My 13yr old Paint gelding Chico was sadly diagnosed with extensive side bone in BOTH his front feet 3yrs ago. I’d only had him a year. Vets gave me three options at the time:
- Shod for the rest of his life
- Cut the nerves to his feet
- PTS
Instead I spent hours and hours researching & trying everything I can to give my “heart horse” a chance that he may have a longer life with me. I put him in steel shoes and eventually he came mostly sound in front. But then all these other issues started showing up and no one knew how to help him. I felt helpless at times and considered the vets recommendations of PTS. But then I literally stumbled across Danee and CHH. His diet was the last thing I would have ever considered. I was sceptical but I was also desperate to help my horse.
Chico had become difficult to keep condition on and was costing me a small fortune in various bagged feeds that promised the world. He’d become uncomfortable in his hind end and couldn’t stand without constantly switching weight from one foot to another. He became increasingly grumpy, depressed & aggressive at feed times. He was now clearly girthy when being saddled and unsound when being ridden. He would collapse and trip at regular intervals behind, for no perceivable reason. He was pretty much living on Bute.
In short, Chico was a very unhappy horse. I had tried everything from full vet work ups, chiropractic, massage ,farrier and no one really had any answers and I was worried that if I couldn’t keep him happy and comfortable then maybe it was time for him to cross the rainbow bridge.
I reached out to Danee in a last hope.
Danee came out and assessed Chico, his paddock, his grass, his hay & ALL my feeds down to the last gram! Danee then requested copies of his blood work and xrays. She then explained to me exactly what side bone was, how it occurs & showed me on her horse legs she carries in the car! Yep. I’m not kidding.
Danee explained why the steel shoes WERE NOT helping the situation & as much as it pained her too, the decision was made not to tackle that issue just yet as they were at least affording him some comfort.
The decision WAS made to overhaul & simplify his diet though. I started him on Supreme, GrazeEzy & SOS. We added salt and swapped from grassy lucerne to a plain Rhodes grass hay. I stopped all the bagged feeds and started with what I felt was a ridiculously small amount of copra and speedi beet.
Fast forward 3 months & I have a happy healthy horse who’s gained weight, is no longer grumpy or depressed. Astonishingly, he’s back to acting like a yearling and bucking and bolting around the paddock again! His food aggression has gone (I honestly didn’t think that was possible after owing him for 4 years ) He’s no longer uncomfortable in his hind end or girthy to saddle up. Chico’s tripping is much less frequent and noticeable and he’s only required Bute when he over reached and ripped both his shoe and his heel off last month ☹…..
I’m constantly amazed at how little “feed” I now feed him and yet he’s looking and feeling the best he ever has since I’ve had him.
Other people are noticing and asking me what the hell has happened to Chicco! He’s a different horse.
I am thrilled to have my best mate back and him being his happy former self.
Thanks CHH for giving me more time with my boy. He may always have some lameness issues but with the help of these products he’s taken a major turn for the better I’ve even started to ride him lightly again.