About the Author:
Cheryl Eriksen has been working in the horse industry for nearly 20 years. She offers a holistic approach to equine communication, training and care. To learn more, please visit her website:
www.cherylleigheriksen.webs.com
www.cherylleigheriksen.webs.com
Welcome to the Painted Princess Blog!
My name is Cheryl Eriksen and this Blog is about my APHA mare "Farletta". I have created this as an informative site for people seeking information about Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU), Natural Hoof Care (NHC) or some fun adventures of a Painted Princess.
This site is under construction currently and will likely continue to have additions regularly in addition to updating the blogs.
I'm glad you found us! Take a look around and see what you can learn. Be sure to check out the "links" page and check back often for updates.
This site is under construction currently and will likely continue to have additions regularly in addition to updating the blogs.
I'm glad you found us! Take a look around and see what you can learn. Be sure to check out the "links" page and check back often for updates.
Living with ERU
Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) is a painful disease of the eye with no known cure. My vet described the pain as that of a very severe migraine. The disease is progressive and can not be reversed or stopped, only slowed down. ERU is characterised by internal inflammation of the eye (generally thought to be an over-active autoimmune response). Outwardly, the eye lids will swell, the eye may have a discharge, the pupil will be constricted (almost to the point of "disappearing") and the eye will have a cloudy appearance. There may also be a fluid present in the eye between the lens and the iris which looks rather mucus-like. Each time the eye experiences a flare-up, the horse will lose some vision it the eye and may develop a cataract. Eventually, the horse will go blind in the effected eye.
My mare Farletta (aka the Painted Princess) was diagnosed with ERU January 2010. "Living with ERU" is a blog which documents the onset, treatment and progression of the disease. I wrote it with the intention it would be an educational and informative tool for people seeking more information about ERU and the Cyclosporine implant as treatment. Farletta had the implant placed on September 2, 2010.
My mare Farletta (aka the Painted Princess) was diagnosed with ERU January 2010. "Living with ERU" is a blog which documents the onset, treatment and progression of the disease. I wrote it with the intention it would be an educational and informative tool for people seeking more information about ERU and the Cyclosporine implant as treatment. Farletta had the implant placed on September 2, 2010.
Natural Hoof Care (Barefoot Trimming)
A beautiful, natural hoof!
This has been an ongoing adventure. I first started trimming Farletta in May 2007. Like so many of us I had been led to believe that hoof trimming was rocket science, few horses could live without shoes and most horses can't grow a decent hoof.
One of these "highly trained" farriers butchered poor Farletta's feet one day. He trimmed her feet down to nothing, pared out her soles and removed every protective callous she had. Farletta was basically crippled for nearly a month while her hooves recovered from the damage this "professional" had done. I vowed no farrier would ever touch my mare's feet again.
A friend at the boarding stable had been a Natural Hoof Care practioner for a few years. She shared some valuable information with me starting with Pete Ramey's book "Making Natural Hoof Care Work For You" which I HIGHLY recommend. She was my mentor for the beginning of my trimming "career" and I also attended clinics and have continued my studies. This blog is dedicated to the story of Farletta's feet and what I've learned from them.
One of these "highly trained" farriers butchered poor Farletta's feet one day. He trimmed her feet down to nothing, pared out her soles and removed every protective callous she had. Farletta was basically crippled for nearly a month while her hooves recovered from the damage this "professional" had done. I vowed no farrier would ever touch my mare's feet again.
A friend at the boarding stable had been a Natural Hoof Care practioner for a few years. She shared some valuable information with me starting with Pete Ramey's book "Making Natural Hoof Care Work For You" which I HIGHLY recommend. She was my mentor for the beginning of my trimming "career" and I also attended clinics and have continued my studies. This blog is dedicated to the story of Farletta's feet and what I've learned from them.
