Abnormally shaped hoof.

I

Inona

Member
Joined
29 August 2011
Messages
29
Visit site
My mare always grazes with her front left leg forward (near her head) and the front right far behind her. She's never once not done this, and it's causing her right hoof to bend-it's just started to grow that way. She is very reluctant to strike of on the right leg in canter. Does anyone know of anything I can do to stop her (or the hoof!) from doing this?
Thanks for your help everyone :)
 
Oberon said:
That sounds like a symptom of a body problem rather than a hoof problem.
Click to expand...

Agreed. For example due to a tendon injury my mare grazes with one leg forward all the time (and only ever that leg). The other hoof is quite boxy now from being unused.

You may want to have a chat with your farrier as has been suggested but i would also advise getting the horses back checked and probably also talking to your vet.

Do you know the horses full history, could there have been an injury previous to you owning the horse that could cause the favouring? Its the favouring that is causeing the abnormal hoof growth.
 
OP, I have exactly the same problem as you. My mare doesn't look too bad straight after a trim/shoe, but one hoof is boxy and the other bent, like you said. My mare is currently having a bone scan in Glasgow which has apparently up to now identified problems in the hocks and both front feet. They're going to do the nerve blocks and x-rays on Monday. However they didn't seem concerned about it when I mentioned her grazing like this - they just said that's how some horses are. My mare has very long legs and quite a short neck, so it's likely to just be that in her case.
 
mine also does this - left leg far forward and right leg right under her.
It has meant that her left fore is flatter and more underrun and her right fore is more upright and has more heel - due to a crap farrier this has meant he hasnt done anything about heel height and effectively left her with two legs different lengths - now changed farrier and also due to operation on ovaries i have had her shoes removed and even though only been off for 5 weeks and mainly been on box rest they look far better already, the two short wals in hand each day have shortened them and she has effectively trimmed them herself with that small amount of walking and already they nearly look even. - she doesnt always now chose the left foreleg first - sometimes starts with right then swops over - with habit i assume too - like us being right and left handed - feels weird to use the other hand.
 
well thanks for your help everyone-I'll speak to my farrier and see what he can do about it. It doesn't appear to be causing her any pain-in her whole life (20+ years) she's only needed the vet once and I don't think that was injury-I think it was a cough. I'll see what the farrier says, then maybe get her back checked. I don't have any pics, but I'll take some tomorrow.:)
 
here are some pics.
her eating:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=2326&pictureid=12541
her hoof:
picture.php
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top