Steve Senn Farrier Service

June 2013

"We have a horse that we traded another horse for, thinking that she was everything that we wanted: calm, well-trained, and most importantly, sound. We got her in the beginning of March 2013 and the first day was about the only good day that we had with her that week. Day two she could barely walk out to the arena and looked as if she was in such terrible pain. I was devastated and didn’t even know where to start. The family that I got her from ignored me, and I was in no place to spend a fortune at the veterinarian to run x-rays and tests to see what the problem may be. We tried two farriers that some friends told us to try that week: one claimed she was foundering, the other didn’t even want to touch her, in fear that he may make it worse. Neither farrier knew what to do. I searched online for a farrier in Las Vegas and Steve Senn’s page popped up as one of the first websites. I was in awe of the testimonials on his page and was very interested in the KrossCheck system that he wrote about. I also knew someone from the barn down the road that used Steve to heal her lame horse that she now rides religiously. I gave him a call and he was able to come out the next day.

 When he pulled up, I immediately felt a feeling of comfort, knowing that he had the answers. I have never seen a farrier have so much equipment, tools, and ideas for fixing horses’ feet and being able to customize any shoe to cater to all needs. He was very professional and empathetic to our situation, and was extremely eager to help. He noticed that the issue in her feet came from her front end (mainly front right) from years of bad shoeing, and pulled the KrossCheck device out and began testing her. He had already told us prior to testing her where she was hurting at, and the KrossCheck proved him right. It was amazing to see how simple the KrossCheck made it look to tell where a horse was comfortable at and what angles really bothered them. After we graded all of the points, he began working on some shoes for her. The way that he interpreted and used the knowledge gained from the KrossCheck about my horse’s feet was phenomenal and not comparable to any other farrier that I’ve ever used. There were many people at my barn that day who simply watched, impressed by how much work he put into adjusting her shoes. He then put the shoes on her with bar support where the KrossCheck said she needed it and I kid you not, the mare walked out. He walked her up and down the driveway a few times, and made her lunge around him at a walk and trot. Every time she’d limp, he would bring her back and tweak the shoes. He did this for about 30 minutes and by the end, the mare walked and trotted as if she hadn’t been lame the whole past week. He told me to give her a day or two then try to ride her. I was ecstatic, and in two days, I saddled her up and rode her in the arena. I was riding a completely different horse than I had last week. I started just walking her out, but that mare wanted to GO. You could tell that she was feeling 110% better and was ready for anything. No one could believe that they were watching me take her through all her gaits in both directions without a lame step, including myself! I immediately called Steve to tell him about his success, and to thank him over and over for helping my new horse walk again. I now have ridden her all over trails, in parades, gymkhanas, and believe that I could take her anywhere without any issues. I can’t say it enough..thank you, Steve!"

Amanda Collazzo

"December 26, 2012. I will always remember that date. Here's the story of why. 

In 2011 my APHA gelding  Dark By Design aka "Skechers" was  four years old. He had been in training in California and I had been showing him on the paint circuit.  As time went on I was noticing intermittent irregularities in his movement but nothing that I could pinpoint as a specific problem.  In May of 2012 I received a call saying that he was lame.  The vet in California thought it was a soft tissue injury but couldn't positively ascertain where the injury was.  I brought him home for further diagnosis and rehab. Dr. Lamb, at Desert Pines Equine, did a lameness exam which included X-rays, ultrasounds and flexion tests.  He could find no diagnosable problem.  I was going to take Skechers to California for a nuclear scan when Dr. Lamb suggested first trying Steve Senn and the Krosscheck diagnostic boot he used. We set an appointment with Steve for December 26, 2012.

This diagnostic technique was the closest I've ever seen to a horse telling me what was wrong with him.  Steve evaluated both front feet with the boot and then shod him accordingly. My horse trotted out after the shoeing probably 80% better and within 5 days of shoeing he was sound.  6 months later my gelding is still sound and back in full training for dressage.

I have since had Steve apply the Krosscheck boot to my mare who had been unrideable for 2 years.  I am now back to riding her. Truly amazing!  Steve's skill in applying and interpreting the use of the Krosscheck boot is fantastic.  I tell anyone who is having lameness problems with their horse about Steve and the Krosscheck system."

Gayle Gordon  
Las Vegas, NV

"While in Las Vegas for a cutting show this past September my open mare Louellas Cat became very lame one morning. We immediately pulled her front shoes and called Dr. Jim Dorenkamp. He took x-rays and determined the mare had minimal sole depth. Dr. Dorenkamp suggested we call his shoer, Steve Senn, to try some glue on shoes. The mare was a 4/5 lame on both front feet. Steve suggested a special shoe made by Sound Horse Technologies that he had had success with. Immediately after putting these shoes on we trotted the mare off sound.  No one was more surprised than myself. I showed her in the Open the next morning and Louella never worked better. I marked a 76 on her. I won the Classic with her in Las Vegas as well as in Idaho one week later. Her next trip was the El Rancho Futurity Festival in Rancho Murietta where she not only made the Classic finals but we won the go round and the finals of the Mecuria World Series Open with an outstanding score of 229.5.

