Constructive criticism this hoof balance please

[jenz87]

The horse has just had shoes off for surgery. Xrays to come next week.
I said to farrier did he want to trim them and he said they didnt need anything off...I dont agree, and personally i feel heels and toes arent right anyway?
Thoughts? Any foot gurus out there?

Thanks

 

[alibali]

What are your intentions with the feet going forward? Is the horse being re-shod or going shoeless for a while?

If to stay unshod then my farrier never trims when he removes the shoe as he says it leaves them a little more protection while they acclimatise. That approach seems to work for me and I find the horse naturally wears the foot much shorter over a couple of months usually with a bit of unsightly but not problematic chipping around the nail holes until they grow out. In hand walking within the horses comfort zone on tarmac can help with length/balance but build up gradually and only if the horse is comfortable.

If the horse is being reshod I would expect the farrier to dress the hoof just prior to shoeing and really it would probably be best to wait and see the finished hoof before judging.

Disclaimer - I am as far from a foot guru as its possible to get!

 

[ester]

It's impossible to tell from those photos, they need to be taken at ground level, sole shots, and heel shots really.

by heel shot I mean

 

[YasandCrystal]

Does the farrier want to wait for the X-rays? It would make sense to leave the feet until he has seen these and any veterinary advice?

 

[ycbm]

What surgery is the horse having? Is it related to the feet? If not, is there a reason why the feet are being x rayed? I'm confused, as you can tell

 

[ester]

PSD surgery https://forums-secure.horseandhound...ith-PSD-Hidden-foot-balance-advice&p=13494317

 

[ycbm]

PSD surgery https://forums-secure.horseandhound...ith-PSD-Hidden-foot-balance-advice&p=13494317

OK. Those are the hind feet of a horse about to be operated on for PSD, and the x rays are for that, and not of the feet?

 

[jenz87]

Sorry guys for poor explanation.
He is having operation for PSD (going to have operation on hind suspensories on both legs)
The vet is x raying his hooves for foot balance as the cause & recovery can be put down entireley to foot balance (amongst other issues obviously)
SO foot balance is very important to the recovery.
I suspect foot balance is not good (x ray will confirm or deny next week), however i wondered if some lovely people who know about feet could help! I will get more pics later!

 

[brucea]

Xrays will tell you if there is a balance problem, it may be conformation so the hoof may be as good as it's goignt o get.

Personally I'd get it on to an abrasive surface (like pea gravel) and let it have lots of movement so it sets itself up for the way the horse is actually moving. Remember to feed it well with a good supplement such as ForagePlus.

 

[ycbm]

OK. I don't think your farrier should touch anything until you have the x rays. Meanwhile, my own x ray eyes tell me that you are likely to find negative coffin bone angle and that your vet will prescribe wedges on the hind feet. I have known these work very well for horses with back and leg issues. I'm very against wedges on front feet, but on hinds I am not so sure, especially during the recovery from an operation.

Hope that helps.

Can we see a picture of the whole horse, stood up square on sideways?

 

[brucea]

Had wondered if there was a bit of a bullnose or if it was just the light

 

[ester]

see the front hoof wall looked a bit squared off in the pics to me?

 

[jenz87]

 

[ycbm]

Oooh, interesting. I was expecting camped under, not camped out. Has your vet done back x rays? PSD is often associated with kissing spines and I think I'd want to have ruled that out before I had an operation done for PSD. It's only one photo, of course, and i know it could be very misleading if he doesn't want to stand properly on his back legs, but he doesn't look quite right in the back.

You're right about what you said in your other thread, he really doesn't have a lot of bone to carry such a burly body, does he? What is your vet saying about his future prognosis?

I still wouldn't want the farrier to touch his feet until you see the x rays. But if he always stands like that he doesn't look so much like a candidate for wedges for negative coffin bone angle. He does seem to have long toes, especially for hind feet, but again, he is in pain from the PSD and they've probably grown like that because of how he is compensating.

I think you just need to be patient, which isn't easy, I know!

 

[jenz87]

You are right YCBM vet has x rayed and diagnosed mild kissing spines (ligaments rubbing not bone) along with pain in the SI and mild DJD in the hocks.
Both photos are in September 2016

 

[ycbm]

Oh he's such a lovely little chap! That cocktail unfortunately often goes together.

I hope he has nerve blocked completely sound to the PSD? Because in your shoes I would want to be sure that the operation is going to allow him to rehab the kissing spines (hopeful given no bone changes) and the sacroiliac (I'd want to do more research on this, depending on how bad it is).

Basically, your vet is taking a punt on it being the PSD causing the KS and SI, and not one of the other two scenarios. Depending on his response to the nerve blocks, that isn't unreasonable.


How did he lose his eye?

 

[SEL]

Can't comment on the hooves - but your horse is lovely!

I too have one who doesn't have the bone in her leg to carry her chunky belly and butt, so we will send sympathy vibes in your direction.

 

[Regandal]

My little ISH had surgery for PSD (before I got him). He arrived wearing natural balance shoes, but his feet were awful - flat, with underrun heels. He had negative palmar angles on his back feet.
This is a few weeks after the shoes had been pulled. You can see the change in the angle of the new growth coming down. His heels now sit roughly an inch higher than they used to.

 

[brucea]

Sometimes 6 months off all work can work wonders.

Smart little cob.

 

[jenz87]

Thank you everyone for kind comments. My boy had surgery this week. Feet have been x rayed today.
The bones are all in good positions and in balance, just need a little remedial shoeing to support heels and take off some toe. So not too bad, phew!