International Training Team in Romania

The second training course on Saddlery and Farriery is being run some one and a half hours drive from Iasi at a state stud in Dumbrava. The facilities provided by the Stud Director for the students and the instructors are some of the best accommodation that we have been provided with.

However this does not come with a low price tab; already it is becoming noticeable that costs are increasing at a steady rate since the entry into the EU. Many of the lower income people and older generation feel that entry into the EU may not have been the correct decision for their future.

Our second course in Romania started on 2nd April 2007 and ran for three weeks. During the first week we worked with the BBC on a programme for Countryfile, which was shown on 29th April 2007, of which we had eleven minutes of air time demonstrating the different aspects of our work.

During the initial set up period of the course, it was pointed out that one of the stallions had a very badly formed foot due to a previous injury and that it was going to be destroyed. Upon investigation of this foot problem with a number of the team that were present it was felt that with the correct care and management this horse could be returned to full work.

Our registered farrier who would be instructing on this course very skilfully with all the students in attendance started work on this horse; he was given only three weeks to save him from being destroyed.

On inspection the instructors reported that (Odor or Lefty as I call him) was due to be slaughtered because of a foot problem causing him to be very lame.

The horse was seen to have two problems with his left hind leg; primarily he had sustained an injury to the medial posterior aspect of the coronary band quite some time ago, resulting in a false quarter.

This portion of foot was growing out at 90 degrees, which was being constantly aggravated as his gait was very close to brushing.

Secondly and causing the majority of the lameness was severe thrush which was simply caused by poor stable hygiene and lack of foot management. Lefty, being a working stallion was constantly tied up in stalls which confined him to one spot resulting in the hind feet, standing in urine and dung which are ideal conditions for thrush to thrive in. All the stallions are kept this way causing thrush to be a common problem.

We felt that this would be a perfect example to show the vets attending the seminars and the new farriers being trained that in a very short time with a horse that was going to be destroyed, that correct foot care and management enabled this horse to be returned to a useful working life.