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Amanda's new horse Kelly by Amanda Kortas
I've know Kelly for about four years now and owned her for about 2 months. She has always been my dream horse and I think I was born to ride her. ,
The second or third time I rode at a camp (she was a ranch horse) she tried to bite me everytime I brushed her shoulders (they said she was just being naughty) and her spirit had faded a little.
When we brought her home she was limping. By the next day her limp was gone. Jenny came and told me that Kelly was trying to bite me because she was very sore in her shoulders, because the shoes had caused her to have a very bad posture. So Jenny removed her shoes and she was a bit tender for about a week or two. Then she started to run, bucking around the paddock in a wild gallop. From then on she's started to look and behave more like the beautiful thoroughbred I know she is.
Just a couple of days ago there was a lot of rain fall here which caused a puddle and when my dad asked her to go through one she played in it with high spirits. I rode her bare back just yesterday (although the ground was wet and we could only go at a walk and trot) she felt WOW, she had more spirit in her than ever before.
When spring comes I'm sure she will be able to go full steam ahead even more so than usual.
It really is truly remarkable how barefoot trimming can give new life to a meat-works boned horse!
Amanda's mum says...
I'm amazed how Kelly's hooves are improving.
We had a good look 2 weeks ago at Jonny's hooves, he is our Kaimanawa pony and never had shoes on. The best thing we did for him was to ask Jenny to trim his hooves.
Now we have bought Kelly, a good for nothing horse according to the vet that assessed her.
We bought her anyway and I'm amazed at the progress she is making. With apple cider vinegar soaks, shoes removed, a natural hooftrim and honey to help heal her atrophied frogs, it is amazing to see her progress. We are walking her on the road and do Kinetic breathing exercises with her as well. I think she will be ok in a few months time and give my daughter, and hopefully me as well, a lot of pleasure.
And a word from me....
I had an email from Lia, Amanda's mum, at the beginning of August 2004.
Lia had opened the gate to let Kelly out into the driveway but she hadn't closed the road gate. They have a very long gravel driveway that Kelly has been grazing and conditioning her feet on. Kelly galloped off down the drive and jumped the cattle stop at the end, apparently the neighbours had seen Kelly jump and said she didn't even hesitate!
Not bad for a horse that was vetted in April 2004 as... 'hasn't been 100% sound for the past year, has 'issues' with front joints and might be good for another 3 or 4 years if she has regular farrier work, building up the heel, leaving the toe clear and reversing the shoe.' !!
I can see Kelly is well on her way to proving the vet wrong and being 'good' for far longer than 'conventional' methods would have allowed.
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