what to do??opinions please!

[sista_act]

ive had my 6yo mare a year now on loan. She's been fab but as soon as i start making good progress shes lame.. The heel on her left fore hoof is smaller than the right (due to the farriers never noticing a conformational fault) this mean that she's uncomfortable jumping and even schooling.
I gave her 6 weeks off in April and she had a lot of treatment and remidal shoeing, we then had a fab summer, although she reacted on hard ground. However, we thought we had fixed it.
NOw though we're back to square one. WE had the back lady out who told us that the heel had still not grown and this has led to stiffness etc.
i don't know what to do, ther is still 3 years before i go to uni and 'sell up'. Do i stick with ali an hope that the heel grows over winter, just light hack. Or do i give her back to her really nice and understanding owner and look for another horse! i do want to event and start to compete again, ideally on ali as i love her soo much and theres sooo much potential.but we just don't know how long its gonna take for this foot to grow and im getting sick of taking giant leaps backwards while my sis is going to pony club things!!!
thanx for reading

 

[UKa]

It sounds like you want to make progress and get somewhere I think you would be happiest to hand her back to her owner especially as they are very understanding and find something else to compete/ progress with during the next 3 years.

 

[Rambo]

Hate to say it, but this is the best thing about a loan arrangement

The horse isn't going to do what you want in the timeframe you require, so hand it back and move on. You've given the horse a fair crack after all

 

[sista_act]

i suppose that's the most sensible thing to do! i just really dont want to part with her but i do wana get out there and do things!!

 

[Kelly1982]

I would give her back if it was me, you should be out having fun not wasting time on someone elses horse.

Sorry if thats not what you wanted to hear

 

[mrdarcy]

She sounds to me like a candidate for bare foot shoeing. Removing her shoes altogether would allow the feet to grow far quicker than having shoes on. You should still be able to ride her even when her shoes are first taken off by sticking to soft surfaces or using easyboots when out hacking.

I'd avoid Strasser trimmers as it can be very invasive. Rather look for a UKNHCP practioner.

 

[sista_act]

we did have a strasser trimmer i think in april. A lady came and cut all her hoof off, she could hardly walk!!
she does have quite sturdy feet, they do not crack, so that could be an idea, thank you x

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
we did have a strasser trimmer i think in april. A lady came and cut all her hoof off, she could hardly walk!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Pressumably this neccesitated the 6 weeks off??????? Why would you allow anyone to do that to your horses feet? Do her owners know that you had this done to her?

Poor little mare - no wonder you have been having such problems with her.

 

[dieseldog]

Have you tried wedges/pads? Just because a horse has low heels it shouln't be lame, half the horses in england would be off it that was true. What does your vet say about it?

There have been a few peole successfully prosecuted for cruelty for doing the Strasser trim recently.

 

[sista_act]

it was the owners who took this action. ali went back to theirs for a while and there is a girl on her yard into that sort of thing! we did not initiate it!

 

[Skhosu]

The strasser trim is probably the problem!
I'd send her back. Why have a lame horse when you can have a good, sound one?

 

[sista_act]

the strasser trim was done by the owners to try and get the foot to regrow properly. the vets had said that the heel was always low and no farrier had ever bothered to fix it and carried on shoeing her normally!
she is not necessarily lame but feels discomfort and doesn't go correctly!! i think im going to have to bite the bullet and send her bak!!

 

[_jetset_]

Oh Jen... I feel so sorry for you. I know how much you think of Ali and how much work you have put into her over the past year.

Don't make any rash decisions... and the only consolation if you sent her back was that you would still be able to see her whenever you liked.