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Post by angelac on Jun 12, 2013 21:07:51 GMT 1
Warm best wishes for a happy outcome Helen and Mina xx
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Post by liz on Jun 12, 2013 22:10:38 GMT 1
I'm so pleased Mina is at Rockley as I'm sure that she will get first class attention there. If you are down this way do please contact me as it would be good to meet you and I'd LOVE to see Mina! Oh, and you, of course, Helen! ((hugs)) to you all.
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jun 13, 2013 9:07:19 GMT 1
Hi Nellie, As well as being so pleased for you and Mina, I am also delighted that the profile of Rockley Farm can be raised a bit more. I have been trying, since about 2010, to wave the banner for the amazing work that Nic does but the world of horsemanship, whilst open to some concepts, remains firmly closed to others. I feel that, so far as barefoot rehabilitation is concerned, owners are entirely in the hands of vets. If a vet says that barefoot rehabilitation/management amounts to "quackery", then the owner often believes it or, at least, is fearful of challenging it. Also, while so many vets still believe that horses have to be shod if they do lots of road work or work on challenging surfaces, most owners will assume that their horses need shoes and that horses with poor hooves need them even more than sound ones do. As I have said before, it seems to be women who forge the way (so to speak) by seeing the benefits of a gentler approach. Men so often seem to see things from an engineering angle and want to get the tool kit out in order to solve problems. It is interesting to note that, the more rehabilitation work Nic has done, the less she has used her trimming tools and now, in fact, doesn't use them at all. When we took Cynthia Cooper (who keeps her own 14 horses barefoot in Tasmania) to meet Nic, Cynthia drew my attention to Nic's trimming tools, which were covered in a thick layer of dust! I honestly do not know why so many vets are resistant and why they won't at least go and look at the set-up Nic has or else contact Professor Peter Clegg at the University of Liverpool and obtain the research data which Nic has been supplying on all the horses who fitted the strict research protocol and who have been treated by Nic. It really isn't rocket science. All they have to do is compare the outcomes between horses with similar problems who are either treated with the dreaded box rest and remedial shoes which prevent their feet adapting to injury or on Nic's barefoot rehabilitation regime. How hard can it be to have an open mind? They also need to compare the long-term outcomes. Remedial farriery often gives short-term relief from symptoms but it seems that it can cause catastrophic failure in the long term. Barefoot rehabilitation at Rockley may take longer initially and some horses may experience ups and downs along the way. However, with the correct diet and exercise, it is much more successful long-term and returns most horses to at least the same level of performance as they had before becoming lame - or even higher. As I have mentioned before, Nic discovered that the only evidence that vets have for routinely prescribing box rest and remedial farriery seems to be the questionnaires which are sent out by insurance companies for completion by the owners following treatment. Nic's research data is considerably more thorough than that. Further, the prognosis for most of the horses who come to Nic is poor or very poor (or even the worst) and usually follows all the conventional treatment which has failed to restore healthy hoof function. "First do no harm" should apply to whatever treatment is given and it is well known that box rest does harm to horses psychologically and physically. There are cases where it is necessary but I do not know why it is routinely prescribed. How much nicer for the horses to move around freely, as they do at Rockley Farm. Some horses begin to remodel their hooves within days of arrival. This is Thomas, from today's blog. Already, within three weeks of no trimming and plenty of exercise, his hooves are changing for the better:- rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/thomas-thirds-3-week-update.htmlAnd Itsy:- rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/frogs-in-hurry-aka-new-girl-itsy.htmlrockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/itsys-first-3-weeks.htmlAt the very least, Nellie, Mina will be able to enjoy the restorative air, views, exercise and company at Rockley! I mentioned to Avril that you would be welcome to stay overnight with us if and when you visit Mina but I'm not sure it would save you much of the journey. If you think it would help at any time, Avril will give you my contact details. Best wishes to you and Mina, Dawn Perkins
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jun 14, 2013 8:31:13 GMT 1
For anyone who hasn't already read a previous post about this app or who hasn't already seen it on the Rockley Farm blog today, this blog repeats the information about the laminitis risk app, which could prove very useful, especially for owners with horses who are susceptible to footiness or laminitis:- rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/grass-footy-horses-and-ways-of-managing.htmlDawn Perkins
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jun 19, 2013 8:33:12 GMT 1
