This is Dreamer. I took over her hoof care in April 2022 when she was suffering from acute laminitis and had foundered severely. She had some relief initially from my trims and Cloud boots but there were many setbacks to come. Basically anything that could go wrong, did. There were many challenges in getting her diet and environment right to allow her to stabilize and start to heal. I was trying everything I could and questioned at times if I was helping her.
I knew we needed new radiographs to be sure of what was going on. It took a while to get the vet out and I was quite anxious to see the new radiographs. Thankfully the news was good. Dreamer had built up sole depth under P3 where she had had almost none before and P3 was much better aligned. My realignment trims had been taking her in the right direction, I just needed to push it further which I could now do with confidence. She also now had a large stall set up with mats and deep bedding to help her heal, and her diet was finally controlled.
The most recent radiographs are pre-trim, at the end of her trim cycle. Using the radiographs as a guide I removed the last of the distortion from the dorsal wall. She also had a large amount of retained sole from living in the Cloud boots for so long that I was able to remove. I was not able to get post-trim radiographs but she has been comfortable and stable barefoot since that trim.
Do we still have a long ways to go? Absolutely. But to see her moving this well, on concrete no less, is an absolute win. With every trim cycle I now see the tight new growth coming in and the last of the grooves in her hooves growing out. This mare is incredibly tough and stoic. She has never been nasty and has always tried her hardest to cooperate even when she was in a lot of pain. I'm so relieved to see her comfort improving and I'm confident that if those of us on her team keep working together that she can have the bright future that she deserves. She has taught me so much and inspires me to keep learning so I can help others like her. Rehab of laminitis and founder is not for the faint of heart, but at the end of the day, seeing her walk without pain makes all the blood, sweat, tears and sleepless nights so worth it.
Update on Dreamer! She has joined the herd of lesson horses, ponies and mules at Versatile Horsemanship and is now living her best life as a lesson horse. She absolutely shines in her new life, her steady and cuddly personality makes her a barn favorite. I was lucky enough to get to see her first canter with a rider post rehab and capture it on video.