PopStrop
Well-Known Member
Can I have some opinions please from anybody with any knowledge of Applied Equine Podiatry or indeed any knowledge of foot trimming/farriery/foot balance or hoof expertise of any sort?
My filly (22 months mini horse) has very contracted and underslung heels. She has virtually no frog and what she does have is very poor quality. The walls themselves are healthy, but her sole is rather flat. She'd had her feet trimmed once when I bought her at 17 months.
I have no decent photos of her feet but will add some to the thread tomorrow when I've taken some if they help with any advice.
I had an EP come out shortly after she arrived who said that although her heels needed to come down and spread, they couldn't do it until there was healthy frog to support the foot. They trimmed her feet and took a tiny bit off her heels, and told me to scrub her frogs with hibiscrub daily to clear up any thrush (no symptoms other than non existant frogs) and promote growth. This was duly done.
EP came back out 4 weeks later. They trimmed filly's feet and drew two tiny specks of blood from the inside white line on the outside quarter of her near fore - resulting in filly hopping about like she'd broken a leg for a week. EP was horrified and came back to take photos to e-mail to the person they qualified with as they weren't expecting to draw blood. Apparently the hoof has laid down false sole which is why there's blood supply where there shouldn't be.
Told to continue with hibiscrub, although no significant improvement to frogs.
EP returned 5 weeks later, no improvement in frogs so was given a solution called Golden Hoof designed apparently to clean and promote healthy growth in frogs, to be sprayed on daily. They trimmed & balanced feet but were reluctant to take too much off anywhere after last time.
EP mentions pads that can be duct taped to her feet for 20 minutes walking daily to improve "the conditions in her feet" for future reference if we need them.
Again, return visit after 5 weeks. Frogs now peeling, apparently this is good as the stuff underneath should be healthier. EP thinks her heels may have spread a little, I'm not convinced. Still won't take heels down too much as no decent frog to support it, but trims and balances feet.
Most recent visit, 5 weeks on, same story as last time.
She's now nearly due again and I'm seriously worrying that her heels are collapsing. I can see no improvement in the 5 months I've had her, although I don't have photos of her feet from the beginning. Her feet grow very unevenly and although they're balanced, by 5 weeks time she's very uneven.
I've been trying to get hold of EP today to ask them to come out but with no success.
The person trimming was not chosen because of being an EP, they were recommended to me by a friend as having "qualified as a barefoot trimmer."
I thought it was a good idea and wasn't keen on using my old farrier (for unwarranted aggression to badly behaved previous horse not his trimming/shoeing) but may will get him out for a second opinion, yard also uses farrier Ive not come across before so will get some opinions on him.
Regardless of who is trimming my horse, what should be being done to spread and lower her heels? I know little about foot trimming, but my gut is telling me her heels need to be brought down little and often (i.e 3 weeks??) as her frogs won't improve if they're never in use/contact with ground?
And nearly 6 months down the line, would you be expecting an improvement in the contracted heels?
If Im right and her heels are collapsing theres been a definite change in her heels within the last couple of days do I need a farrier out asap, is there anything they can do??
Im sorry for all the questions, I dont really know what Im dealing with.
Im beginning to think Ive been sucked into some NH nightmare (Im not gonna say it but my EP does the P thing too ..), Ive been looking at the IAEP website and all the courses, products and tools they offer, and while the principles sound great, it certainly resembles the whole P set-up, Im hoping somebodys going to prove me wrong...............
I'm extremely impressed if you got this far, well done!
My filly (22 months mini horse) has very contracted and underslung heels. She has virtually no frog and what she does have is very poor quality. The walls themselves are healthy, but her sole is rather flat. She'd had her feet trimmed once when I bought her at 17 months.
I have no decent photos of her feet but will add some to the thread tomorrow when I've taken some if they help with any advice.
I had an EP come out shortly after she arrived who said that although her heels needed to come down and spread, they couldn't do it until there was healthy frog to support the foot. They trimmed her feet and took a tiny bit off her heels, and told me to scrub her frogs with hibiscrub daily to clear up any thrush (no symptoms other than non existant frogs) and promote growth. This was duly done.
EP came back out 4 weeks later. They trimmed filly's feet and drew two tiny specks of blood from the inside white line on the outside quarter of her near fore - resulting in filly hopping about like she'd broken a leg for a week. EP was horrified and came back to take photos to e-mail to the person they qualified with as they weren't expecting to draw blood. Apparently the hoof has laid down false sole which is why there's blood supply where there shouldn't be.
Told to continue with hibiscrub, although no significant improvement to frogs.
EP returned 5 weeks later, no improvement in frogs so was given a solution called Golden Hoof designed apparently to clean and promote healthy growth in frogs, to be sprayed on daily. They trimmed & balanced feet but were reluctant to take too much off anywhere after last time.
EP mentions pads that can be duct taped to her feet for 20 minutes walking daily to improve "the conditions in her feet" for future reference if we need them.
Again, return visit after 5 weeks. Frogs now peeling, apparently this is good as the stuff underneath should be healthier. EP thinks her heels may have spread a little, I'm not convinced. Still won't take heels down too much as no decent frog to support it, but trims and balances feet.
Most recent visit, 5 weeks on, same story as last time.
She's now nearly due again and I'm seriously worrying that her heels are collapsing. I can see no improvement in the 5 months I've had her, although I don't have photos of her feet from the beginning. Her feet grow very unevenly and although they're balanced, by 5 weeks time she's very uneven.
I've been trying to get hold of EP today to ask them to come out but with no success.
The person trimming was not chosen because of being an EP, they were recommended to me by a friend as having "qualified as a barefoot trimmer."
I thought it was a good idea and wasn't keen on using my old farrier (for unwarranted aggression to badly behaved previous horse not his trimming/shoeing) but may will get him out for a second opinion, yard also uses farrier Ive not come across before so will get some opinions on him.
Regardless of who is trimming my horse, what should be being done to spread and lower her heels? I know little about foot trimming, but my gut is telling me her heels need to be brought down little and often (i.e 3 weeks??) as her frogs won't improve if they're never in use/contact with ground?
And nearly 6 months down the line, would you be expecting an improvement in the contracted heels?
If Im right and her heels are collapsing theres been a definite change in her heels within the last couple of days do I need a farrier out asap, is there anything they can do??
Im sorry for all the questions, I dont really know what Im dealing with.
Im beginning to think Ive been sucked into some NH nightmare (Im not gonna say it but my EP does the P thing too ..), Ive been looking at the IAEP website and all the courses, products and tools they offer, and while the principles sound great, it certainly resembles the whole P set-up, Im hoping somebodys going to prove me wrong...............
I'm extremely impressed if you got this far, well done!
