Helping Horses Heal

There's a saying 'if you want to keep your kids out of trouble, get them into horses because they won't have the money to get into any trouble' and while horses are a blessing, caring for them can be a curse sometimes.

Which is where Helping Horses Heal, a newly registered local non-profit dedicated to the health and welfare of crippled, injured and abandon equines comes in, offering long term care, advanced hoof care technologies, and physical therapy with farrier Ron Arnett and life-long equestrian Dee Lambert spearheading the organization.

“Lower limb lameness in horses is the leading cause of equine retirement and in many cases euthanasia,” Ron said Nov. 8. “The unfortunate part is that in many cases, advanced modern hoof care techniques can save the animal and return it to pain free and productive life.”

Ron has been working with horses on a professional level since 1981, as a farrier and remote wilderness guide for 25 years before shifting his career into the specialized fields of equine podiatry and kinesiology. 

“It takes time, commitment and an acute understanding of the biomechanics and musculoskeletal system but with an anatomically correct approach, the outcome can be nothing short of miraculous,” he said.

He has been working under the company name Rafter J Specialized Hoof Care, named in honour of his grandfather Jack Wulff, and handles up to 3,000 horses a year providing his specialized services to lame and disabled horses across three provinces and the Yukon.

“I met Dee in the mid-summer of 2014 at which time I took over the responsibility of Dee’s horse’s hoof care needs,” said Ron. “Since, we have forged a wonderful friendship surrounding our shared passion for horses.”

Dee has spent her entire life with horses and has vast valuable information when it comes to breeding, showing, and training horses, not to mention her decades of experience dealing with horses and open wounds.

In May 2020 while donating his services to an animal rescue in the Peace River Country, Ron discovered a middle-aged Arabian mare whose feet were in critical condition.

“The mare required immediate acute care in order to save her life as the internal bone structure in both her hind hoof capsules was visible through huge holes left by rotting and detaching sole,” he said.

Instead of calling the veterinarian to euthanize the horse he elected to adopt both her and the Welsh pony she was being penned with and immediately contacted Dee telling her of his horrific discovery.