asmp
Well-Known Member
I assume it doesn’t help that you have a load of elk sometimes eating it all? Could always blame them!
Boggle- USA bound!
- Thread starter Michen
- Start date
BMA2
Well-Known Member
Great excuse for Bog....
It wasn't me it was the Elk.
The Elk made me do it.
The Elk did it and then jumped over the fence and ran off. We were trying to tidy up weren't we Dusty.
It wasn't me it was the Elk.
The Elk made me do it.
The Elk did it and then jumped over the fence and ran off. We were trying to tidy up weren't we Dusty.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Christ Dusty is definitely not a dobbin 
first hack for three weeks ish. Trotted right out of the barn as far as I could to get him thinking forward and he was very fiery and screamy! No napping though and did settle.
Not keen on his stance, he’s been standing with one foreleg in front of the other (not the same leg every time). His feet are a real challenge and I think I’m going to put some front shoes on and see if that helps, one of his heels is so crushed I think it needs taking back right to some straight horn tubules. I would prefer to keep him barefoot but want to see if he stands better/is more comfortable in shoes. Hoping with longer on good nutrition etc he will then be in a better position to be barefoot, I dunno. Obviously I want to crack on with him too and see if he’s going to stand up to anything, and what that may be, whether he stays with me or goes to someone else.
He seems sound, on a small circle etc but… hmmm. Suggestions welcome though!
first hack for three weeks ish. Trotted right out of the barn as far as I could to get him thinking forward and he was very fiery and screamy! No napping though and did settle.Not keen on his stance, he’s been standing with one foreleg in front of the other (not the same leg every time). His feet are a real challenge and I think I’m going to put some front shoes on and see if that helps, one of his heels is so crushed I think it needs taking back right to some straight horn tubules. I would prefer to keep him barefoot but want to see if he stands better/is more comfortable in shoes. Hoping with longer on good nutrition etc he will then be in a better position to be barefoot, I dunno. Obviously I want to crack on with him too and see if he’s going to stand up to anything, and what that may be, whether he stays with me or goes to someone else.
He seems sound, on a small circle etc but… hmmm. Suggestions welcome though!
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
You can always shoe him for now and try taking them off once he is fit, he is your only one to ride so you may as well enjoy it without worrying that he is sore …. Just try and have some fun and relax
BMA2
Well-Known Member
I would be inclined to do as per splashgirl
Michen
Well-Known Member
Yeh I guess it’s whether shoes make him more comfortable or not. He’s not footy, given he has flat feet and rubbish soles he’s very good over stones etc. booting for hacking though.
mustardsmum
Well-Known Member
Scoot boots with pads might help for hacking? Or if you already have boots for him, just put some pads in those? Something like Easy Care pads, they form to their feet and just give a bit of support.
What a lovely threesome they make! Time to just relax a bit and just enjoy them all
What a lovely threesome they make! Time to just relax a bit and just enjoy them all
HappyHollyDays
Slave to 2 cats and 2 ponies
As you are in the US have a look at the Easy Care range of boots and glue on shoes for Dusty. Garrett Ford is the owner and innovator behind the products and he’s way ahead of anything else in both the US and Europe. I’ve got a feeling he’s in Colorado as well.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
Hoof armour its great stuff I use it on both of mine.
Ceriann
Well-Known Member
I would be tempted to try hoof armour too. It def helps with my thin flat soled mare who is currently booted for t/o whilst we transition from mush in the fields to rock solid ground!! She’s done very well on hoof armour and it keeps her barefoot, with shoes always more of a challenge for her tendency to grow a long toe and contract at the heels.
Michen
Well-Known Member
he’s comfy hacking in boots. And he’s not footy without boots in field or anything. It’s the stance when he’s at rest I don’t like. Suggests pain in the back of the hoof and I just wonder if some shoes with good heel support may help short term.
Michen
Well-Known Member
How the f*** have I ended up with three horses on DIY one for me and one for Boggle. Ridiculous.
one for me and one for Boggle. Ridiculous. 
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
What do shoes actually support though? What's more supportive about the heels standing on metal than standing on the ground?
They'll raise his frog out of weight bearing and if it's his frog that's sore that will make him look sounder. But in raising the frog of the floor you will prevent the action of the pressure on the floor that builds up the heel and the digital cushion. And by doing that, you will prevent him healing any soft tissue injuries inside his feet, which could well be the cause of the foot being pushed forward.
It's not abnormal to stand like that with the head low, especially when grazing. If only work about it if he does it consistently when he's standing up alert.
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Michen
Well-Known Member
Yes I know that stance when eating is fine but he does it when just dozing although not that extreme but still not normal. It’s not all the time.
I guess I figured if we cut that heal back to straight then shoes may make him comfortable short term. The toe needs taking right back but again hard to do because he doesn’t have the strength at the back to support. It’s so squished and just doesn’t seem to be improving. I’m going to see what the farrier thinks when he comes, maybe a different trim will suffice.
