Last but not least!

So, here is the last hoof of the bunch, I wish I had taken more pictures of how her hooves look.

This is her back right hoof and it is an infamous white hoof! *Gasp!*

I don't really know what the big deal is about white hooves... ok, some people say they are much softer and white hooves really can't exist without shoes. I think this is a bunch of crap!

I've seen many white hooves in my day and they all have the potential to be as good as a black hoof. I've also seen some white hooves fall apart, just as much as black hooves can. In the end, every hoof has the potential to either fall apart or become as hard as stone. When I bought Dandy, her white hoof was overgrown... and I mean, there was at least 3 inches of extra wall. Her back feet had never been touched and pretty much self-trimmed for two years. The black hind foot had broken in the quarters, the white foot was intact all around, not a chip in sight. The hooves were dry and full of little cracks. As a result, I still rasp into small pockets of sand today and I am convinced that it is that sand that caused the abcess in Dandy's left front foot.

So here is Dandy's only white foot... take note that it is as nice or nicer than any other hoof on that mare.

This is the before shot... a little long overall, but that foot could've gone another 2 weeks without a trim and would've been fine. Excuse the ice in my Dandy's fetlocks, I couldn't remove it. This is a great looking hoof and that frog is one healthy squishy coushion... I love white feet!

Here is the after picture. It's a bit hard to see with all the white pigmentation. I have applyed a good roll, the bars are shorter and the heels have gone back to where they should be. You can see, in the waterline, the little sand "traps" that I have spoke about. These could also be small abcesses that have grown out from the coronet. They are old abcesses and they don't jeopardize the integrity of the hoof. They are not a big concern for me, but I like to know they are there, just for my personnal information. Also, you will note a bit of red around the wall of the hoof. Don't worry, this is not blood, there is no sensitive tissue in that part of the hoof. Those spots are always there when I trim this foot and consist of pigment in the wall of the hoof. Dandy's wall is almost pink in some spots. This hoof is very healthy. To put it in perspective, the outer ridge of the wall on this hoof does not touch the ground when the hoof is weight bearing.

So that is my trimming ordeal... Just to compare... here is Dandy's front left after I did her first trim ever back in May 2008.

And here is the left front foot last Sunday after her last trim (not ever).