Oh I love Lauki too Maggie! He particularly reminds me of our little half blind mini appy (in my profile pic) - very smart, full of energy, and a little wild one :-)
I really gained a lot from the Lauki series and have seen our two little guys improve with just that tiny bit more understanding from me.
Your Shetland sounds like a cutie :-) we'd have ours in the house too, looking for food given half a chance lol! Interesting about stress contributing to founder as well, makes sence. Glad Chester is on the mend.

Hey Maggie - I rescued a mare who had been left in a paddock for over two years with no attention. As well as putting on weight, as a pure Arabian she was stressed from lack of attention. I was slowly bringing her back into work to reduce her weight and had only had her but weeks when she foundered severly in all four feet and displaced the off fore pedal bone very badly. I spent 7 months treating her and at times was advised by my most wonderful vet that she may not survive, culminating in necrosis setting in in the coronet band and desperately trying to save the hoof which finally we did. The vet diagnosed her founder as stress related as much as the weight problem and also said she was definately not the type of horse that would normally founder, especially in such a bad way. After her recovery I found her the most wonderful home after all this trauma and saw her last weekend weekend competing at a local show and winning ribbons. When I saw her she snuggled up to me so she does remember all we went through together. It gives me great joy to see how well she is doing now and see her so relaxed, loved by her new owner and happy. Stress free horses and ponies mean happy feet as well as happy horses :-)

Thanks Rahni - your ittle mini looks very cute. Great to ready your story Griffo.girl. I hadn't realised before this that stress could bring on founder - I just associated it with too much fresh spring grass. Chester rarely stresses out but when he does he goes to town on it. He has only done it twice and both times he has foundered afterwards so that is why I realised it was stress the caused his founder. He is a hard one as he is usually so relaxed and doesn't seem to care about where my other horese are but every so often he freaks out. I usually shut him in a little yard near my home at nights to reduce his food intake. Recently it has been so wet and boggy in Melbourne that one night I decided to shut him in a small, dry shelter shed. Unfortunately it faced away from the paddock my other horses were in. I left him there happily eating his food thinking that he would be fine and dry and warm too. At about 10.30pm I went to check on him. Poor little fellow was lathered with sweat and very unhappy so back to his yard he came. I don't think he would have survived the night if I hadn't gone out. Two days later he foundered and it has been really bad this time - it is only just beginning to improve. I stupidly trimmed his hooves this morning so I guess that was a big mistake too as he seems sorer again. I do hope he comes good quicker than your rescue mare. Last time he took about 3 months to be back to normal. I love him to bits and so do the grandchildren but he is a challenge as he is always hungry. I have made a series of very small post and rail paddocks for him so once he recovers he wont have the opportunity to eat too much and now I have learnt this big lesson he will hopefully not have to stress out ever again. So pleased that your little mare recovered and found a good home.

Just added a new post re Chester's founder in case others have similar problems.

It is a real trial getting through the founder Maggie. I have had horses all my life and this was my first ever case of it and it was a good one. The poor mare tried to give up a couple of times but I refused to let her give in. Must say at the end of the 7 months I needed a rest too lol. I am just so very happy to have found the most wonderful lady to have taken on the mare I cared for and it is just a joy for me to see her now - brings tears to the eyes and warmth to the heart. Sounds like you are putting in good practices with the fences and trying to eliminate the stress factor which means Chester is one very lucky little fellow. It is awful to see our equine friemds suffer this disease. All the best for the future with Chester - I really do hope it all goes well for you. Cheers Jan aka Griffo.girl

Thanks so much griffo.girl. It is a learning curve for me so hopefully we will get through it again. He was fine once he recovered last year. He is very cute so I don't regret purchasing him. Hopefully from now on I can look after him better.

Hi Maggie,
If you are thinking of cutting his forelock, don,t. Pull it or layer it. A much more natural look.
I enjoy your posts

Maggie if ever you think I may be able to help please don't hesitate to put in a post. Sometimes someone else's experience with a particular problem can give a different perspective. All the best. Jan

Thanks so much wingsofbreath and griffo.girl. I did just layer his forelock very carefully until I could just see his eyes - he looks very cute and quite natural still so thanks. The vet suggested that it was better for his eyes to be able to come out from under all that hair but he also said that a shetland expert wouldn't do it so I was very careful.