Rehabilitating the Foundered Horse: Case Study

Tess, a 16-year-old Arabian mare diagnosed with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), came to Daisy Bicking's Daisy Haven Farm in Pennsylvania for rehabilitation from endocrine-related laminitis. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

Dropped Sole, Before Rehab

Here you see the sole of her right front foot, showing a dropped sole, hoof wall separation, stretched white line, and the ground surface of the laminar wedge. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

Right Front, Dropped Sole

Here you see the front of her right front foot, showing a dropped sole, hoof wall separation, stretched white line, and the ground surface of the laminar wedge. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

Radiograph: Rotation of the Coffin Bone

Here, in this radiograph of the right front foot taken upon her arrival in December 2011, you can see the rotation of the coffin bone and development of a laminar wedge. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

12 Days after Corrective Trimming

A radiograph of the same foot 12 days later, after her right front foot had been trimmed to correct rotation. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

Glue-on Composite Shoe

And again three days later, after having a glue-on composite shoe applied. Her foot was packed under the shoe with dental impression material, and hoof casting was applied over the shoe package. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

Progression

See the progression over the course of her first trimming and shoeing. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

New Hoof Growth

By April 2012 the mare’s recovery had progressed to the point that the new hoof growth was coming in tight, with no additional laminitis rings, her white line was much tighter at the ground and waxy in appearance, and her hoof/pastern axis is now in alignment. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

After Rehab: Radiograph

By April 2012 the mare’s recovery had progressed to the point that the new hoof growth was coming in tight, with no additional laminitis rings, her white line was much tighter at the ground and waxy in appearance, and her hoof/pastern axis is now in alignment. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

After Rehab: Sole

By April 2012 the mare’s recovery had progressed to the point that the new hoof growth was coming in tight, with no additional laminitis rings, her white line was much tighter at the ground and waxy in appearance, and her hoof/pastern axis is now in alignment. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

After Rehab: Front view

By April 2012 the mare’s recovery had progressed to the point that the new hoof growth was coming in tight, with no additional laminitis rings, her white line was much tighter at the ground and waxy in appearance, and her hoof/pastern axis is now in alignment. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

End Result

After six months of rehabilitation consuming a low-carbohydrate diet, living on a drylot, and receiving appropriate veterinary diagnosis and corrective hoof care, this Arabian mare left Daisy Haven Farm in much better body condition, sound, and ready to go back to work. | Photo: Courtesy Daisy Bicking

Rehabilitating the Foundered Horse: Case Study

Here you see the sole of her right front foot, showing a dropped sole, hoof wall separation, stretched white line, and the ground surface of the laminar wedge.