Beckie Mabbutt

Jen a friend of mine, and excellent Farrier from Utah has just got this new exciting project. This is an extreme club foot. I look forward to sharing with you the pictures of what she manages to do with it.

I was lucky enough to be invited to Myerscough College in Preston last week to do a 45 minute lecture to some Farrier Degree Students and a class of Second Year Apprentices.

My topic was Hoof Mapping, Trimming and Shoe Placement. It's a presentation I'm hoping to offer to all of you soon. Here is a picture of a Mapped out foot to give you an idea of what process I was describing.

Rosie had an abscess here is the process of finding it...First I hoof tested the foot and found pain on the outside.

First I saw a black track in the bar so I followed this to no avail.

When this came to nothing I found another black mark nearer the wall.

I then added some pressure with my thumb and started to see the black puss bubble out.

Then I want to make a large enough drainage hole so as it doesn't close up and re-infect.

Now it's ready for a poultice and she already felt better.

Lottie was unlucky to get an abscess recently. I thought it was a good example of the puss being released. The pain comes from the pressure so once released and a few days with a poultice she should be fine.