from-founder-to-bounder

Lindsay Cotterell DAEP, Dip.IAZ

FROM FOUNDER TO BOUNDER !!

G. IS 12.2 hh ELDERLY NATIVE FORMER RIDING SCHOOL PONY. G. HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM RIDING SCHOOL WORK AS HE HAD BECOME UNSAFE FOR CHILDREN TO RIDE OR HANDLE. HE WAS TURNED AWAY WITH ANOTHER HORSE WHO BECAME HIS PAIR BOND. SADLY HIS PAIR BOND DIED. THIS WAS A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR G. AND SHORTLY AFTER HE WAS TAKEN ON BY HIS NEW OWNER AS A RETIRED COMPANION PONY. MY FIRST MEETING WITH G. WAS JUST AFTER ANOTHER EPISODE OF COLIC. HE WAS ILL AND UNDERSTANDABLY SUBDUED AND DEPRESSED. IT WAS CLEAR FROM HIS HOOF STRUCTURES THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED METABOLIC (LAMINITIC) EPISODES AND HAD FOUNDERED REMAINING IN THIS STATIC STATE OF HOOF DEFORMATION WITHOUT IT BEING ADDRESSED FOR FOR SOME TIME, AND THAT'S LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN YEARS. HIS GENERAL CONDITION INDICTAED IT WAS LIKELY HE WAS ALSO SUFFERING FROM CUSHINGS.

G. DISPLAYED A CONSIDERABLE NECROTIC WEDGE ON BOTH FRONTS AND STRETCHED GOLDEN LINE ON BOTH HINDS. THE WEDGES WERE DECAYED AND BLACK WITH NECROTISING MATERIAL MAKING THEM A HIGH ABSCESS RISK. THE WEDGES WERE ADDRESSED OVER TWO TRIM VISITS AND POLY FLEX WRAPS USED TO HELP SUPPORT AND STIMULATE REORIENTATION OF SUSPENSORY SOFT TISSUE AND PROMOTE GROWTH FOR SEVERAL VISITS AFTER.

AFTER ADDRESSING THE IMBALANCES AND APPLYING POLY FLEX WRAPS G. WAS IMMEDIATELY MORE COMFORTABLE AND THE OPPORTUNITY WAS TAKEN TO OFFER HIM A ZOOPHARMACOGNOSY SESSION. NOT ONLY HAD HE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA DUE TO THE DEATH OF HIS PAIR BOND, HIS HOOF STRUCTURES DISPLAYED STRONG EVIDENCE OF LONG TERM DISCOMFORT AND METABOLIC EPISODES AND HIS BODY WAS SORE FROM CONSTANT FORCED POSTURAL CHANGES DUE TO EXCESSIVE HOOF GROWTH LEADING TO PAIN AND STIFFNESS.

JUST AS G. WAS RECOVERING FROM HOOF DEFORMITY AND DEPRESSION, THROUGH NO FAULT OF HIS OWNER, HE GAINED ACCESS TO GRASS AND REACTED VERY BADLY. ALL FOUR HOOVES WERE AFFECTED HOWEVER, 24 HOURS BEFORE A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN TO PUT HIM TO SLEEP, HE BEGAN TO IMPROVE.

THANKFULLY, WITH HOOVES THAT HAD GREATLY IMPROVED BEFORE THIS EPISODE AND A SECOND SESSION OF USING POLY FLEX WRAPS ON HIS FRONTS FOR SEVERAL TRIM CYCLES, COMBINED WITH THE COMPLETE DEDICATION OF HIS OWNER - G's RECOVERY WAS QUICKER THAN ANTICIPATED, HIS CONDITION STABLISED AND HE HAS NOT LOOKED BACK SINCE!

HE CONTINUES TO BE A HAPPY AND CHEEKY CHAP WHO HAS GREAT FUN PLAYING AND TEASING HIS RIDDEN COMPANION - HE STILL DISLIKES CHILDREN WITH A PASSION, BUT THEN, YOU CAN'T BE PERFECT!

DURING HIS FREQUENT ZOOPHARMACOGNOSY SESSIONS G. SELECTED TWO PREDOMINANT INGREDIENTS:-

ST JOHN'S WORT - nerve pain and depression

WILD YARROW - inflammation and emotional support

He also selected Rose Otto, Seaweed, Rosehip Shells, Nettle Leaf Powder, Dandelion Root

All ingredients were offered regularly by his owner until he lost interest.