze squares, dipped in tea tree oil, crammed in the cracks of her frogs. I've been picking her feet out every day or every other day and replacing the gauze. If she wasn't in such a barefoot-unfriendly situation - in a tiny paddock, bedded with shavings - I might not worry about it. But the thing is, when I put her feet down and walk away, she waits like 3.4 seconds before she goes and stands in poop. I think the tea tree gauze is a physical barrier that keeps the manure out of her frogs and gives them time to heal.

Gotta go ride tomorrow. We're doing the 25 on Saturday at Ride Bear - she should be just fine, but we need to get out and blow the cobwebs off.

4 comments:

  1. Super sweet. Go tea tree oil go! Beat that poop.

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  2. It's amazing how much a hoof can change over the course of mere days.

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  3. Looking pretty dang nice! I'm really interested to see how seasonal changes in your new place are going to affect those pretty feet--and I KNOW you will be right on top of the situation, too.

    Go go GO, gal!

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  4. Sure look like nice feet to me! Bet you're happy to be coming to the end of the ride season with a solid foundation! From the ground up!

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