This week has been a whirlwind…

I’ve learned quite a bit.

Today I wanted to share a few of my new tricks.

A QUICK FIX FOR SOFT RIDE BOOTS.

My mare, Mama Tess, used to loooove her Soft Ride boots.  They really helped her – before her laminitis turned to founder.

Now, the particular insole that I have is too angled for her rotated coffin bone.

I was told that properly padded boots would really encourage her to move more.  And, movement is very important…

So, I had to figure out a way to utilize her Soft Ride boots.

Luckily, a reader gave me the solution…

She told me to go to Home Depot and get garden kneepads.  She said that they were die-cut evenly which is very important.  I had to make sure the thickness wasn’t taller than the original boot pad.  Hubby cut the knee pads by tracing the bottom of the insoles with a Sharpie.

He cut out the form.

Then he put the new, even, pads inside the boots.

These pads are not the quality of the Soft Ride inserts so they will compress fairly quickly.  But, if you simply want to test whether an even pad would help your horse, this is a quick trial.

Unfortunately for me and my girl, the weight of the Soft Ride boots are just too much on her weakened capsule.  So, even though I think they might have cushioned her weight, the boots themselves now weigh too much for the comfort of the top of her separated hoof.

So, I took them off of her.  And, she walks around the barn anyway…

But, for those of you who need an insert for your Soft Ride boots in a hurry – go to Home Depot!

LEAVE THE BARN DARK, UNLESS YOU HAVE HEAT LAMPS.

I found this article by Katherine Houpt, VMD, PhD in Equus Issue 432.

It was titled, “What Horses Want.”

I’m not sure how she knows what horses want but I read the article and found one part particularly interesting…

Horses like the lights off.

I mean, I know they see better than we do in the dark, but now it seems like they prefer it…

You see, they taught the horses how to turn the lights on and off.  And, much to their surprise, the horses left the lights off most of the time – unless they were heat lamps on a cold day.  Then they left them on.

Ha!

Here is the article:

THEY ARE WHAT THEY EAT…

Everyone who has seen Mama Tess in the last 4 weeks has said, “OMG, she is so glossy and healthy looking – she is glowing and gleaming!  She sure doesn’t look sick!”

It is true.  MT looks better than she looked during the height of her show career.  Her coat is glowing.  She has no ulcers even though she was on harsh pain killers, her hooves are growing, the bloodflow is increasing and I feel she is absorbing every nutrient possible.

Here’s why…

As soon as MT went into the hospital, I received this email from Omega Alpha.

(I have no affiliation with Omega Alpha except I love their products.  And you will soon understand why…)

When OA found out that Tess was sick, they sent:
1 gallon AntiFlam
1 – 500 ml RegenerEQ
1 gallon Gastra-FX
1 – kg Biotic 8

2 kg of MinerEq for the mare to help with healing and hoof growth

OK, first of all, who does this?!  Who reads a blog about a sick horse and then immediately sends product – just to help out the horse?!!!

That is exactly what she did…  and it did help out the horse.

MT is GLOWING.

My very, very sick mare – who they said won’t heal – is starting from the healthiest point possible… healthy on the inside – and that is the best place for her to be on this journey.

She looks incredible.  Really.

Even Dr. E, who said he didn’t believe in supplements (but he would have his staff administer them for me…) is a believer.  He was A-M-A-Z-E-D.

So, if there ever was a walking billboard for a supplement company, MT is it!

THANK YOU, OMEGA ALPHA!  Thank you for being so generous and kind to send this huge gift that made a very big difference in the  health of my mare.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!