His feet were so bad when rescued they were basically curled, so it’ll be a long haul to get anything decent.
I just can’t seem to get his condition great. He’s ribby but pot bellied. So I can’t imagine his feet are great nutrition wise either.
teapot
Well-Known Member
Ribby but pot belly to me could be worms or quality of what he's eating forage wise. That said, the pot belly should also go the fitter he gets. It can take months and months to get a horse right with the background he has so don't panic just yet!
Also just a thought - if his feet were that bad they curled, hobbling around would have had a direct impact on his back, which could also explain the lack of fitness/muscle tone/pot belly. Poor chap is probably having to learn how to stand up all over again.
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Michen
Well-Known Member
Yep totally. That’s why I started soooo slow with him even with the groundwork, 10 mins and built up 5 mins each time.
He is getting tons of good quality forage alfalfa/hay, same as Bog who looks amazing. He is due worming though!
I’m hoping the hacking will really help!
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tda
Well-Known Member
I would keep up with the hacking, barefoot on roads as much as possible if he is sound...let the foot heal/shape itself for at least 6 months
Give him time, you're doing great
Give him time, you're doing great
Michen
Well-Known Member
Had a quick look at bog on a trot circle and he actually looks a reasonable amount more free in his movement. And disposition wise he’s certainly rallied.
For now all is calmer and better and I feel happy that I get a little more time with him to spoil him rotten.
For now all is calmer and better and I feel happy that I get a little more time with him to spoil him rotten.
Michen
Well-Known Member
It’s just all very cute right now! I’ll stop spamming you all with boring photos now I promise 
Thank you HHO for giving me the courage to set this all up!
Thank you HHO for giving me the courage to set this all up!
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
I can totally relate to Dusty his stance is very much like Arabi when his been out of work and I call it his belly drop, I've had people say his fat! No his not fat his core muscles have given up, I know when Arabi was fit showing and in proper work he didn't look like that.
I do pole work carrot stretches and lateral work in hand and it's strange he is so supple but if I don't keep it it up he sags.
I will take some pictures of Arabi tomorrow and show you he has a very prominent rib cage it's all to do with posture and you sort of have to train them not to stand or be like that.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
I found having horses at home you observe them so much and learn so much about them how they move and the good or bad postural stance they prefer.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Even with a foreleg forward at rest/not eating? I think it’s relatively new though, I feel like I’d have noticed if he was doing that before…
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
Most horses will favour a front foot forward grazing or rest its just how it is, just like people will always be left or right handed its the same.
But posture with horses I looked into massively because of Arabi he sometimes stood a bit awkward, but he has to move around I know that now I will never box rest him ever again.
But posture with horses I looked into massively because of Arabi he sometimes stood a bit awkward, but he has to move around I know that now I will never box rest him ever again.
Jeni the dragon
Well-Known Member
What great pictures of the three of them! They look so chilled!
Don't you dare stop spamming us with them!
Don't you dare stop spamming us with them!
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Sorry, this isn't true of a horse stood with its head up, and it's often a key sign of pain in the foot. Most horses stood with their heads up will stand with the front legs pretty much square even if they are resting a back one.
I hope M is over worrying, and it may "just be Dusty", but she's right to question it.
Meanwhile, aren't they just glorious photos - and what is wrong with Bog having a tete-a-tete with TWO other horses, never mind one!
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
I never said its normal with their head up obviously if they are just stood and pointing a toe in front that's not normal
I probably didn't word it very well had a few glasses if wine last night.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
I never said its normal with their head up obviously if they are just stood and pointing a toe in front that's not normal
I probably didn't word it very well had a few glasses if wine last night.
No worries, I thought people would interpret "rest" as standing still with the head up and just wanted to clarify. I've got a very interesting picture of my first ever navicular case a couple of months before he went lame, it's been a red light for me ever since.
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toppedoff
Well-Known Member
Hi Ycbm, would it be okay to see these photos? I am quite interested in learning more about diseases, conditions and rehabilitation of horses thank you
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
At the risk of hijacking Michen's thread, this horse was performing brilliantly and is about to storm around a 12 mile fun ride full of hunt jumps. About 2 months later he was lame on a circle on hard ground, diagnosed with "navicular" which at the time was believed to be a bone disease. These days we know from MRI that it's almost always soft tissue issues. This stance is typical of a horse with pain in the back half of the foot, known as caudal hoof pain. A great place to go to spot this is anywhere that uses carriage horses for tourist rides. There will always be one or two in the ranks.
And two on the same page just from a quick Google of Schonbrunn Palace. I was there 3 weeks ago and there was one absolute shocker and a couple of others around 10 horses.
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Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
I knew a horse years ago he would stand with his front legs almost crossed whilst eating hay or stood in the stable.
He had navicular as well.