sheep
Well-Known Member
(Also in Tack Room)
Dropped my boy off to the vets last night to have nerve blocks and xrays carried out today to attempt to determine the cause of the intermittent lameness he has suffered over the past while. He is a 17yo 15.3 ISH, and given his foot conformation, and the way the lameness has presented itself, I think the issue will probably be something in his hoof.
If this is the case, I'm not sure I want to go down the remedial shoeing route. Evidently if it is a hoof issue then conventional shoeing isn't working for him either. I am wary of remedial shoeing simply acting as a means to mask the problem, rather than cure it.
Given the symptoms he is presenting I feel it could be heel pain or perhaps something under the umbrella navicular syndrome. Should this be the case, I feel now may be the time to adapt his diet to make it further foot-friendly. He is currently on Hifi lite and http://www.redmills.co.uk/uk/horse/products/product/?id=494&parent=357 - link as I'm not sure if it's available outside of NI - with a joint and hoof supplement. Perhaps a change to a completely plain chaff and inclusion of linseed would make this more hoof friendly, ie a switch from the hifi, but continuing with the hard feed? Or does anyone have any other recommendations?
I won't do anything without the OK from the vet, although I suspect, depending on the outcome, that I may have to have a bit of a 'discussion'.. any pointers?
Of course, it may be something completely different.. but at this stage I want to do what's best for my boy and I feel that his feet are telling me that they are 'sick'.
Apologies for vagueness of this post and the questions, just a lot of thoughts floating around my head at the moment!
Dropped my boy off to the vets last night to have nerve blocks and xrays carried out today to attempt to determine the cause of the intermittent lameness he has suffered over the past while. He is a 17yo 15.3 ISH, and given his foot conformation, and the way the lameness has presented itself, I think the issue will probably be something in his hoof.
If this is the case, I'm not sure I want to go down the remedial shoeing route. Evidently if it is a hoof issue then conventional shoeing isn't working for him either. I am wary of remedial shoeing simply acting as a means to mask the problem, rather than cure it.
Given the symptoms he is presenting I feel it could be heel pain or perhaps something under the umbrella navicular syndrome. Should this be the case, I feel now may be the time to adapt his diet to make it further foot-friendly. He is currently on Hifi lite and http://www.redmills.co.uk/uk/horse/products/product/?id=494&parent=357 - link as I'm not sure if it's available outside of NI - with a joint and hoof supplement. Perhaps a change to a completely plain chaff and inclusion of linseed would make this more hoof friendly, ie a switch from the hifi, but continuing with the hard feed? Or does anyone have any other recommendations?
I won't do anything without the OK from the vet, although I suspect, depending on the outcome, that I may have to have a bit of a 'discussion'.. any pointers?
Of course, it may be something completely different.. but at this stage I want to do what's best for my boy and I feel that his feet are telling me that they are 'sick'.
Apologies for vagueness of this post and the questions, just a lot of thoughts floating around my head at the moment!
Hi fi light is molassed, so it's not ideal. Hi fi molassess free would be better, as long as your horse is Ok with alfalfa. The link to your supplement didn't work for me.