Simulcast Interview

To listen to my debut on webcast radio, click on arrow above! Enjoy!!

This network is a great deal for horse people. Check out the website! I love it! There is so much great horse info packed into it!

www.naturalhorsenetwork.com/horseradio.html

Pat

Cadaver Dissection

A farrier friend and I recently spent a very interesting afternoon, cutting into horse body parts. That is gruesomely fascinating to me and I learn a great deal every time I cut into a hoof. This was an exceptional experience because we didn’t just limit our dissection to the hoof, but instead went up the leg to the knee and did some serious investigation of the tendons and ligaments. We took lots of pictures and clips of the how the tendons activate the leg and hoof. Good stuff! Allen’s specimen was from a healthy horse with lovely pale pink laminae. He meticulously took it dissected the hoof and leg and that was so interesting to watch. My hoof, however, was from a foundered horse and his laminae was extremely red. After we removed the navicular bones, I found a hole in the bottom of the N. bone from my hoof, which was about the size of a nail head. I looked for information about this condition and could only find it described in a farrier text book and it is termed Street Nail Syndrome or Collar Button Disease. Old terms with no explanation of what causes the ulcer. But I’m sure it’s painful and often goes undetected because we think we’re dealing with founder issues only. I cannot stress enough how importance of x-raying the bones of lame horses, even if we think we know that the problem is, we need to get those x-rays and have them taken by a vet who really understands the hoof. They’re may be underlying causes of severe pain that cannot fix with trims, diet or environment. We can work miracles with our natural trimming techniques, but we cannot fix a dead horse and we shouldn’t try. More stuff to learn about these amazing hooves! It just never stops!

This and that

Well, the webcast interview went pretty well. When you're being recorded you really start to notice all the interjected "ums and "ahs." But it wasn't as unnerving as I thought it was going to be. Toward the end, I was just getting wound-up and Colleen forgot to hit the button to continue recording so we sort of broke off suddenly somewhere in the middle of my rantings. Coincedence? I'm sure it was. And that's probably okay. We're going to do it again another day.

We have two new patients that have checked into our Hoof Recovery Center. Classie and Cricket. Two very pretty Appy mares. Both very lame, of course or they wouldn't be here. I will be adding posts with more information and photos to come just as I did with Dexter. I'm optimistic that their outcome will be more positive than his was.

We also have a new dog living with us. Our granddaughter, Olivia, named her Scrunchy. She looks kind of like a scrunchy too. She reminds me of Cookie Monster with her curly fur. She's very cute! Photos forthcoming when we get her looking less scrnchy-like.

Stay tuned!

I'm My Biggist Fan!!

Well finally! My big break into show biz has arrived! I knew it would happen someday!!

Just kidding.

But something fun just came up! I'm going to be interviewed regarding Natural Hoof Care (what else) with the Natural Horse Network.

This network, that I just discovered myself, is a great deal for horse people. Check out the website! I love it! There is so much great horse info packed into it!www.naturalhorsenetwork.com/horseradio.html

You can call or write in ahead of time with questions about natural hoof care. It's going to be a teleseminar, I'm told and I don't if that's webcasting or what exactly yet, but I guess I'll find out soon. I'm so excited!!

EVENT: NHN presents a session with Pat Wagner

DATE & TIME: Saturday, October 27th at 11:00am Mountain (10:00am Pacific)

TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW...

http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=974892

That's Colleen in the picture!

New Additions to the Farm

Recently, I met a very nice lady who was doing her best to care for 2 geriatric horses and a mini donkey and mule. Her husband was the sole caretaker of them and he took the best care of his equine charges. Sadly, he passed away suddenly and his wife was left to care for his pets as best she could with help from friends and a neighbor. They were doing well, except for their hoofcare so I was called in to work on that part of their care. One thing led to another and well, Annie and Franny came home with me shortly after my first visit! Annie's hooves were quickly brought back into shape. I trimmed her 2 days after she arrived here.

Franny isn't a very friendly sort and has made past hoofcare impossible. So when I met her, her hooves were over 6 inches straight out in front of her. The walls had rolled under on the sides and she was walking on the outer hoofwall. Her ligaments were stretched beyond their normal limits and running away from, and kicking at people, was showing signs of pain.

Her first trim involved removing as much of the excess hoof as she would stand for...with a hacksaw. The procedure went well and we at least relieved the stress on her ligaments and tendons. However, as soon as we turned her loose, she thanked me by kicking me in the stomach. (What's up with these mini mules? Doesn't any one handle them after they're born?)

I've yet to trim her a second time as we're working on making friends first so the procedure isn't as traumatizing for her... or me.

We are up to 12 equines now, most are rescues, and we're going to stop now.

Um, yeah, that's what I said after each one came here to live.

But really, I mean it this time!

Yes, I said that too.

2007 Parelli Conference

We laughed, we cried, we cheered, we fell silent waiting for more...and more...and more. It was such an emotion packed 3 days. It was draining and exhilerating at the same time and we're goin' again next year!! I love everything about Linda and Pat Parelli and the Savvy team. I just wish they didn't shoe their horses.

I've been going to the Savvy Club Forum and members have been posting these of amazing pictures. Rich and I are in some of them. See if you can spot us. (We're on the end of the bleachers about 1/2 way up. Rich's mustache is easy to spot.) It was such awesome experience. We purchased our tickets for next year's conference while we were there. I see they're almost sold out already.

Parellis joined forces with the Myler bit brothers and came out with a cool new bridle that comes with a bit that fits your horse's personality. I don't think it's for sale on their website yet, but I have one and I love it!! I actually save so much money with Parelli items. I only buy what I need now. I used to buy every gadget that anyone would tell me worked. Now I only buy what Parelli's sell that actually does. I have so much stuff that I never use from my normal days. I could have a pretty big tack sale all by myself.