Ghost




This is Ghost, our 25 yr old Irish draught x TB - still a speed merchant despite his age.  

He was diagnosed with navicular syndrome on the basis of nerve-blocks and x-rays aged 17 and was shod in bar shoes.  He became steadily lamer, and aged 19 we took his shoes off and tried barefoot as a last resort (!).  
Ghost is the classic horse who "couldn't go barefoot" because when he used to lose shoes he would be crippled.  He had a weak digital cushion and frog when his shoes came off, but over a 4 month period he became sounder and his feet developed. 

He has been in work for the last 6 years, and still refuses to act his age.  In 2009 he and I did a long distance ride together, as part of "Ride Bare", and he covered 18-21 miles per day over very tough terrain.   This year we competed XC again, for the first time in at least 3 years.  We kept the jumps small, in deference to his age, but of course he went clear!                      http://www.vimeo.com/12344074  


He is a fantastic, and very special horse :-)