This horse responded very well to the shoe applied here. I would not care to suggest that this shoe is original in any way, nor that it would work on the next horse with a similar presentation and history. Lots of things work some of the time... This reminds me of a great quote:

“The treatment of Laminitis is probably more varied than of any other disease, and yet a large number of cases recover for even the poorest practitioner” –A.A. Holcombe, D.V.S.(U.S. Department of Agriculture Special Report on Diseases of the Horse, 1916)

Darren......

I am going to do this in point form to make it a little easier for myself.

* Sorry, but I don't really find those photos to be that impressive.
* The straightening of that leg however, is super impressive and I am sure every breeder/owner and yearling sale will be seeking your services in the very near future. Hell, I can't even believe that you have to drive seven hours to look at one horse. Given those results you really should be flown there. Forget the helicopter, tell 'em you demand to go by jet!
* I had a quick look at your website but started to yawn a little.
* Nothing that I could see there suggested that you are anything other than anti horse shoeing. Sorry but I do not believe that you would put shoes on a horse at all.
* To me it is fairly obvious that you are barefoot only trimmer but I have to ask, were you ever involved with the cytec crowd?
* IMO you are mischievously spreading barefoot only propaganda.

Glenn

the_unicorn wrote:You haven't straighten any leg conman . Its clear in the first pics the horse had a medial sesamoid injury, which had made the horse stand toe out to keep weight off it. as all horses do with that sort of injury. Over time the injury healed & the horse has place its weight more evenly on the limb. causing its leg stance after healing to straightening.

I think there is more to being a farrier than presenting a picture of a hoof you claim to have shod at on point in time. After all, many of my vet students have applied shoes under my direction, but that does not qualify the student as a farrier.

The unicorn's website states "horseshoes could be considered a long lived but modern fad". That, with Darren's bio on the site, certainly doesn't sound like someone who advocates the use horseshoes.

http://www.barefoothooves.com/trimmer.php

Baron,
I hope you rethink allowing a non-farrier to post on a site where people are looking for advice from the farrier community.

"I have been trimmer for 5.5 years so far and what a journey it has been." From your website, Hoof Smith (aka the unicorn) - 2nd sentence.

Given the proper amount of ego, that seems to be about the optimal time to become a legend in your own mind.

It is both sad and frightening that there are some gullible souls out there that will believe your malarkey. Do you actually believe it??

Of course he does his a 100% committed . His already progressed from sitting on the ground to a milk crate . This lads destined for biger things .Imagine what he could do if he ever gets his hands on a real stool to sit on .

reillyshoe wrote:
Yes, I have to agree that despite answering my inquiry in a way that indicates shoes are an option, I don't see any real indication of that in the information presented.

Unicorn, please be advised that you should restrict your posts to the "Farriers Helping Horse Owners Interested In Maintaining Their Horses Barefoot As Much As Possible" forum. Thank you.

Baron Tayler