I have to totally agree with Nora here, I have found Dr.Strasser's
methods to be a great improvement over conventional methods.
Both my horses and my sisters horse have foundered at one time or
another. Marvin, my cushing's guy, was nearly put down last winter after
conventional treatment failed him miserably, in fact it made things
worse. Since he has been barefoot and I have finally gotten his heels
lowered, he is doing MUCH better.
I think the stall rest nearly killed him, he became very depressed to
the point I almost called the vet to end it all. But I persevered and so
did he, eventually getting to where the farrier could work on him again.
Thats when I found the damage being done to his hooves. Under the shoes
and pads his sole had become mushy and infected. A small stone had
worked its way under there to lodge in the abscess holes making things
worse. I told the farrier to leave the shoes off, it was just a gut
feeling then. Marvin did improve, some.
Then my vet told me about a remarkable woman in Germany who was having
tremendous results treating founder with out shoes. Even saving horses
who had completely sloughed their hoof capsule. Thats when I got on the
computer and found Gretchen web site. I will not say its been easy, it
has not. The Cushing's complications are making it even harder, but, it
IS WORKING! For every step foreword we are no longer take two steps
back. The progress has been slow, and yes I have at times doubted
whether it will work and that I could trim my horses feet myself, but it
does and I can. Even with my bad knees and back, out of sheer
determination I think!
Gretchen has been of so much help, answering questions and pointing me
in the direction I need to go for further help. With this method, my
sisters horse who was lame from navicular, ringbone and founder for ten
years is sound and just may find himself out of retirement soon if I can
get my knees straightened out. My other horse who just foundered this
summer is doing very well. When I bought him 3 years ago he wore a size
00 shoe, and was badly contracted.Clancy is a BIG bodied 16.1hh, size 00
shoes were leading him to laminitis by contracting the whole foot and
damaging the laminae. If he were in shoes today, he would wear a size 2.
Thats how much he has spread. My farrier got him into a size 1, but I
got him much broader and he is decontracting.
Sorry to be so long winded here, but I just cannot say enough good
things about this method. Do let me say if you are not willing to follow
the procedure exactly, including the 24/7 turn out, it will not work.
You must be dedicated to this 100%. Read the books by Dr.Strasser "A
Lifetime of Soundness" and "Shoeing, A Necessary Evil?" available at the
link below along with Jaime Jacksons books and video, which I strongly
recommend as well. Gretchens website is available through our groups
links section, Read it, and look at the case histories.
Best wishes, and thanks for listening...
Mary G.

Jaime Jackson's Home Page;
http://www.alltel.net/~star/index.html