Does anyone know what a ridge around the hoof wall means??

[NeedNewHorse]

I have just noticed that my mare has a horizontal ridge around her hoof wall on her fonts (she is barefoot) around the middle of the hoof - and I have justed looked it up and it seems it possibly means ''foundered'' and is a sign or symptom of Laminitis!!

To which now I am really, really worried. Please does anyone a) know anything about this or b) has anyones horses got something similar and it means something else altogether.

I will call the Farrier tomorrow and get him out asap, as I am really worried now. (she is not fat and is worked most days)
She is out 24/7.
Thanks.

 

[Chico Mio]

Dont worry - it can mean loads of things. My FB had some really bad ones because he had steroid anti inflammatories for his back and Ari is now showing faint lines from where he moved to my place and his diet changed. Any kind of food change, climate change, trauma, fever - even a hard days hunting can cause lines round a horse's hoof. It doesn't always mean laminitis.

Besides which, how far up/down are they? If they are showing now and you didn't notice her with other signs of lami, it's not very likely.

 

[lisa_dundee]

Ridges are usually a sign of laminitis, but dont worry if shes not lame and not fat and is in good work, im sure your farrier will put your mind at rest x

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Where on earth did you read that nonsense? The ridge is evidence of previous damage to the coronet band (like a ridge in your fingernail is evidence of trauma to the nailbed). Founder is another name for rotation and dropping of the pedal bone. If your horse had this or any degree of laminitis she would be lame.
Talk to your farrier and ask him to explain the structure and working of the foot to you.

 

[NeedNewHorse]

Thanks very much guy's - Yes you have put my mind at rest (a bit at least!) It's scary to even think about the dreaded L word, she was in high spirits tonight, so surely she isn't in any pain that I cannot see!

Thanks again, though until I can get my farrier out I will be somewhat worried.

xxx

 

[Chico Mio]

Like I said, if you can see it the trauma has passed already. Think back over the last month or so, anything changed for the mare at all?

 

[MrMeldrew]

It can just be due to a change in diet ie a flush of grass or change in hard feed.
If it is half way down the hoof then it is something that happend several months ago so shouldn't be a problem anyway. It could be the change from winter to spring grazing.
Ridges can be a sign of rotation and laminitis but again, it would have happened months ago for the ridge to be half way down the hoof . If it were rotation the ridge would be wider at the heel and narrower at the toe.

 

[JessandCharlie]

Yes, change of diet can cause it, we moved yard a while ago, and our horses got the "ridges"

 

[Donkeymad]

Laminitis is likely to produce more than one ridge. If it is in all hooves, it is most likely to be a change of diet, eg different grass, feed etc. Damage to the coronary band is more likely to show in just one hoof.

 

[NeedNewHorse]

Thanks again. she has recently (about a week or two ago) had the other part of her field (out with loads of others) opened up and the part she still had access to was obvioulsy eaten down well so the new part was greener.

But, yes as you have all said, if it came up from a while ago, she has always been sound as a pound, school and hacking, very forward etc Also, only had the farrier out literally a month ago today, so surely he would of noticed something then, don't know!

I will obviously call the farrier tomorrow and see what he says.

 

[Donkeymad]

A week ago would not show yet.

 

[maggiesmum]

[ QUOTE ]
Where on earth did you read that nonsense? The ridge is evidence of previous damage to the coronet band (like a ridge in your fingernail is evidence of trauma to the nailbed). Founder is another name for rotation and dropping of the pedal bone. If your horse had this or any degree of laminitis she would be lame.
Talk to your farrier and ask him to explain the structure and working of the foot to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

A ridge is usually a sign of a dietary change / disturbance, illness or laminitic episode. As someone pointed out a flush of grass or a course of antibiotics is enough to show a ridge. If the horse had suffered from a 'laminitic episode' it would not necessarily have been lame but could just have seemed 'not quite itself' and maybe not quite as forward as usual. Laminitis comes in varying degrees and the warning signs are there long before the classic rocked back stance with a lame horse!

 

[NeedNewHorse]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Where on earth did you read that nonsense? The ridge is evidence of previous damage to the coronet band (like a ridge in your fingernail is evidence of trauma to the nailbed). Founder is another name for rotation and dropping of the pedal bone. If your horse had this or any degree of laminitis she would be lame.
Talk to your farrier and ask him to explain the structure and working of the foot to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

A ridge is usually a sign of a dietary change / disturbance, illness or laminitic episode. As someone pointed out a flush of grass or a course of antibiotics is enough to show a ridge. If the horse had suffered from a 'laminitic episode' it would not necessarily have been lame but could just have seemed 'not quite itself' and maybe not quite as forward as usual. Laminitis comes in varying degrees and the warning signs are there long before the classic rocked back stance with a lame horse!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. Basically i saw a site; http://www.stable-eyes.com/Article%20pages/new_page_4.htm

Anyhow, as you have mentioned (and others) I am hoping it is this; http://www.horse-diseases.com/ringedorribbedhoof.html

She has not been lame at all (very keen out hacking etc) because she is barefoot I have been keeping an eye on her soundness and willingness etc and watching her harden her feet up.

 

[MrMeldrew]

How long has she been barefoot?

 

[NeedNewHorse]

[ QUOTE ]
How long has she been barefoot?

[/ QUOTE ]

Since Dec last year, but had a break in the field (she was green) and then off all this year, since july been doing more roadwork and since august when we moved yards much more hacking.
x

 

[maggiesmum]

As she's barefoot the chances are that the 'event ring' is either from the point when you took her shoes off or when the work started (depending on how far down it is) , as you've started to work her more her feet will have been more stimulated to grow. I have a mare who's shoes came off earlier in the year and she has a ridge which is now about 1/2 an inch from the bottom.

 

[MrMeldrew]

[ QUOTE ]
As she's barefoot the chances are that the 'event ring' is either from the point when you took her shoes off or when the work started (depending on how far down it is) , as you've started to work her more her feet will have been more stimulated to grow. I have a mare who's shoes came off earlier in the year and she has a ridge which is now about 1/2 an inch from the bottom.

[/ QUOTE ]

agree.

 

[Ladylina83]

I second Maggiesmum's response - Don't worry !

My horse has got a couple of them at the moment but shes had a few changes this year so it'll just be that unles the ridge is a funny shap then you would just need to keep your eyes open in the future.