SIMON - Diagnosed with laminitis

This is my story .  My experience with Laminitis is all about overall equine health and I feel certain Lisa St. John can offer some great advice. It's long but I believe what I have to offer you will be beneficial. 

I recommend contacting Lisa St. John of WHOLEify for her help using her amazing gift of recognizing from what your horse suffers and ability to turn it around holistically with proper nourishment i.e. a fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds diet and detoxifying and immune enhancing herbs. 

Her recommendations went against every fiber of my mind and body; everything I've been taught over all the years of being in the horse care-giving and training profession and the total opposite what has been recommended by veterinarians my entire life. 

She told me to feed him no manufactured feeds (like for people - no processed foods) which made perfect sense. But instead to feed him all the things veterinary science had said was BAD for him. 

In August 2009, I was losing Simon (aka Coca Cola Classic), my daughter's home-bred AA Pony Hunter Champion whom you might remember. (He was also a favorite IHSA draw at 14.1 hands). He was suffering from Cushings and since 2007, Simon had 7 or 8 Laminitic episodes. His metabolism was a wreck. 

It wasn't natural for a horse not to be eating grass. All I could think of was it's cruel to have to wear that muzzle 24-7. And I'm not joking or exaggerating - if you let him hand graze after you rode and hosed him off and waited for him to dry and it was longer than 20 minutes of eating grass, he would rock back on his heels in Laminitic agony and barely make it back to his stall or dry lot.  

I was doing all the things the vets recommended except corrective shoes - he'd been barefoot nearly his whole life (foaled in my arms in 1989) and I couldn't bear to drive nails into those already inflamed and painful hooves. He wore a grazing muzzle, ate recommended small amounts low-carb feed designed for IR, I was soaking (leeching) his already low protein hay, plus he got a daily dose of medication (Pergolide)to prevent Laminitis yet, I felt like I was torturing him. I kept telling him (and myself) it's for the best. His eyes were dull, his coat was course and had no shine, his muscle tone was off, I think because his feet were hurting all the time, although he would only have severe Laminitis attacks periodically. He would bite at the cross-ties or even bite at you if you touched him. You couldn't groom him without him telling you he hurt all over. This was in August. I felt that I definitely would have to put Simon down by Christmas. 

I met Lisa St John via a webinar on natural barefoot hoof care.  You may find forums about Lisa St John that say she's a quack, but none can show she's ever done any harm. She genuinely loves her four-legged clients, and I have proof that she is pure genius!

 Not only did her herbs & diet turn Simon around in 30 days, I rode him at the 2009 Moore County Hounds Hunter Pace in November -nearly 6 miles and Simon was happy and ready to go again when we came in!

Just recently my farrier asked me for Lisa's info to pass on to a client who's horse is (was) severely foundered. My farrier told me this poor baby has been acutely foundered for years and the owner has exhausted every avenue to help this horse walk without severe pain and lameness. 

Euthanasia was on the table when my farrier shared my story about Simon and they contacted Lisa St John. This horse is "River" and is now among the testimonials on WHOLEify’s website www.WHOLEify.com. I'm sorry this is so long-winded. But it takes some background and explanation to refer you to Lisa St. John. 

I understand some of why her program works, but it goes against everything I have always been taught about founder and Laminitis. All I can say is, I was at rock bottom, knowing Simon was going to go south soon, and she was my last resort. And it worked and I can't tell you exactly why it did.  

Before Lisa, Simon looked like a neglected sad rescue, in spite of all my efforts. This is Simon this past summer and fall, 6 years on a WHOLEify nutritional program, at 27 years old and still going strong now at 28.

Simon has been on fresh green grass pasture 24-7, 12 months a year, ever since he went on the WHOELify  nutritional program. He also gets a flake of alfalfa with his orchard grass daily wherever he's in the stall.

His diet includes a bunch of herbs, but also includes apples and carrots and pears and all the things that the vets say a Laminitic horse should never be offered! And this is every day! 

My vet happened to mention this to his vet techs today about how Simon’s recovery was miraculous and that his whole program is an amazing story.

AC Jones

SIMON

SIMON

SIMON , AC JONES AND JUNIOR RIDER