Sarah & Twice

Twice is a 13 year old Thoroughbred Ex Racehorse. I’ve had him on permanent loan from Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre since June 2004.

I’d always been told that Twice had typical “TB feet”. When I first got him he regularly pulled shoes off and I often wondered how my farrier was ever able to attach new ones. He managed to keep Twice patched up for nearly 5 years. Twice was prone to being foot sore after being shod and was showing increasing lameness after every shoeing. It was turning into a vicious circle of bute, rest, physio, and back to work just in time to be shod again. Not only was it a vicious circle I was starting to get a vicious horse that was becoming bad tempered and unpredictable. I couldn’t turn him out as he would charge around till he got injured and he was almost un-rideable. All off this came to a head in March 2009 when I after having new shoes he was so lame he looked like he had acute laminitis.



I knew something had to change, my farrier had run out of ideas. My physio knows Twice very well and I asked her opinion on what to do. I expected her to say “vet job” but to my shock she asked me if I’d considered going barefoot as she said many of her clients horses had been greatly improved by taking off their shoes. Not only that she recommended AEP and a man that can- Trevor Jones. I admit I was more than a bit sceptical but after an initial consultation Trevor was very up beat about Twices’ prognosis and a week and half later the shoes were off.

The shoes have been off for three months now and although we are still at the beginning of a long road towards healthy feet, hand on heart it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for Twice. Not only is he much sounder the biggest change has been in his temperament. He had got himself a very bad reputation of biting and explosive behaviour. Now he is a pleasure to be around, so chilled out and polite. He is now getting daily turnout. He is a gent to ride, schooling nicely and safe to hack. We have even competed for the first time since Sept 2008 only a walk and trot dressage test, but it was a huge step and I am immensely proud to be able to show him off. 

Big Thanks to Trevor for helping Twice, even though he got bitten on their first meeting. Twice had obviously spent years screaming that his feet were sore and now he feels better he is re paying everyone that knows him by becoming a very well mannered special horse. 

Sarah

Update on Twice's progress:

The photo to the right was taken on 13 September 2009 and shows Twice and Sarah on their way to achieving 2nd place in a Prelim 4 dressage competition.

Before & After