OFF THE TRACK THOROUGHBRED

Silver Spruce finished his racing career in February 2009 when he was 4 years old. He had won his first race as a 2 year old, but after that promising start had not run well since. We got him straight from the racing yard and began retraining him for eventing in preparation for selling him on. This case study spans less than 4 months (he was sold on in June 2009), and shows how quickly hooves can improve with natural hoof care and changes to diet and lifestyle.

He went from being shod, eating a high sugar diet and living in a stable 24 hours a day, to being barefoot, eating a high fibre low sugar diet and living out 24 hours a day.

He required hoof boots for stony ground. This ment putting boots on the walk across stony car parks and tracks, then taking them off when he got to the grassy schooling areas. This might be considered too much trouble for some, but in time would not be necessary.

                                       23.2.09                                                                             9.6.09

Above: In the before photo the hoof walls look straight, but the after photo shows how much better connected to the pedal bone the new growth is. The quarters were actually flared and separated from the bone.

Above: The heels have become shorter.

Above: The arrow highlights how the frog does not make contact with the ground in shoes. As a result the frog and digital cushion above it do not function normally and get weaker.

Above: With the shoe removed the frog is able to make contact with the ground. The hoof mechanism works properly and the internal structures of the foot begin to develop. Note the increase in size of the frog and heel bulbs.

Below: His first schooling session at Somerford Park.