Where I'm still learning.. good, when I stop thats when I get out of welfare

EMW 'Baz' now gelded at last!

Its now March, its been pretty much freezing cold since early November, and still no end really in sight. With another dollop of snow and ice ahead this winter is really taking its toll on hooves and oldies. We've got two with ongoing hoof issues. Old Jimmy with his pretty rubbish TB feet is still abscessing  and to add to his monstrous crack horizontal along the wall of his hoof he now has another b*gger erupting at the coronet band. We're currently keeping him pain free on Danilon and treating it with Well Horse while keeping it clean with hoof soap. I can't poultice him anymore as his heel skin began to break down, Savlon helped out there. I got some hoof putting and  'filled' the  cracks. I got some Thrush Off and treated frogs all round. I should have shares in Hydrogen Peroxide and vet wrap!
Chadd is Cushing's lame. he's got torn laminae that are the cause of much of his lameness issues but we're winning by keeping those toes real short and watching his eating. You can tell when he's happier, it takes longer to  corner him than to do the trimming job, yep, he's well when he aims to clear off!
I've found excellent informative trimming videos on YouTube so adding a link here. Take a look, there are 25 in the series so get a look at them all, you might learn stuff...I did. these videos just top up on our brilliant foot care team work. Hoping I can do more  and give those guys an easier visit in future.

Butting up to this was the great Vet Talk we held on February 24th In Bromyard. What a great and informative evening we had. Our own vet Dominic Alexander, from the Belmont practice, gave an excellent overview of  the laminitis problem we are all pretty much facing. We're killing by kindness in the UK. Kate Jones from N.A.F. was  very informative about  what helps to support laminitic  horses and ponies and we're proud to say that EMW-UK and EMW pony Chadd are now mentioned on the great N.A.F. Laminaze product label. It's sure as heck helping these guys here and we can highly recommend you give it a go now before laminitis gets a seasonal hold. Leonie from Dengie had us all laughing with her 'portable horse gut'  by the time she got it out of the bag it went round the big room almost twice! It wasn't real for the squeamish, but a full size mock up, amazing that lot can fit inside a horse! it was a great tool to show how fibre works best. It was a great night and huge thanks to Sylvia and all at THE FALCON HOTEL Bromyard for their kindness and good food
Whats ahead for this charity? well huge thanks got to the Saddle Up awards team for a brilliant fundraising result in February and also to Nationwide Building society for a grant of £800 which is paying for the new isolation box and rubber matting at EMW HEREFORDSHIRE. We also intend to bring in another round pen to enable us to restrict fat ponies easier and use for training etc. Right now though its work work work as the recession continues to hit hard at equines. the markets are depressed and values on the floor. With 2011 foals just weeks away god help them all. We will do our very best for those we can help. "We will NOT look away"