Thanks, Karen.  It sounds like you’re making progress.  I’m fairly sure from your responses that you don’t think I am giving you directions, but rather sharing things I’ve experienced that you may want to think about.

That’s a good question about the fat pads!  I don’t know exactly what their relationship is to insulin levels, except to reflect that it’s most likely high.  Maybe someone else will answer.  Or you can answer it for both of us after you’ve had some experience with metformin.

I would think his hooves could return to normal without issues but it takes awhile.  Most of his hoof will need to grow out once his insulin is down.  You can see on the hoof where it takes an angle and begins to flare.  It’s fairly high on the hoof.  Once the insulin is down and his feet are correctly trimmed, you should be able to begin preserving the angle above where the flare begins.  To my eye, and it may well stand to be further educated, I don’t see rotation and only a slight bit of descent in one hoof.  To me it seems that his trim is allowing his hoof wall to be pried away and the high insulin has loosened the “glue” that holds them together.  Imagine your fingernails doing the same but, on top of that, you need to walk on your fingertips.  Sharing with a potential farrier that he is recovering from laminitis is not the same as telling them that Apollo is laminitic.  It may seem like it is but there are plenty of farriers who might things worse by trying to ‘fix’ something inappropriately.  I’m excited that Heather has shared a possibility which may well be perfect.  I couldn’t really understand the notes accompanying the radiographs either.  I know what palmar angles are but not the other measurements reported.  I’m not sure what a “normal” palmar angle is but something between 2 and 4 degrees, I would think, but you can’t measure that from the outside hoof wall because it’s been pried away.

And I’m delighted to learn that Dr. Gustafson will be balancing your hay.  My hay has been fairly easy to balance but getting it spot on with a bit of this or that has made a huge difference.  If you tell her what you’re using for minerals now (Vermont Blend?) she may be able to work with that with minor additions or tell you that another base might be easier to adjust.  And many people purchase the individual minerals and just add the correct amount of each to the carrier.
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