Clinic Notes

The Pete Ramey clinic was good, but it has not changed much so there wasn't a lot of new info for me.  It is a good clinic and I recommend it if you ever have a chance, but the couple of things I need help with are waaay out of the ordinary and I have had to make stuff up as I go.  It is working for the animals who need help, so I guess that is all that matters.

The one real gem I found at the clinic was on the display table.  They are these little silicone, glue-on shoes/slippers that were actually MADE FOR DONKEYS - even mini donkeys and mini horses.  They can be made in sizes to fit anything from the tiniest mini donkey to big mammoth donks.  They also have sizes for horses, including drafts.

Look for them here:
http://www.advancedequinecomfort.com/shop/mini-performance-shoes/

You would have to have someone knowledgeable in gluing on shoes but these could be a real Godsend to donkeys like Ramsey or laminitic donkeys that can't fit into any of the hoof boots on the market.

We are headed into the Fall mud season, which has just been jump started with about 4 inches of rain, and I am tempted to try some of these on Ramsey's bad foot to prevent abscessing.  I will let you know how it goes if I do.

The other little bit of useful trivia that I picked up is that the patent for Vettec's glues and pour in pads is about to expire.  I have nothing against Vettec, they make good products and I even understand why the pricing is so high.  However, one of the biggest hurdles (if not the biggest) in using glue-on shoes is the horribly high price and unforgiving nature of the glue.  It puts glue-ons into a purely elitist category that is not achievable for most horse or donkey owners, which is not good for horses or for the horse industry as a whole.  The market is about to be flooded with new glue versions, which should drive the price way down.  I hope.