Heels changing - think we're winning!

[CarolineJ]

Merlin has always been a bit prone to thrush, central sulcus infections and heel splits. This winter the splits came back quite badly after a wet spell, so I put him on Pro Hoof to try and help him sort it out from the inside, but although they closed up well, he still had very deep CS and obviously wasn't quite comfy. Two weeks ago I started a four times a week regime of washing out the CS with water, gently flossing dry with a cotton swab (my husband's 1.75" square rifle-cleaning swabs are absolutely perfect!) and then applying manuka honey with a fresh swab.

This is when we started on 21st January:

And this was yesterday:

We still have a long way to go, I suspect he's going to change angle quite dramatically in his fronts:

But his frogs are beefing up and he's not standing like a goat on a rock any more - fingers crossed we're going to really get on top of it this time

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I can definitely see improvement. Well done.

 

[LittleBlackMule]

They're really bulking up, and in such a short time too, imagine what they'll be like next year!

 

[CarolineJ]

Oh good, I'm not imagining it then! Thank you both

I should probably add, he's 18/20 (his paperwork's a bit dodgy, so no-one's quite sure!) and has been retired for the past three years because every time I tried to bring him back into work he'd get a swollen pastern in front at around the fourth week of walk work in hand and go lame. The first time it happened, the vets found swelling in the DDFT and told me not to get my hopes up of ever riding him again, but just maybe if I can get a good heel-first landing developed he might be able to come back into some gentle work, even if it's just in-hand, to get some muscle back on him.

 

[TPO]

Wow, can see definite positive changes! Well done, you must be so pleased