Louella is obviously pain free and has no issues with working a cow in the Sound Horse Technologies shoes. I highly recommend it and will continue to have them on Louellas Cat."

(The prescription used was the creation of Dr. Jim Dorenkamp and Steve Senn.)

Lindy Birch        
Weatherford, TX

"Here's a bit of a history for 'Dash for Fire' aka Wildfire. For the last 4 years we have struggled with her check ligament in her right fore. It has been a repeated problem. We would get it healed only to see it get damaged again. When I did research on it that is usually the case according to vets. It would appear like she was well when in reality the ligament was still sensitive. Wildfire is a barrel racing horse who has done well and is talented when she was sound. I had felt like the problem was her left fore heel as it was lower and refused to grow like the right heel. So therefore her right leg was compensating for the problem heel on the left hoof. Anyway this was my speculation because her angles were off. We put a Natural Balance Shoe on that heel with a wedge but it still wasn't enough to fix the problem.

In June of 2012 I saw Gene Ovnicek on Rick Lamb's Horse Show on RFD TV. He was talking about a system he was using to let the horse help tell you where they needed to be supported called the Kross Check Leverage Testing Device. I felt that was what Wildfire needed. I found the video on YouTube and again felt like this is exactly what my horse needed. So I searched for a time to find someone who wasn't too far away that had this system and knew how to use it. Bill Merfy used to shoe my horses before he left Vegas so I was familiar with this style of shoeing and how well it worked. 

I had Wildfire in the Back on Track Boots to keep the swelling at a minimum. We also put her on Horseshoer's Secret from Farnam and SmartSox from SmartPak to increase the circulation in her hooves. Wildfire is a registered Quarter Horse with lots of Thoroughbred in her background. I've found they tend to have poor circulation in their hooves. Wildfire has not competed in a rodeo or barrel race for over a year. I knew until this problem was dealt with she wouldn't be able to. 

During this time I found out that Steve Senn had a KrossCheck system. He came out to do Wildfire. Needless to say she wasn't fond of having her hooves messed with. Steve called Gene and Gene said to get the Kross Check boot on her and she would stop acting up when she realized it wouldn't hurt her because she was so sore. That's exactly what happened.

Steve put the Kross Check Boots on her and got her shod. She improved almost immediately. Steve called Gene again because he was concerned that her knee wasn't locking but shaking. From the info Steve gave him Gene said it sounded like her check ligament. He was right on the money.

Since then her knee has stopped shaking, the swelling has gone completely down in the right leg, she's landing heel, toe and beginning to move better. Her attitude has even improved. We are only hand walking her at the moment to give her time to re-adjust and strengthen her tendon/ligament. We will need to get an ultrasound to gauge how her ligament is doing. We hope to see her make a full come back but time will tell. At least she is on the right track now.

I'm impressed with the way the Kross Check Device works. Not only does it help the horse to tell us where she needs lifted at but since you put the shoes on once and attach rails to make one side or the other higher or lower you don't have to keep pulling the shoe to get it right. You just adjust the rails. Brilliant. We would have to pull her shoe in the past to adjust it and it would make her hoof sore. So I was really impressed that now we wouldn't have to do that. Thanks to Steve's skill in applying the system and Gene's research and discoveries over the years. We hope and pray she will come back to complete soundness as time goes by."

Thanks a bunch, Valerie

Valerie Brown  
Las Vegas, NV
Nov 2012        

"I have been lucky enough to rely on Steve's expertise for years.  He is a talented farrier who knows how to keep horses sound as well as get them back on the road to recovery.  His years of experience shows everyday through his professionalism and his ever-growing list of successful recoveries and sound horses."

W. Brady Little, DVM
Great Basin Equine Medicine and Surgery, Inc.
Gardnerville, NV  89410

"September  12, 2012

 

Hey Steve,

Here’s an update on Skip after his 3^rd Kross Check procedure.

Skip and I have been doing some lunging exercises in the round pen over the last couple of weeks.  He’s been doing quite well.  There has been no visible lameness prior to exercise and Skip has breezed thru the :15 routines.   I was anxious to see how he would rebound the following day, as he would always be a bit gimpy prior to the Kross Check procedure.  He came thru with flying colors!

The last 3 weeks, I have taken him out into the desert to work on his footing and begin his conditioning/strength training.  The first two weeks he did well.  We did a lot of walking and a little trotting. His trot was quite choppy and he seemed to be a bit hesitant at times with his footing…….I think he believes it will begin to hurt at any second because he’s lived so long with the discomfort….but to his surprise and mine, it did not appear painful  - or there was significantly less pain – as he seemed more confident with his footing and there were no missteps.   He seems to be more relaxed with each outing.  Skip has been asymptomatic  on the days following the exercise.

