Hoof experts - white line folding over?

Rosie'smum

Rosie'smum

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Has anyone got any ideas what is going on with this foot? The photo doesnt really show it off as it looks like it is folding in on its self.
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He is my friends gypsy cob. Normally wears shoes but as is not in work she has taken them off.

His feet crumble away with only walking around the field, so am I right in thinking he has a weak white line? Or just they are wearing down due to them being long for showing? Her farrier does like a long toe even barefoot.

Its not a typical chipping a way as its taking some of the outer wall with it. (couldnt get photos as was in the field and too much feather to hold back!)

Aprrently they have always been this way without shoes.

Its just that hoof has stumped me as I have never seen anything like it.
 
I've not seen that before either.

If he's sound, I'd review his diet to make it BF friendly, which is really just a sensible diet for all horses, shod or unshod. Then i'd get him doing some walking on the roads/tarmac in-hand for a few minutes daily and then build it up. I don't like the sound of the farrier leaving the toe long as hooves should be correctly balanced.
 
He's basically retired. He's 23 years old.
In winter he gets a bit of fast fibre, carrots and some baileys Fibre nuggets in a treat ball with soaked hay as he has a dust allergy. Now they are out 24/7 he doesn't get any feed. She does plan to start taking him for walks now it is the summer.

She did say she doesn't want to have to feed lots of different things.

It just proves that every horse is different as she has a nother cob on the same diet and his feet are so strong if a bit long but he has never had shoes.
 
I am no expert but it doesn't look like the white line folding over to me. Could it be the wall has split and the inner wall is folding over? Looks like its also happening on the quarters (on the right side towards the back of the hoof) on first photo. Give the hooves a good srub with salt water daily and either walk out in had as suggested or some regular (sensitive) trimming may help if on grass surface only.

If hay is soaked for mould spores then ensure the water is changed every time and soak for longer and some sugars will also be removed. I'd try a forage balancer and feed recommended amount.
 
I have mini shetlands and all of them get this, when its bad the white line folds over like the picture, I clean out the white line, most times there is a hole that is crumbley, I then just spray with Milton or pack the hole with cotton wool soaked in Milton, has the pony in the photo got holes in his white line ?
They grow out of my shetlands feet, until another developes, doesn't seem to course them any problems,
 
I will see if she can bring him in a give it a proper scrub and will take another photo to show you. Its just his back foot this is happening on. All others are just crumbling.
 
amandap said:
I am no expert but it doesn't look like the white line folding over to me. Could it be the wall has split and the inner wall is folding over? Looks like its also happening on the quarters (on the right side towards the back of the hoof) on first photo.
Click to expand...

Would agree here, wall is "laid over".

We are looking at outer pigmented layer, inner non pigmented layer and white line is hidden under wall and dirt.

Can you rasp off the toe sole surface to check?

Again, why would farrier prefer a longer toe?
 
Totally been meaning to update this thread but forgot. I have some photos of the foot when it was washed.
Farrier came and IMHO I did not like what he did to his feet. He took away all his sole, bars frog. Said he didnt know a way of fixing the problem and he was prone to it even when pony had shoes.

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He has too much feather to be able to take great shots but here is one side shot i managed to get, again not great.
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Dont ask me why he trims long, Then my friend wonders why her other horse trips so much!

I was going to get him to look at Rose but decided against it.
 
It does look like the inner wall has separated from the outer wall and has folded back to me. Perhaps keeping the walls shorter and rolled may help as well as diet. Time out of wet conditions each day too.
 
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Just another thought, I believe there can be a fungal/bacterial element to the wall layers separating.

I see above I still cannot spell!
 
It matters not that the horse is in a field and is old[ish], he still needs to be treated as an individual.
Obviously a proper farrier, regular visits and a small feed every day containing the nutrients the horse needs for foot growth.
Treatment as described above for the current condition.
Suggested feed for cob.
50gms micronised linseed
25-24 gms [or as recommended] minerals for barefoot horses, pro earth, equimins or feedmark.
Non molassed chaff to mix.
Hi fibre cubes if needed.
There is no way round it, horse are a faff., if making up a feed and finding a good farrier and treating this condition are too much bother then I think it is time to look for another hobby.
The vet should be doing do an annual check , teeth need rasped, and sounds as though owner needs to have a reality check too.
 
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In defence of the owner she does care a lot for her horses and will do get vet etc even if they don't need one straight away. She is on limited time as has to get buses and cant come up twice a day due to this and work.

But she is being stubborn when it come to feed. I have told her numerous times she needs to feed to have good feet but she wont listen 'he's always been like this' and 'I don't want to feed in summer they get fat'. My horse is barefoot I have done a lot of research into diet and management so know what i'm talking about.

She sees that if she feeds one the other has to have the same so 'he doesn't feel left out'. Although has got out of feeding the same amount of hay to them both when one is 15.2 and other 14.2 so need completely different.
Ive got to the point where I've said/done what I can so leave her to it.

But since farrier has been she only picks it out now.

I dont want to feel I am bitching about her as she is not here to defend but she does irritate me sometimes!
 
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