Barefoot Horses

FOUNDER HEALING CHART
from "Founder, Prevention and Cure"
The Natural Way by Jaime Jackson

A founder diagnosis should be made by a licensed veterinary equine practitioner.

DIET	BOARDING	DE-TOX	HOOVES
While your hoof care professional takes care of the hooves, work immediate on changing your horse's diet.	Most founder cases will require immediate changes in their living quarters	During the laminitic attack and during the healing phase, minimize the use of any drugs. Avoid all invasive surgical procedures	Provide natural hoof care at once.
DO'S	DO'S	DO'S	DO'S
Provide multiple free choice grass hays. Feed oats, whole or crimped Provide drinking water at ground level Give fresh fruits and vegetable Provide free choice mineral block Provide free choice salt block	If your horse is in pasture, remove him at one to a paddock with a connected covered stall If your horse is stalled, provide him with a paddock turnout connected to a covered stall Provide rubber mats, lined in rows for exercise. Provide all dietary necessities within his boarding quarters. Provide foot bath for hooves KEep him in constant contact with one or more horse buddies	If necessary (i.e., horse refuses to eat or drink, makes no effort to move, low pain tolerance), use Phenylbutazone ("bute) prescribed by your vet to control pain; follow 3 days on/1 day off cycle	Remove horseshoes Give hooves natural trim Keep horse barefooted at all times except when booted Trim at 3 - 4 week intervals Fit hooves with ridign boots as soon as horse can stand to be fitted. Use boots only when horse is still too sore to walk barefooted and when riding after healing phase. Soak hooves daily in water or clean mud for 10 mins. Soak hooves in mild vinegar solution if WLD is diagnosed. Use water based hoof penetrant once after each trim
DON'TS	DONT'S	DONT'S	DONT'S
No legume or fescue hays No green grass at any time No sweet feeds No vitamin concentrates	No pasture turn out or access to green grass of any type from any source. Do NOT confine to a stall.	No antibiotics No chemical inhibitors No vaccinations No blood modifiers No parasiticides No vitamin shots No thyroid medications No homeopathic medications No tenotomies to relieve coffin bone tension No toe wall resections No coronary grooving No surgical drains No x-rays	No standard (keg) or orthopedic shoes No glue-on shoes No pads No foam sole support devices.