digging hole and standing front feet in?

[Love]

mum was holding my man for the farrier today (as i was at school) and she was telling him about how a horse at our yard is digging a hole in her field.

farrier asked, rather seriously, "she's not standing with her front feet in it is she?" to which mum replied "no, would that be bad?" to which farrier replied "yes, very." *end of conversation* (did you get all that? )

so basically, i was just wondering what it would mean if the horse was standing with her front feet in the hole. (was talking to mum about it and she say's she really doesn't know why she didn't ask farrier then and there, haha)

xx

 

[soloequestrian]

Horses with pain at the back of the foot - so most commonly associate with navicular syndrome - sometimes dig holes and then stand with their feet on the slope, to relieve pressure on the sore area.
All the new barefoot stuff on navicular is fascinating, it is not necessarily the death sentence that it used to be considered as.

 

[cptrayes]

Given pea gravel that is deep enough, most barefoot horses will stand with their toes pointing downwards, with the heel under load and the toe not, so that you can, if you are brave enough put your fingers under them. The reverse of the navicular horses I guess?

My horses dig holes in the field to lie in them. Cows do the same thing. If you look you can see these dust/mudbowl "bedrooms" in various points in a field.