Testimonials from farriers

Observations on the improving soundness of Diane Kemp's Horse Sasha

Diane Kemp's 20 year old horse Sasha has been suffering with chronic laminitis for just over 2 years. As is common with chronic laminitics Sasha's front feet were suffering from a significant lack of structural integrity. Despite careful farriery, the distortion of the hoof structures had led to a lack of soundness and therefore a poorer quality of life. In the summer of 2011 Andrew Poynton was asked to visit Sasha and see how he could help. In
consultation with Diane’s Vet Arnie Agnew and with the help of Andrew I took over a programme of farriery work aimed at improving the structural integrity of the feet.
The work consisted of two main elements :-

Firstly carefully removing all structurally unsound horn and replacing it with Imprint Hoof Repair granules. Ostensibly creating a prosthesis, returning the structural integrity to the hoof capsule;

Secondly applying an Imprint First shoe to both lift the sole off the ground, creating sole clearance over the tip of the pedal bone; and to give support to the bone column by equalising downward load forces via a cradling frog plate.

After 6 months work there has been a significant improvement to the integrity of the hoof capsule leading to greater stability of the bone column and greater concavity of the sole. Sasha is no longer reliant on pain relief and is noticeably more sound. Perhaps most importantly both Sasha and Diane are feeling happier and are enjoying the steady return
to a more normal routine. The process is by no means complete, however Sasha can now enjoy being walked out, trotted and even lunged. I think the improvements to Sasha’s welfare say a great deal about Diane, about her determination and selflessness. I think it also shows just what capabilities farriers now have with these new products to intervene in a deteriorating situation and ultimately effect a positive change.
 

Dean Bland Dip WCF Hons, BA Hons

January 2012

Update –  Really good news, Diane is now riding her horse Sasha.

“I’ve had some very good results with the Imprint glue and Hoof Repair (granules).  The repair I made to a hoof crack stayed in place for 8 months and has now grown out.  The key is to clean the area thoroughly before applying the materials.”

Mark Smith DipWCF

Somerset

Equine Laminitic Course at Redwings Horse Sanctuary

Rob Reeve recently attended the Imprint Laminitis Training Course at Redwings Horse Sanctuary. This is the third course he has been on. He commented that while the Imprint shoes and the main principles of fitting them have remained consistent, there were a lot of new things to learn such as tips for shoe retention as Andrew’s technique is continually evolving. “I learned things I hadn’t seen before. It’s good to have your memory refreshed and to be keeping up to date with everything.”

Robert Reeve DipWCF
Norfolk
November 11

“I work with the main 3 vets in the area who all use Imprints. I have 7 or 8 pairs of Imprints on horses at the moment and am treating 2 foals using the Imprint Hoof Repair material. Imprints must have saved 50 horses. Recently my apprentice went on an Imprint Hoof Repair course and got a lot out of it.”

Simon Jackson DipWCF

York

"In my opinion, if you have not attended an Imprint training day, I would recommend them to anyone who has an interest in modern farriery techniques.  Alternatively, if you have attended before, Andrew Poynton never fails to show us new methods and ideas he has developed to complement his unique products. I have been on more than one of Andrew's training courses, however, his products are so unique and constantly evolving, that I always learn something new. I have been using Imprint Sport for sometime, and my clients have been very pleased with the results. Good preparation of the hoof is very important, but once this is in place, application of the shoe is very straightforward."

Jonathan Nunn AWCF

Staffordshire

I just thought I would write a quick note of thanks for both your products and for the training received at the Imprint courses that I have attended. I have used your shoes in a number of situations but one case in particular stands out...

James Nash DWCF.

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“The Imprint First shoes were fantastic. I have never had plastic shoes so straightforward and easy to fit. There was a dramatic improvement in the horse, and both the owner and I were very pleased with the result.”

Stephen Eaton AWCF
Newtown, Powys

Just thought I'd take a few moments to say I've just used this system for the very first time and tell you how very impressed I was. Not only with the shoes themselves which fitted and went on exactly as described but also with the support of the website and CD - I have never seen this done yet I was easily able to apply the shoes and circumnavigate any forseen problems having been warned by the information you have given, and to adhere to the principles of shoeing a laminitic for both short term comfort and long term recovery.

If there were any things I would have to add to the information you have given, I'd say, make sure electricity is available, and a Dremel is pretty invaluable for preparation, both of which luckily I had to hand when doing this job.

In the nicest possible way, I really hope I never have to use Imprint again - I'm sure you know what I mean - but if circumstances demand, it will be my system of choice from now on.

Many thanks

Graeme Burt DWCF

Nr. Sevenoaks, Kent

17 April 2008

I have been shoeing horses for over thirty years and in that time there has been some huge developments in veterinary and farriery knowledge concerning the equine lower limb.  With this extra understanding, I have been involved with many new ideas on the treatment of farriery related problems, some good, and some not so good!

Every now and then something new comes along which you know is going to help out some old problems by giving you another tool in the box, and I believe Andrew Poynton’s thermo-plastic shoe concept is just that something.  We have been using the Imprint products for over two years mostly on laminitic ponies; we only use the shoes on the most severe cases of laminitis, hand in hand with the veterinary profession and have had some excellent results.  There are always disappointments but after all, these are extreme cases, but with the help of owners and vets we have together helped over 90% make a good recovery.

As well as laminitic cases we have used the Imprint shoes for limb correction in young stock, hospital plates for pedal bone injuries, and the thermo-plastic granules for hoof wall repairs, but I feel sure there will be many other uses too.

However there are no cutting corners in farriery, you must fully understand the problem you are dealing with and be able to correctly balance a foot and limb before you apply any shoe, but the pleasure it gives you when the animal recovers cannot be measured.

It is truly a very exciting new product, giving a new dimension in farriery to compliment old practises and it is just these developments which come along now and then, which make this job so inspiring.

Wayne Upton RSS (Hons) AFCL

West Sussex

I tried using some of the Imprint plastic Granules (Imprint Hoof Repair) to create a medial heel wedge, and found it very successful. I have gone on to try it on few other horses and had good results, they all returned to being sound. Also used the plastic to make a full wedge on a horse with badly collapsed heels suffering from navicular, as with the others I tied it all in with notches up the side of the hoof wall and in the buttress bars, basically putting plastic where there needed to be hoof, and that one also has returned to being sound.
 

The Imprint Plus are working well for me as well, giving that extra grip which seemed to be one of the few reservations my local vet had.

Dean Bland BA (Hons) DipWCF Hons
Barnsley, South Yorkshire