Chazot Recovery

Chazot recovers from a very severe problem of abscess-laminitis combined. During the acute phase of the problem, I truly believed that it was the end of the horse. I am glad that I was wrong. In his field, the vet did a fantastic job. The farrier kept the high standards with a superb job of glue on shoes. Now it is my turn to succeed the reeducation. This episode is the perfect example of professionals competent in their respective field and working together. Success demands that each professional involve remains conscious of his own field of expertise and does not go beyond. The vet has to take control of the inflammation and consequent coffin bone rotation. Beside medication, a thin layer of soft material was molded to the sole and supported below by a thicker and more solid rubber pad. The whole pad system was fixed on the horse hoof with a cast. Once inflammation, rotation and pain level were under control, Dr Elliot and Dr. Pike from Piedmont Equine, asked to the farrier Patrick Roth to enter the picture. The rehabilitation continued with glue on shoes. The model selected was a metallic shoe and a system of fabric allowing the glue technique. The shoe has been designed by SoundHorse technologies. The model that we selected is the series one with a 2° wedge. We selected the metallic shoe because it can be shaped to fit the horse hoof and is constructed with a built-in shock absorber. Of course the balancing of the hoof was a major concern. Without proper balancing the rotation of the coffin bone would worsen instead of reverting. During the whole process, the pain level

was a major concern. This is one of the reasons why we did not opt for the barefoot approach. They all claim success but watching the intensity of the pain that the horse has to endure, I do not see why we would impose greater pain on the horse due to direct contact of a fine and damaged sole on the ground when the same biomechanics effect can be achieved protecting the sole and offering some relief.

As the pain level diminished and the horse started to walk almost sound, it was my turn to enter the picture. Cells die and new cells are born every day. Cells are specialized by stress. The reeducation is now about creating benefit stress. This is done in hand in order to minimize the weight and asking to the horse to control a high level of balance and straightness. The work of the thoracolumbar spine allowing such control permits to ensure as perfect hoof placement as possible. The rest is about listening to the horse and absolutely never fitting the horse to a system or a preconception or unfounded opinion. Yesterday for instance, Chazot was in very high spirit having difficulties to remain with at the least one leg on the ground. I asked for a few steps of easy jog and I noticed last night slight discomfort on the right hoof. Today of course the whole session will remain at the walk. Jogging at the horse’s natural cadence is theoretically a good approach but the horse will tell me when he will be ready for such stress.

As many of you know Chazot care does not add up to a horse with this problem. His feeding, turnout and handling all preventive mesasures but yet he has. He is on a daily dose of Ulcer medicine for 2 years and we are looking into the possiblities of magnesium defcient due to use of Ulcer medicne for such a long time. THis can possibly have an affect on creating laminitic condions. We wil keep you posted on ongoing research. Helyn