Advice on youngters hoof- any foot specialists about?

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shadowboy

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My Newforest colt (18months) has strong feet with good quality, tight horn and the feet are of a good shape- my problem is with the frog and bulbs of his left hind- its flaking away badly and im not sure what to do as it is pretty bad! He's not lame at all and its not sore (he will let me pick it out without any issues) He lives out 24/7 so needs to be something I can apply/use on a field kept pony.
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and this is the type of grazing/field their on- not too muddy but it is wet- i.e the grass is long so holds the rainwater and their legs/feet at constantly damp
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any advice greatly taken on board!
 
No- they arent due for another 17days (2 and a half weeks) but its not just that- if you look down the side of the frongs the clefts are incredibly deep (deeper than on the other 3 feet) so I think it may be a bad case of thrush?
 
hmm, he's had thrush before - in fact he had it for a good 6 weeks or so through summer and it took ages to clear it. In the end we used Kevin Bacon?? Hoof Dressing every other day which shifted it. But not sure if the dressing will just get 'washed' off instantly in the field? His feet do smell slightly but its not a 'rotten' or strong smell but yes they do smell slighly off recently but nothing that makes you think 'cor - your hooves stink'
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The thing that made me think thrush was the fact that you can get your hoof pick really deep down the clefts and the frog is flakey and soft
 
I think you need to ask your farrier why he has such high heels (which also to me look underrun, which would be very odd in a horse so young), such a narrow frog, and apparently sheared heels (the line between the two bulbs that go up the back of his foot - it's not normal, it should be joined together.) Although he is sound, I'm afraid that looks like a far from healthy foot to me, before you even consider the shedding frog, sorry.
 
I was told years ago that the frog sheds 'x' amount of times a year, can't quite remember what was said, so don't quote me on it lol!
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If it is as simple as that, your farrier will just slice it off! My bay has his frogs trimmed everytime I have the farrier. I'll be intrigued to hear what it is now! Any farriers on here lol.... xx
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Hi thanks cptrayes for your reponse- the whole point of the thread was my concern over this foot- and that it looks pretty bad. I dont think he has particularly high heels - in my opinion this is just the angles that the foot has been held. He does have a split between the bulbs- but again hence the reason for the post.
The frog has always been this narrow. In fact he has quite small frogs on all four feet. They have improved over the last 8 months (I bought him in March 09) but have never got to the point where they look as big as on my other yearling. Any advice for what to do to improve the feet.
Would like to know what to feed/use/treat with etc?
 
I'd be interested in a sideways on shot taken at ground level. His heels look as if they hit the floor some distance in front of his bulbs, when they should look as if they are practically one item, with a seamless join. It could be the photos of course, it is very difficult to see angles properly in flat photos.

The other thing I think you should see is what happens to the frog when he is stood on hard flat ground. It looks to me as if his frog will not be in contact with the floor. That's why I think his heels are too long.

If I'm right, and you can slide a ruler (or worse, your finger) under his frog when he is stood on his foot, then that lack of ground contact will explain his narrow frogs, underrun heels and the sheared heel. It would also explain infections, as the blood circulation will not be working properly if his frog is ground passive.

If so, until he is trimmed to get his frog in contact with the floor, you won't be able to get a healthier foot.

If it is just infections, people have a lot of success with Sudocreme. I have cured sheared heels myself by twice daily stuffing a cotton wool disc covered with Sudocreme into the shear. When it won't hold in there any more, you're on the way to a cure, and then you can use just the Sudocreme until it joins right up.

I hope that helps.
 
Hi thanks for the explanation cptrays. I have only one recent pic of him stood on level ground- the foot we are looking at is the left hind.
In these pics the heels do not look under-run. However we have always had the problem of getting the frog to touch the ground. Our old trimmer was getting there with his feet but then we moved here to shrops and the new farrier didnt mention anything tbh. This is his worst foot but tbh he doesnt have the best frogs on any of his feet but yes- I dont think this one makes full contact with the floor- You would not be able to get your finger through- but possibly a ruler- I will have to try this tomorrow. What would you suggest I ask my farrier?
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That's a sheding frog that's being eaten away by bacteria.

However, like cptrayes, my worry would be over the entire shape of his foot.

