February: Nine Lives – Willie the Wonder Horse

February Case of the Month: Nine Lives – Willie the Wonder Horse!

Willie has lived through a few major setbacks, but seems to keep coming back as good as new. Previously a lesson horse, 20 year old Willie found his forever home with one of his riders. He suffered from arthritis, foot issues, navicular disease, under run heels, white line disease and collapsing and chipping walls. With diligent hoof care and a few setbacks, his team of farrier, vet, and owner, managed to find the right recipe to strengthen, treat and build healthy, comfortable, hooves. After months of some great riding (you would never have known he had any musculoskeletal diseases), Willie developed laminitis unexpectedly despite careful dietary management and monitoring for metabolic diseases. Thinking he could not recover from yet another hoof issue, Willie surprised everyone when he returned to soundness, beating the odds. This February, Willie and his owner were ready to get back to work, Willie’s favourite activity. Willie needed some joint support for his arthritis but because of his laminitic episode, steroids were no longer an option. His owner decided to try Prostride, a biological joint therapy safe for our metabolic horses. And true to Willie’s nature, he responded amazingly to the Prostride injections and is back moving like a spring chicken. For Willie, age is only a state of mind.