Jason Hegarty, JC Equine Care (Beeville, Texas)
Throughout his life, Jewells Cutting Edge (a.k.a. Cutterbug) had sensitivity issues with his front hooves. I bought him as a yearling in 2005 when he was showing as a halter horse and started showing him under saddle. Cutterbug was usually fine as long as I kept front shoes on him, but would always be sensitive right after being trimmed and shod. Over the years the sensitivity after being trimmed and shod intensified and lasted longer. I changed farriers numerous times, all stating they were experienced in corrective shoeing. I also had my vet take numerous X-rays of his hooves but they never showed any issues that would be causing the pain.
By 2011, Cutterbug was completely lame in both front feet no matter what type of corrective shoe and padding we used. In 2012 I took him to one of the top-rated vet facilities in Florida where they performed hoof tests, X-rays and ultrasounds on both front hooves and legs. Several vets conversed over the tests and could not find the source of the lameness. They all agreed that Cutterbug would most likely remain lame the rest of his life and would never be rideable again. They recommended me putting him out to pasture or make the choice to put him down, so I put him out to pasture.
Soon after, rainy season hit and he could not keep a shoe on his right front hoof. The farrier said there wasn't enough wall to put another shoe on, so he wrapped it and said he would change it in a few weeks. A couple weeks went by and Cutterbug could not put any weight on that foot. I called the vet out and he removed the wrap and found the foot full of abscesses and thrush. The vet had to remove a good portion of his foot and recommend I get him out of Florida. Jason Hegarty, owner/farrier at JC Equine Care in Beeville, Texas, agreed to work on Cutterbug if I could bring him to Texas. In the early fall of 2012, I trailered him out to Jason in Texas and Cutterbug was in a size "0" shoe at that time. Jason immediately started working on getting his hooves healthy.
Within 6 months, Jason was able to get enough healthy hoof grown out and Cutterbug was showing little to no signs of lameness. He had to remain in corrective shoeing for a while, but a little over a year went by and Jason had him in a size "2" shoe and completely sound. Now Cutterbug remains sound and is completely rideable again. Jason is the whole reason Cutterbug got a second a chance and now lives pain free. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude towards Jason for his amazing farrier work and what he did for Cutterbug.
—Diana Ouellette (Naples, Fla.)
