Success Stories - Page 3

Case 5: Metabolic (Dix)

Dix is a Lippizan/Swedish WB cross who Lauren acquired as a yearling to be her Dressage horse. Always a sensitive horse Dix's early life was uneventful--other than his gelding which did not go smoothly and nearly cost him his life.

After having been started under saddle by a local cowboy known to start horses gently he began his dressage career at age 4. This is when the challenges to come began to surface. Dix was extremely senstive and seemed to be very angry. He fought with other horses and resisted training. When he reared up and flipped over onto Lauren it became clear that something had to be done.

Of course, back in the day, Lauren had not made a connection between Dix's health and his behavioral problems. She would also only learn later that the training guidance she'd received was deeply flawed. It was no wonder he was angry. But still even after converting to a better approach in terms of training Dix was still not Right.

As she studied hoof health and began her journey on the barefoot path she learned that Dix had a metabolic condition that explained his poor hoof health, his cresty neck, and excessive sensitivity. All of this was prior to May 2006 while she was still in Florida. Toward the end there Dix became anhidrotic (lost his ability to sweat).

When Lauren and her family first arrived in Tennessee there was no way to separate Dix from the herd as he had been in Florida. It was sink or swim and fortunately room to run was not a problem. And a good thing too because Dix did his level best to run the herd with an iron fist. Mostly he ran himself ragged.

Remarkably this turned out to be the best thing for him. He became fit, his metablism leveled out, his soundness improved and all mainly due to a LOT of movement. He was much better but not perfect. He was still a challenge to work with due to his anger issues and what seemed like raging hormones (yes he is a gelding!). Getting his diet balanced with Equipride, Remission (for the metabolic condition), and Chastetree berry (for the raging hormones) has really helped him to start to act like a "regular horse".

This is Dix today at age 12. Back under saddle without a rear in sight in a year. He lost a lot of training time getting healthy but he's still young.