Overcoming

I have to say owning my first OTTB hasn't been so easy. My boy Chaleco came of the track on Decemeber 5th 2011. I waited 3 weeks to pull his shoes and he was going along great with a very mild winter. He was turned out with a run in with access to hay 24/7. Then the mud turned from mud to frozen moutains and his first battle began. He got bruised frogs so I wrapped his hooves and that helped him heal. I wasn't supposed to bring him home until April 11th or so and he was staying with a friend until then. He ended up having to wear 3 blankets so he wouldn't shiver and lost a lot of weight due to stress and other issues he was dealing with. I ended up being able to bring him home early and after a few days of settling in took off his blankets and relized just how much work I was going to be doing for this big boy as he was pretty skinny. I put him on a worming program, kept him in his own pasture for 2 months so he could gain weight and not be picked on as he didn't know how to be a horse just yet and would just stand there one another horse tried to move him off the hay. Finally got his weight up and put him in with my 2 other horses and he settled in and everything was going well until he got an abscess in his sole of his hoof and that become very sore for him. Since I don't do shoes I used the Perfect Hoofwear system for his hooves and with in 3 hours he was completely sound of the foot. He did still stand while eating hay with the foot off the ground a bit at times but soon that stopped as well. I have grown up with horses and have been lucky with easy keepers with no issues what so ever. I have always wanted to own a OTTB because there is just something about them. They like to please there owner and are so sweet and loving. It has definately been a learning experience and taught me patience because it took time before I could ride Chaleco and I was dying to ride him. Chaleco is doing great and can't wait for nicer weather so we can hit some trails. If you would like to learn more about perfect hoofwear you can check them out here: http://www.appliedequinepodiatry.org/perfecthoofwear/index.html