Sunday, September 9^th, I turned him out in the round pen to witness him running about, kicking, bucking and stomping as if he were a young colt.  I have not seen him do that since he was about 5yrs old and he is 15 now.

Monday, September 10^th, Doc and I took Skip out into the desert again, only this time we headed toward the termite mounds west of the new firing range on N. Jones Blvd.  I walked him slowly up and down the hills for about  1½ hrs.  Prior to ending the work out, I asked Skip to step out into an extended trot for about ½ mile.  With the exception of being winded, Skip completed the half mile with no tripping or missteps.  This was quite a feat for him!!!  His trot was slightly smoother than our last outing. Again, he was asymptomatic during the work out!  Tuesday, I fully expected him to be a little sore.  He appeared to be quite comfortable.

Skip still seems to be quite stiff when practicing his turns around cones and tires regardless of direction. I am hoping we will see a significant change in this as his leg muscles continue to build in strength.

Thanks, Steve for suggesting this type of shoeing for Skip.  I feel, for the first time in a long time, Skip has an opportunity to become a sound horse and a pleasure to ride on the trails.

Stay tuned!"

Sincerely,

Kathleen Bell-Dascher 

Kathleen Bell-Dascher
Las Vegas, NV           

"I worked with Steve at a large animal veterinary hospital for over 3 years and I have seen his amazing farrier related accomplishments.  He worked very closely with the veterinarians using radiography and combined experience and techniques to get horses sound or them help recover from serious injury. I myself used him for my personal horses who both came to me with lameness issues that were corrected with corrective shoeing over time."

Kim Driskell, LVT
Desert Pines Equine Center
Las Vegas, NV
www.worldclassponies.com

"I was very fortunate to have been given a referral from my horse's vet for Steve's services as a farrier.  My horse, Burt, had foundered badly and we thought we'd have to have him euthanized.  The vet performed a deep digital flexor tenotomy on both front legs, saving Burt's life.  Steve took over the shoeing, keeping Burt comfortable and able to heal.  With every hiccup in the recovery process, Steve was there to perform whatever shoeing was needed.  I had the privilege of sitting in on a couple of consults between Steve and the vet.  Steve has great insight and progressive ideas about shoeing and knows his clients well.  He would sometimes bring Burt's latest x-rays with him and "tweak" whatever was going on with the hooves at that time. 

 

Steve is always punctual, polite, and his fees are extremely reasonable considering his great expertise in the field.  I've included a couple of Burt's x-rays to show some of the great work Steve did with him.  I'm happy to say that Burt is thriving and I'm sure that Steve is responsible for a large part of that." 

 
Burt                   Mar '08             Jun 15, '08       Jun 16, '08        Post surgery

Nancy Porter      
Pasture Prime    
Boulder City, NV

"Steve Senn is one of the most talented farriers I have seen in my veterinary career. He is very knowledgable of the horse, his anatomy, and the way a horse travels. This lends a tremendous hand in his approach to podiatry and farrier services. He is always looking to further his knowledge of horses. His skills as a farrier are extraordinary and benefits a great many horses. He is one of the best I have ever worked with."

Dr. James Dorenkamp, DVM
Desert Pines Equine            
   Las Vegas, NV                    

"My eleven year old quarter horse mare One Lucky Playgirl is definitely lucky to be under the care of Steve Senn.   A victim of chronic founder, she took a real turn for the worse early this year spending more time lying down than standing up and losing lots of weight because of being too sore. Changes in trimming and two grams of bute a day didn’t seem to help at all. By early April my regular vet and others began to suggest that I put her down, especially when she began to form numerous hoof abscesses. And although I did consider it, she didn’t seem ready for such a final solution.

When I was told of a new farrier in the area, I decided to give him a try. That new farrier was Steve Senn; he asked for her x-rays and was out in just a couple of days. After he fit her with Stewart clogs, she began to spend most of her time on her feet, gained weight, and only needed a gram of bute every week to ten days. She’s since had a reset and continues to improve. While her long term prognosis is unknown, the changes have been so positive that I’m very optimistic. I know that her continued improvement is the result of Steve’s care, and I know I’d definitely recommend him to all."

(This mare is now in Sigafoos Series I shoes and doing quite well, actually trotting on her own in turnout. - Steve)

Carolyn Kaberline
   Topeka, Kansas  

"I recommend Steve Senn RJF to everyone I know. He is both meticulous in his work and professional. He is great with sensitive horses and the more laid back types, alike. Steve produces a correct, balanced foot every time and caters to the needs of my upper level Event horses. At every visit, he checks in with me to see how I feel my horses have traveled over the previous six weeks so that he might make any necessary adjustments.

He is organized and timely with his appointments, always polite and always willing to answer any questions I might have and is without a doubt the best farrier I have had."

Mrs. Clare Walker               
 Intentio Altus Eventing &    
Performance Horses, LLC