He has very narrow contracted heels (looks like someone's squeezed his heels together) and I'd better top dollar it's from his long heels. The heels are long - you can see the extra height in them just in the photos - they should be almost level with the sole, not have excess wall like that. The left hand side (in the pictures) is also longer than the right by almost a cm. That level of inbalance is not going to cause sheared heels if left untreated, it'll cause him to walk and grow squint. They also look a little underrun but that's all linked with the long heels and contracted frogs.

They actually looks like feet that have had years of poor shoeing
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I'd be having the heels shortened and balanced then getting him out walking on smooth hard surfaces (smooth road is perfect) as much as possible. Once the frogs are touching the ground (which they should once the heels are shortened) correct walking (heel first landing) will stimulate more healthy frog growth and the heels to decontact. The frogs will sort themselves. If he won't walk heel forst then his heels/frogs are sore and more intenesive work (boots and pads) might be needed.
 
Your first issue is that you need to try to persuade your farrier to reduce his heel height until you cannot slide a ruler under his frog when his feet are on the floor, and go from there. His feet are currently very, very long (particularly in the heel height, but all around) for a little chap of his size and his age. My 17 hand hunter probably has shorter feet than his. You are right to be concerned.

The health of the frog is a symptom of the health of his feet, not an issue in its own right. What I think has happened is that instead of shedding his frog when it got thick, he has kept it because it is not ground bearing and wearing away. So you've got a huge build-up of dead frog with no blood supply (no way to fight infection) on the top, which is just crying out to be eaten by fungus or bacteria. The true thickness of his frog looks as if it should be where it would be if you ripped off all that stuff above the holes, and then of course it would be obvious just how much too high those heels really are.

I would seriously consider consulting another farrier (if that's possible wherever you are) if your own is not receptive to reducing his heel height.
 
First - I'd agree you need a new farrier - those heels are a disaster waiting to happen in more ways than one!! (Whereabouts in Shropshire are you - I might be able to recommend a farrier who can trim because your bloke can't!)

For emergency treatment for those rotten bits - give the foot a good scrub with Hibiscrub, rinse clean and let dry on concrete. Then PLASTER the lower side of the foot with Stockholm Tar - it's an old-fashioned 'remedy' but it will help!
 
I am in Bridgnorth (well just outside of it anyway) - currently using a Mr CJ Bond- have tried asking others but because we live in the middle of nowhere- (2.5 miles from a B road even!) its hard to get someone to come out. So someone who would actually be willing to travel out would be great. Many thanks!
 

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I forgot to say that this picture was taken exactly 9 days after a trim.
Why is it that i've owned this boy for 8months and 2 farriers and one EP cant get it right!!!! Grrr. Because none of them had ever said anything - althouigh EP told me he had bad feet- but no one said they were unlevel or too long- I ossumed that 3 professionals must know what they are doing! No show judge or Breeder has also ever said anything either even though they have alften looked at his feet. I am angry with myself for not seeing - but because I only see him in daylight at the weekend (its pitch black when I leave at 7am and dark on my return at 7/8pm too) I only saw this on sat. At night I pick the feet out using a torch so cat see detail
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Its thrush. Very bad thrush. I recommend Antibac by Swan.

The feet are in pretty shape with long contracted heels, this has already been mentioned by some.

you NEED however to get on top of this thrush straight away. The Antibac is a very good strong product that will drop back in use once you have got on top of the problem and prevent further re-infection.
 
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I am in Bridgnorth (well just outside of it anyway) - currently using a Mr CJ Bond- have tried asking others but because we live in the middle of nowhere- (2.5 miles from a B road even!) its hard to get someone to come out. So someone who would actually be willing to travel out would be great. Many thanks!

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North or south of Bridgnorth? You're a little outside my chap's area but I'll speak to him on Wednesday and see if he'd come. (Don't know your guy but my guy will!
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Hydrogen peroxide is great and there is no need to avoid it at all. It is sold by Boots as a cleaning fluid to flush out open wounds in humans. Whatever necrotising effect it has is so minimal that wounds heal. It has no effect except a beneficial one on hooves and frogs and hundreds of people use it.

Don't be cross with yourself, at least you care, many people don't. I hope you manage to find a farrier or trimmer who knows what they are doing soon.
 
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