5 week update

Paddy has now been barefoot for five weeks now & if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would not have believed the changes a hoof can make all on their own!!

The caudal area of his feet has already beefed up a bit and you can see the new angle of hoof growth just below the coronet & this is with only walking round his field for 5 weeks.

Paddy is off to Rockley in a weeks time and whilst I am so glad he's going, I am dreading the drive and will miss him loads. Gillian is coming with me so at least I won't have to drive all that way on my own.

Paddy's feet 5 weeks into barefoot.

Shoes off!!!!

The farrier came to take Paddy's shoes off today in preparation for going to Rockley in a few weeks time. The farrier did not do anything other than removing his shoes and filing round the edge to neaten them a little, he did not take anything off the feet as they will wear down when he starts moving on them.

Paddy's feet just after having his shoes removed.

Paddy's keeping an eye on what the farrier is up to!!!!

The return of the vet.....

The vet came this week to reassess Paddy. We couldn't lunge him because it was snowy everywhere, but did manage to trot him up & again he was a little better, though not sound.

I have done soooooo much reading over the past few weeks about navicular syndrome &barefoot rehab, that I am convinced that this is the way we ought to go with paddy, as remedial shoeing will act like a sticking plaster and he might be sound for a while, but it will do nothing to improve the structure of his foot. Neurectomy is a radical procedure which will affect him significantly, and there is a high chance that the nerve endings will grow back, plus once done, there is no going back.

I talked to the vet about him going barefoot and the fact that I had spoken to Nic Barker at Rockley farm, who thought  that Paddy would be a good candidate for barefoot rehab. I was very surprised that when I presented a very argument for trying barefoot, the vet did say it would be worth giving it a go. Managed to get vet to contact Nic to discuss it, and then Nic spoke to me and said that the vet was open to the idea......PHEW...... Thought I would have a fight on my hands!!!

So Paddy is off to Rockley towards the end of February to start his barefoot rehab....Whoop...Whoop!!

Now that the vet has been, I can arrange for the farrier to take off Paddy's shoes in preparation for going to Rockley.

Vet came back today

So the vet came to review Paddy today - trotted him up & he's less lame, but not sound, so wants Paddy to go back to the clinic so that he can have another injection into the navicular bursa. He will then reassess in 2 weeks time.

Meanwhile Paddy has settled in well and is enjoying life at the new yard. He has a new best friend - Murphy......2 Irish boys together!!

Paddy has moved house

Over this past week I have moved paddy to his new yard in fulbourn. Decided to leave him in for a couple of days, but then turned him out & of course he hooned about like an idiot, but eventually settled down to eat. Since he has changed yards and since getting is diagnosis, I have been reading anything & everything about navicular syndrome, biomechanics, feet and diet and have decided that I will probably take his shoes off and try to rehab him barefoot, as this seems to be the most effective way to get the hoof functioning correctly. I did mention this to the vet when I saw him, but he said rather vehemently that there's no way he should go barefoot......we'll see!!!

Meanwhile paddy enjoying his new surroundings!!

Not good news

Paddy has been to the vets for the past couple of days and he has been nerve blocked. They have found that he has a problem with the caudal area of his foot and it blocked to the bursa area. He had x rays done and they showed that he has reverse rotated pedal bones.

The vet has injected the bursa to see if this will make a difference, but has said that with this type of problem he would recommend remedial shoeing to raise his heels, which will then take the pressure off his heels. If that does not work, then an MRI scan and probable neurectomy.

This was devastating news, as I bought Paddy to event, and it is unlikely that he will ever be able to do any of this.

I am going to do some research on navicular problems to see what would be the best way forward.

On a more cheerful note, I have found a lovely new yard in Fulbourn, with a lovely yard owner, who is sensible and knowledgeable and we are to move in before Christmas.

I have managed to get Paddy out in the field also over the past week with his mate Lordy, which he seemed to enjoy!

Paddy no better

Paddy is still just as lame as he was - there has been no improvement and so I have
Ve arranged for him to go for a lameness work up at the vets next week. He is perfectly happy in himself, but getting a bit fed up with being on box rest.

The other news is that I am looking for another yard to move Paddy to. I have come to the conclusion that he is much happier if he can be turned out every day, which does not happen on my current yard, and I will be able to have much more say in what I do with him and have more control over his management. I am looking for something nearer home so that it will not cost me quite so much in fuel and time also.....so the search is on!!