Ems, lami and farrier issues wwyd?

[GypsGal1718]

Hi all. The little guy has been having a hard time this summer.

So he has ems and has had lami once before we got him. He was on his normal strip grazing schedule and all was well. We gave him a new strip of grass and he was fine until after the farrier came the next day. The farrier trimmed him a lot shorter then he normally does and that afternoon he was hopping lame. Vet came next day and confirmed it was lami. He was on strict boxrest and soaked hay for a couple weeks and he was on Bute and acp (which made him have very loose droppings). Then we introduced walking for 5 mins twice a day and raising by two mins very other day. By thirteen mins he was walking like a mini sport horse! Perfectly sound and forward. Then the farrier came again. The vet had talked to the farrier three times before he came. He was perfectly sound the morning of the farrier visit and there was no changes to diet. The vet agreed that we wait two days after the farrier and introduce turnout. The farrier came and trimmed him and I untied him right after the farrier and he couldn’t walk at all.

The vet came and put him back on strict boxrest and bite and acp. She took x rays and found a small amount of rotation but she said it could be from from previous lami

 

[Pedantic]

Yep dump the farrier

 

[smolmaus]

Absolutely dump the farrier.

I would like to know if, when the pony is sound and moving well again, if there are still signs of low grade lami happening. Maybe it is still there grumbling along and the trim made it a lot worse, maybe all the problems only stem from the foot butchery. Certainly sounds like MOST of the problem is the farrier but I'd still like to put my mind at ease.

 

[tristars]

Learn to trim yourself

Then just take off a little when needed

Farrier chopping ponies feet too short is why i do my own

 

[paddy555]

i'm sorry you are in this position. He's a very sweet horse.

All you can do is sack the farrier, probably learn about feet, maintain the feet yourself or put an approx. location and see if someone can suggest a barefoot trimmer.

in this case I would have pointed out exactly what had happened in the previous trim, what the vet had said and done and how much his work had cost me,

r for everyone else I think this demonstrates the importance of making sure your farrier watches your horse walk out in hand (preferably over a hard surface) before trimming and then again before the farrier leaves.
I'm afraid after I had done that I would then be going back to what was now going to be the further cost of the vet. Certainly wouldn't be paying for the trimming.

for the horse if not booted I would get some padded boots and the horse would wear them at all times out of the stable. If you havent got any cavallos may be a choice.

 

[GypsGal1718]

Thanks all

 

[paddy555]

Thanks all. We have found another farrier who specialises in remedial stuff recommended by vet, he does has scoot boots which we can use, shall I post his x rays?

glad you have found a way forward. I seem to remember you are in the SW. There is a remedial farrier down here who adjusts and fits scoots so it may be him,

 

[scats]

My farrier was always very conservative with trimming my EMS mare in summer. He’d literally just take the tiniest amount off and tidy them.

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

Could be worth a Cushings test. Check if the trim has taken the heels down level with the sole, as this would leave the pony walking on the bars and frog. If yes, boots and pads will provide some relief until the hooves reshape themselves. Hope you can resolve this quickly!

 

[GypsGal1718]

Thanks for all the advice,
He tested borderline cushings on his last.

 

[ImmyS]

Do you have any pictures of his feet and x rays?

Without looking I would guess the farrier is leaving his heel too high and trimming the toe too short.

Do you have any picture out of interest?

Hope he is feeling better on his feet soon!