September 2022 my 18 yr old Thoroughbred mare Arlo and I had been battling a persistent case of seedy toe for 12 months plus. Arlo had been in shoes her entire post racing life as each time we’d try to go barefoot, it had failed terribly.
Arlo had now developed a nasty abscess resulting from an incorrectly & unresolved treated seedy toe episode, that had now blown out at the top of her coronary band. Arlo couldn’t hold her shoes, was three legged , head bobbing lame & had dropped a substantial amount of weight.
I’d battled for over a year but was at my wits end, spending hundreds of dollars on feed and hay trying to get weight back on her but nothing I was doing, helped.
That’s when I heard about a lady coming to town doing feet, body work and nutrition plans for one of friend’s horses. So I decided to get in contact with Danee.
I think Danee was pretty shocked at the state of my poor girl and her awfully infected hoof. Danee spent a good hour talking with me about Arlo, what diet she was on what I was doing for the seedy toe ect. She recommended Calm Healthy Horses vitamins and supplements. She also talked about transitioning her to barefoot as we’d need regular access to the bad foot to treat it. Danee also explained that attempting to transition any horse of Arlo’s “vintage” would be a lengthy & labour intensive transition. Warning me that we may not actually even be successful. But I was desperate and willing to try.
Danee’s knowledge on horses blew me away, and she explained how important horses diets were and how it can make a world of difference feeding the right combination of vitamins, minerals hard feeds and forage.
We started Arlo on a new balanced diet along with MVA, ship shape, alleviate gold, SOS and feedchar. We cut out all lucerne and Danee tweaked her hard feed and gave me a list of what and how much to feed to put weight back on her and help her grown out the best hoof Arlo could.
Danee was so amazing, I was constantly messaging or ringing her with questions and concerns, or for advice and she always got back to me or we would arrange a time to chat on the phone.
The first 5 weeks of following Danee’s feed plan and implementing CHH products Arlo gained 50 kg!
Arlo has continued to regain both weight and overall condition. She’s got her shine back. Arlo has now totally grown out the severely deformed hoof and I am happy to be back riding my ‘heart’ horse, lightly…..totally barefoot!