Find out how SPANA’s veterinary team in Ethiopia helped a horse who was struggling to walk.
Shalo the horse helps his young owner, Degefa, earn a basic income by transporting people around their small village of Gerbicha, in central Ethiopia. This important daily work on rural, uneven roads helps Shalo’s community access vital resources such as hospitals, schools and the local market.
One day, Degefa noticed that his horse had begun to walk awkwardly and was stumbling occasionally. He was extremely worried that Shalo could become seriously lame. Luckily, a friend advised him to take Shalo to SPANA’s veterinary centre in nearby Bishoftu, where the vets would be able to find out what was wrong.
At the centre, Shalo was examined by SPANA’s veterinary team. They discovered that Shalo’s hooves were overgrown. They explained to Degefa that it was important for horse’s hooves to be trimmed regularly because if they became overgrown, they could become painful and uncomfortable. Left untreated, Shalo’s overgrown hooves could have affected the tendons, ligaments and joints in his legs, potentially leading to serious problems.
Degafa helped keep his horse still and calm while SPANA’s farrier trimmed Shalo’s hooves to ensure they were all well balanced again. The farrier explained the process to Degafa as he carried out the trimming, showing him where Shalo’s hooves had become overgrown and distorted, and how he would trim them.
Degafa said: ‘Thank you SPANA for your good service and hospitality. I will bring my horse to you for regular farriery.’
Your continued support enables our vets to perform preventative treatments so that working animals like Shalo are saved from unnecessary pain and suffering. In many countries where we work, SPANA is training farriers so that they have the knowledge, skills and equipment they need to prevent serious issues such as lameness. We’re also training owners like Degafa in animal care so that they know the importance and availability of regular preventative treatments. Thank you so much for caring for working animals.
