Our sweet Maggie has been through quite the ordeal lately—and we’re so proud of how tough this girl is! Here’s a peek into her road to recovery.

A Painful Start

It all began when Maggie started limping, not wanting to put any weight on her back right foot. Dr. Metcalf came out for an exam and quickly spotted signs of an abscess that had burst on her coronary band.

An abscess might sound small, but it’s incredibly painful—imagine a deep infection pressing inside the hoof until it finally bursts to relieve the pressure.

Dr. Metcalf took X-rays of both back feet to confirm the abscess and make sure nothing more serious was going on. Thankfully, her bone looked great! The abscess was just too deep for him to safely reach.

So, he started Maggie on a soaking and wrapping plan—30-minute daily soaks in Dakin’s solution, followed by an Epsom salt paste wrap to help draw out the infection.

While Maggie rested in her cozy stall with her bestie Sammy, she got lots of fresh hay and extra love from our team.

Still Sore: Round Two

A week later, Maggie still wasn’t improving, so Dr. Metcalf came back for another look.

He found two spots, one on her coronary band and one on her toe, where the abscess had tried to drain, but the two areas weren’t “communicating,” meaning something was blocking it from draining fully.

To help relieve pressure, Dr. Metcalf performed a Hoof Wall Resection—a delicate procedure that opens up part of the hoof wall to promote drainage.

He also switched her care routine to wet Animalintex pads, which act like a “pimple patch” for hooves. After just two rounds of wrapping, Maggie looked so much more comfortable. We were over the moon seeing her relief.

A Lot on Her Plate

On top of the abscess, Maggie is also being treated for EPM (a neurological disease) and Stringhalt, both of which affect how she moves, especially in that same leg.

She’s on daily pain medication, EPM treatments, and stall rest with Sammy to keep her calm and cozy.

Every day, our team takes videos and detailed notes for Dr. Metcalf and our farrier so they can adjust her care plan as needed. It takes a village—and Maggie has one.

Finally, a Breakthrough!

After a long week of treatments and rest, the abscess finally burst—and the pressure release made all the difference. Maggie is now walking comfortably again and feeling like herself.

We’re keeping both of her back feet wrapped to stay clean and debris-free, and next up: shoes with pads to give her extra support and prevent future abscesses.

At the end of October, Glenn, our amazing farrier, came out to fit Maggie with her new back shoes—the final step in her healing journey.

Thank You for Rooting for Maggie

From daily wraps to vet visits and farrier follow-ups, this sweet girl has been such a trooper. We’re so grateful for everyone cheering her on. Your support makes stories like hers possible.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Farm, and a few happy trots from Maggie herself!