[RC] what the vet said about the homeoapthics - LTYearwood
Apparently, my talk about my new horse, Sunny, and his hoof abcesses has raised some dander!
have not ruled out the conventional way -- I believe there are some things vets can do that are helpful. For example: X-rays.
But I also believe that there are things I have learned about homeopathics, and especially about natural hoof care, that the vets don't know about, or are at least not very well versed in. It would be nice if the twain could twine, so to speak.
Last week, I woke up and Sunny was holding up his left front leg. I panicked, and took him to the vet. The vets said he had an abcess, and she dug around in his foot to let the abcess drain. Sunny appeared to be instantly better, and I was happy. I did what my hoofcare specialist -- this is what a barefoot trimmer who specializes in the Strasser method calls herself -- told me to do: Keep Sunny moving and soak his feet every day in apple cider vinegar.
Four days later: Sunny is running around in the field with my other Arabian, Vashka. They are flying over rocks. Then -- BAM. Sunny stops and holds up his leg, which is shaking.
I keep moving him and soaking him, but he did not make any progress that I could see.
Today: I took Sunny to the vet again, who took x-rays. The X-rays showed nothing but a brewing "gaseous abcess."
$140 later, the vet tells me to keep soaking Sunny. She also tells me, again, to soak Sunny's feet in Epson Salts. I told her I had heard those dry the hoof out. She says I am right. So I tell her about some herbs and homeopathics -- namely Hypericum, Caledula, Hepar Sulph, ect -- and she says: "Oh! I have, now that I think about it, heard of those things. And you are right. So go ahead and give them to him and make poultices out of them."
So I am doing this as we speak. In a way, I feel silly for spending all this money and worrying so much when I know that the natural way has worked for me so far. But on the other hand, I am glad I made sure everything is really okay in Sunny's hoof.
The thing that I hate about "the conventional" way is that it costs so much and it seems to me to be based, often times, in a lot of fear: What if the cofin bone is attacked by bacteria? What if the abcess turns systemic?
The problem with the natural way -- which to me means using methods that are not invasive, but require us to trust nature, ourselves and are horses, -- is that I have to have some faith in nature, myself and my horses.
A lot of people seem to think "the natural way" or "the homeopathic way" means that the horse owner isn't willing to spend the money or isn't willing to do what is necessary. I know, at least for myself, that that isn't true. I'll do anything to help my horses.
Sorrry if this feels like babbling. I'll get going now. Gotta go back out to the barn to soak my horse's feet!