The beautiful Mina is the subject of the Rockley Farm blog today! I am so glad to see how well she has coped with coming off box rest, off bute and out of shoes, all at the same time. What a horse! I am keeping absolutely everything crossed for her. Mina is in good company and yesterday's blog update was of the famous "Dillon with the Wedges" (who comes from Kent). This was the update:- rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/who-remembers-dillon-with-wedges.htmlAnd this was the forum page where his owner was, two years ago, sending him to Rockley because, as with so many of the horses that go there, euthanasia was looming:- www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=513368&page=2The owner of Frankie, another of Nic's successful rehabs, who had also faced being put down, has contributed on that forum page, too. This was him following rehab at Rockley Farm:- rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/what-2-of-ex-rehab-horses-did-over.htmlFrankie was due to go to the 2012 Rockley Rehab Reunion but was on box rest following surgery on his shoulder at the time, so it was Frankie's owner who did all the filming on the day. (The grey horse who is being led in-hand is, I think, Paddy, who had been doing well at Rockley but then had to have emergency colic surgery to remove a large tumour, hence he could not be ridden at that time):- rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/rrr-2012-video.htmlMina's update is, for reasons explained in the blog, a week or two earlier than would normally be the case and I can't wait to see the follow-up ones. I shall keep pasting in the blog updates on Mina but, obviously, Nellie has the whole picture and I hope that we will, in time, hear some more detail on her progress. Best wishes, Nellie. Dawn Perkins
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jun 22, 2013 8:47:44 GMT 1
I came across these two articles today. Although they are written by people who use hoof boots and, in the second case, is a trimmer using the "Mustang roll" (which Nic Barker no longer practises with the rehabs), they are nevertheless interesting reads because they emphasise once again the increase in traction and the reduction in concussion (for horse and rider) experienced once horses go barefoot. The point about elderly horses, who often suffer from varying degrees of arthritis, is also interesting:- www.jehsolutions.co.uk/healthyhooves/images/PDF/Factsheet-Barefoot.pdfwww.herefordequestrian.co.uk/category/a-z/barefoot-trimming/Dawn Perkins
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jun 22, 2013 10:39:08 GMT 1
Liz's joyous post and video link to the Team GB dressage test reminded me about Lucinda McAlpine, who lives in Devon. I had read about her before but I hadn't seen this video, in which she talks about how she arrived at natural horse management and barefoot. All her horses are now kept barefoot:- www.lucindamcalpine.com/lucindas-journey-video-of-the-week/Dawn Perkins
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Post by liz on Jun 22, 2013 11:25:19 GMT 1
Yes, indeed. Not too far from me and a friend who I have not seen for ages keeps a horse there, lucky girl. I also have a friend near Wellington with a yard who specialises in keeping horses as naturally as possible. See pippsway.co.uk/riding-school/ She's just moved back there after being on Exmoor for a short time. She helped me with a young horse I had some years ago and I really enjoyed working with her. There are some very good people now in the south west. I know of another place which is an exciting prospect but it will not be up and open for another few years and I may have some involvement with them on an admin level as no longer up to the physical stuff.
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jun 25, 2013 14:37:22 GMT 1
Hi Liz, It sounds like an exciting prospect and, although it may be a shame that you cannot partake on a physical level as you used to do, it will be wonderful to be a part of something new and exciting, to which you can contribute something extremely useful. I looked at the pippsway website when you mentioned her once before. It seems to be a common thread with all these really good trainers that they believe there is only good horsemanship and bad horsemanship. I also noticed that Pip has done endurance riding. The Man v Horse Race 2013 allowed barefoot horses for the first time this year, following campaigning by barefoot riders here and abroad. I have requested some information as to how many barefoot horses took part and, of those, how many were vetted out or were involved in accidents as a direct result of having been barefoot. It will be interesting to compare the results with the shod horses. Horses have not been permitted to enter the race in the past because of the perceived risks. As Lucinda McAlpine says, the horses who slip and slide over smooth concrete or tarmac surfaces and experience more difficulty going downhill smoothly have been, in her experience, the shod ones! This is the link to the race, which seems very exciting and lots of fun:- www.green-events.co.uk/events.html?id=54The Facebook link to the barefoot issue:- en-gb.facebook.com/ManVersusHorseAllowBarefootHorsesand the main Facebook link:- en-gb.facebook.com/ManVerusHorseGood luck with the new venture. It must be a bit frustrating for you having to wait for it all to unfold before you can go into more detail! Dawn Perkins
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jul 3, 2013 9:37:21 GMT 1
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jul 8, 2013 10:03:32 GMT 1
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jul 8, 2013 10:41:44 GMT 1
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jul 9, 2013 8:16:09 GMT 1
Time and time again, Nic Barker has shown that providing the optimum diet and environment for horses with lameness issues allows them to grow the hooves they need in order to become sound again. Trimming not only doesn't seem to help but it can actually hinder and slow down progress. This horse arrived only two weeks ago (you can click on the red text to get the original blog on him) and yet he is already making improvements to his feet without a human deciding for him what shape they should be and which bits need prettying up:- rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/chesters-first-2-weeks.htmlAs cptryaes points out, the bar will shed of its own accord, without premature trimming, once the horse no longer needs it. The horse grew the bar to provide some temporary help with balance during its lameness issues. The hoof will "know" when it no longer needs it. Dawn Perkins
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jul 10, 2013 8:24:41 GMT 1
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Post by Dawn Perkins on Jul 10, 2013 8:26:03 GMT 1
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