My blog has been some what neglected over the last few months, the long dark nights really should lend themselves to writing but ironically I am the busiest I have been all year.
2015 has been a long year. The days and weeks etched in my memory by MRI scans and vets visits. It seems a long time ago now but back in the summer months the box rest routine had become the norm, Toy had been 1/10 lame for what felt like forever and we were getting no where. After a lot of researching and thinking, I phoned my vet and said I thought we should try some treatment. Neither Toy or I were happy and we needed to do something.
The injury to Toy's deep digital flexor tendon was way down in his foot, near the navicular bursar. Impossible to see without an MRI and therefore almost impossible to treat with ultrasound. I said to my vet that I wanted to try the Arc Equine. She was honest and said she had little experience of it but anecdotally had heard many success stories. Ever the professional and not wanting to get my hopes up I think, she was cautious about its use.
I took her advice on board and was also dubious but how could all the testimonials on social media and their website be wrong? I bit the bullet, bought an Arc Equine and emailed Ian Thirkell. The customer service was incredible, I ordered online on a Sunday evening and the Arc was charging in my lounge by the Monday afternoon. The email communication was also second to none, concise and very clear, I had a plan and was willing to try anything.
Whilst on box rest, Toy wore the Arc Equine unit during the day, I put it on in the mornings, covered it with a brushing boot and left him too it. He never flinched, it clearly did not hurt him and I don't even think he knew he is wearing it. Since he has been out in the field, I have turned him out in the unit as well, again covered by a brushing boot. He has rolled in it, cantered about and it has never moved. Thanks to being completely covered in neoprene it has also survived a fairly horrendous afternoon in the rain and one dunking in a water bucket, that should probably remain unmentioned.
The unit was simple to use, it came with a small instruction booklet that was easy to read and understand. The unit itself only has 2 buttons and a row of LED lights so really is very simple. Due to work and not being at the yard, Toy did not always wear the Arc Equine on consecutive days but I counted the number of days on each programme and may have added an extra one for luck!
Toy has been sound now for nearly 10 weeks. I am over the moon and the difference in his temperament and personality is huge, he is back to the friendly people-horse he was before. I cannot scientifically wholly attribute Toy's improvement to the Arc Equine but I do feel like it has sped up the healing process. It is now a staple item in my tack room and I will continue to use it, for maintenance or any further injury in the future.
Toy will return to the RVC soon for a repeat MRI scan and we are continuing our rehab programme.
For further information, visit www.arcequine.com
I am in no way associated to Ian Thirkell or Arc Equine, the views expressed in this blog are my own.
