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c/farriers•sage308sage308•3mo ago

That week in April with the three founder horses

I had a string of three horses with founder back to back, all from the same barn. The first was a 22 year old pony, the second a 7 year old quarter horse, and the last a 15 year old draft cross. Each needed a different trim and pad setup, and I spent over 30 hours there in four days. The barn owner kept asking if I could just do the same thing for all of them to save time. How do you guys handle clients who don't get that founder care isn't a one size fits all deal?
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4 Comments
victor_robinson
Ugh, that barn owner sounds like @the_simon's friend with the bad hay. How do you even begin to explain that each foot is a whole different problem?
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jason_lewis3
Oh man, "each foot is a whole different problem" hits so close to home. I had a mare once where the front left was like a snowshoe and the front right was a dainty little teacup. It's wild how they can all be standing on the same ground but their feet are living in different worlds. Makes you wonder if the barn owner even noticed the difference or just thought a trim is a trim is a trim.
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ninaowens
ninaowens3mo ago
Three founder cases from one barn sounds like a management issue, not just a trimming problem. Did you get a look at their feed or pasture setup? I'd be worried about the hay quality or a new bag of grain causing this. What did the barn owner say when you pointed out each horse had different angles and soreness spots?
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the_simon
the_simon3mo ago
Remember my friend's barn with the moldy hay?
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