Hoof Plates Experimental System

 By Dale Blankenship

Any horse owner knows that founder and laminitis are two diagnoses that you never want to hear. 
Founder happens in a horse's hoof when the coffin bone tears away from the hoof wall, causing the hoof capsule to rotate. It's debilitating and the leading cause of equine euthanasia.  Laminitis occurs when the coffin bone fails to attach to the inner hoof wall.  It's a painful condition that usually goes unnoticed until it's too late and is the leading cause of equine lameness.  Both can be severe.
Growing up on a farm in Cambridge, Ohio, my family had a horse that was foundered.  Other than the soaking, compresses and walking him for treatment, there were no other therapies available.  But since becoming a farrier over 10 years ago, I have found and used The Nolan Hoof Plate, a new treatment that has reliable, lasting results.  I have been involved in the application of the Nolan Hoof Plate on over 50 horses and have watched in amazement as these animals were given a new chance at life. 


                                     Laminitic hoof before Nolan Hoof Plates.

The design of the Nolan Hoof Plate allows it to encompass the hoof capsule to offer support and stabilize the hoof wall.  The weaker points of the hoof are reinforced and give the horse immediate pain relief and establishes blood flow in the hoof again.  With restored circulation comes new growth.  The plate gives the hoof capsule a chance to regrow and realign with the coffin bone .  The foundered and laminitic horses I treat are now back to work, back riding and back living pain-free.
The first foundered case I experienced that received the Nolan Hoof Plate was an American Racking pony which was inflicted for two years.  This was 2002 and the Hoof Plate was new at the time.  I assisted the vet in the application of the plates, and instantly, the pony showed improvement.  Within four weeks, it was racking and high-stepping like it never did before.  The horse owner could not stop smiling and even wrote letters praising the Nolan Hoof Plate and the team for trying them. 

                   Laminitic hoof after Nolan Hoof Plates (15-week treatment period).

A young horse named Hudson was a case in which I introduced the Nolan Hoof Plate to a horse owner and vet who didn't know it was an alternative solution to founder.  The horse became foundered on Christmas Day of 2004.  After being called in to shoe him several times over three months, and following the requests of the owner and vet to alter the trim and shoeing job, I suggested the Nolan Hoof Plate.  Finally in March, when nothing else was working, I applied the plates.  After three months of pain and unsuccessful shoeing jobs, Hudson showed sings of improvement with those Hoof Plates within three days.  On the fourth day, his owner told me that Hudson was trotting around the pasture.  I know the owner probably wished they had used the plates sooner, but sometimes you have to hear from others that a product really works before you will try it.  Later, Hudson was diagnosed with equine metabolic syndrome, which was causing his condition. The Nolan Hoof Plate gave Hudson relief, while his vet regulated Hudson's insulin levels.  It was another success story.

Boomer is a roping horse and he was a tricky case.  This horse really suffered with his painful laminitis.  The owner called the vet after several days.  When the vet could not make the horse comfortable, he called me in to apply the Nolan Hoof Plate.  While we did not see the immediate pain relief, it eventually showed up after a few weeks into treatment -- like a trusted friend.  Boomer got comfortable, walked and stretched his muscles.  He was happy, comfortable and functioning normally while going through the treatment.  Also, he'll be back to work again -- not just put out to pasture.  Boomer is still in treatment with the Nolan Hoof Plate, and to date he has gone from 11 degrees of rotation of P3 down to 2.  We have continued the plates to help keep the good, healthy hoof growth and get Boomer solid for his team roping job.

Big Mark is a Percheron carriage horse from the Indiana Zoo that had cracks all the way to the coronary band.  His hooves had to support a lot of weight.  Even after I applied just the first Nolan Hoof Plate, Big Mark was immediately comfortable and happy.  He stood and held the second hoof for me to work on without any discomfort.  The cracks were healed by the plate and there was no need to resection the hoof or file off hoof wall.  The Hoof Plate had the effect of stimulating growth and at the end of the 16-week treatment period, there was almost two inches of new growth from the coronary band down.  We were all excited to keep that healthy new hoof growing until that crack grew out.  It took three treatment periods, but Big Mark was back being comfortable and happy the entire time. 

In most cases, the Nolan Hoof Plate remains on the horse for 16-20 weeks of treatment.  In some instances, a foundered horse requires another round of treatment, but it's usually due the desire to allow that healthy hoof to continue growing out or another physical condition of the horse. 
Not Recommended for all horses - Check with your Veterinarian!

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