Hooves - What's this and how are they looking?

3Beasties

3Beasties

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I've noticed that my TB has this yellow marking on his front hooves, it's only been there for the last couple of months but I haven't a clue what it is or what causes it, any idea? (it looks more yellow in real life)


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And how are they looking in general? He was shod on Wednesday after which he was extremely lame (could barely walk) but he was fine by the next day.

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Constructive Criticism only please :)
 
looks like the normal hoof colour to me
and they look ok
i ould be concerned that he was lame after shoeing though
 
The one that has the most yellow on is the one the farrier thinks was causing the problem, he said the show wasn't sitting right or something due to being cold shod :confused: Not sure if it was nail bind or not, would that make him really lame?

I really am useless when it comes to hooves and shoeing :eek: :o
 
I had a pony whose feet turned yellow in exactly the same place! He was bay with black points and his feet started out black... I asked the farrier what was happening and he said that it was a sensitivity to the toe clips - they were pinching him and causing pigment cells in his hooves to die, causing scarring. Almost how freezemarks work - scar tissue kills the cells so the hair grows back white. He was also rather lame and hobbley after shoeing, but it always cleared up after a day or so, and didn't seem to be a problem other than that.
Was a long time ago though, so I would check with another farrier - try ringing a remedial farrier and asking them!
I wouldn't worry too much though, his feet look really good other than the yellow jobbies!
 
Thanks Starzann, I did wonder if it was some sort of sensitivity. He was shod on front with side clips up until recently so maybe it is because of the change. Did you find your horse sensitive when riding on rough ground? Recently I have noticed that my TB really feels the stones whereas before he never did :confused:
 
This is going to sound awful LR but TBH I don't know :eek: I haven't been at the yard the last couple of times he was shod as I was using the YO's farrier, I'll be back with my regular farrier shortly though and no he doesn't hammer the clips in, he puts side clip shoes on the front though :)
 
Starzaan said:
I had a pony whose feet turned yellow in exactly the same place! He was bay with black points and his feet started out black... I asked the farrier what was happening and he said that it was a sensitivity to the toe clips - they were pinching him and causing pigment cells in his hooves to die, causing scarring. Almost how freezemarks work - scar tissue kills the cells so the hair grows back white. He was also rather lame and hobbley after shoeing, but it always cleared up after a day or so, and didn't seem to be a problem other than that.
Was a long time ago though, so I would check with another farrier - try ringing a remedial farrier and asking them!
I wouldn't worry too much though, his feet look really good other than the yellow jobbies!
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this is excatly why both my tb are shoed clipless with lightweight shoes, there feet aren't designed to take normal shoes unfortunatly.
 
these where taken about a year ago at the start of his remdial shoeing so obviously not the best feet in the world here

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just to give you an idea how mine are shoed

ETA that the yellow bit has now gone, which was caused by NB shoes used by a different farrier.
 
Er, I was just looking at the OPs pictures when OH walked in and said rude words:(

I know you only want constructive criticism - the yellow colouring is where the farrier has exposed the white line:( Looking at the placing of some of the nails, it is likely he has put at least one behind the white line, and not surprising your horse was lame:( OH's recommendation is that you get another farrier, sorry (he's been a RSS and remedial farrier for over 40 years btw)
 
Re the lameness thing 3B, my chap had nail bind once - was hobbling lame and very obviously in a great deal of pain in the foot concerned (he actually held it up to the vet almost asking him to sort it!) and the shoe looked perfectly normal, not twisted or anything. Vet could no find no heat or anything but took off the shoe and put a poultice on just as a precaution and within less than 24 hrs he was absolutely fine again and I was riding 3 days later!
 
Yes it's where your farrier has rasped the front to dress the hoof after fitting the shoe. Your boy looks to have very typically-TB thin hoof walls, unfortunately. My boy is transitioning to shoeless and I have loads of pics of my boy's black feet with white bits where the trimmer has rasped off the flare.
 
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hmmmm, the near fore toe clip doesn't look particularly central.
I would be very concerned if my horse was extremely lame after shoeing (unless I knew he was having something major done to his feet that might cause temporary lameness).
It sounds like this new farrier is doing something your horse is not happy about - especially with this new sensitivity to stony ground.
I'd get back to your old farrier asap.
 
My pony was sensitive on rough ground, but only when he had toe clips on! We had a remedial farrier out who said we should put side clips on, he was still sore after shoeing, but the yellow grew out!
 
Rowreach said:
Er, I was just looking at the OPs pictures when OH walked in and said rude words:(

I know you only want constructive criticism - the yellow colouring is where the farrier has exposed the white line:( Looking at the placing of some of the nails, it is likely he has put at least one behind the white line, and not surprising your horse was lame:( OH's recommendation is that you get another farrier, sorry (he's been a RSS and remedial farrier for over 40 years btw)
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This is not correct, sorry. The lack of pigmentation at the bottom of the hoof is the inner hoof wall. Hoof walls are in two parts, the outer is pigmented in a dark hoof, and the inner is white/cream/yellowish. All you are seeing is inner hoof wall, not white line.

There is no problem with this. Barefoot horses do not walk on their outer hoof wall at all, and very little on their inner hoof wall either. Removal of the outer hoof wall at the bottom of the foot causes no problems whatsoever.

Your farrier sounds like he has done one of two things to lame your horse -

- cut the toe clips too deep so they ARE through the white line - not common.

- rasped the toe callous to try to bring the line at the front of the foot into balance with the line at the heel - VERY common. Unfortunately, that line is not actually the one the foot wants, hence the lameness due to sole soreness where the callous that it needs has been removed.
 
your questions should be put to your farrier direct however silly you feel. he will then give you his reasons for shoeing and the end result. the yellowness is a result of the rasping, taking away the black of the horn. if your farrier has nailed behind the whiteline your horse will be crippled. where are you in the country and what farrier do ou use?
 
LadyRascasse said:
these where taken about a year ago at the start of his remdial shoeing so obviously not the best feet in the world here

just to give you an idea how mine are shoed

ETA that the yellow bit has now gone, which was caused by NB shoes used by a different farrier.
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You say your photos are at the beginning of remedial shoeing. I can't see much that's "remedial" about them, they just look like a set of machine made hunter shoes put on reasonably decently but very short in the heels. Did your farrier manage to cure those desperately under-run heels in time???
 
I know nothing technical about shoeing so maybe I shouldnt be commenting :eek: but I think your horses hooves look much better now. My horse nearly always has the yellow bit after shoeing and I thought this was my farrier trying to cut the toe back?? My horse doesnt really grow any heel and his shoes are left longer at the back to support them??? Probably talking a load of twaddle so please no one quote me on this.
Oh being hopping lame would suggest to me nail bound. I used to have a TB x that hardly grew any foot and was 'footy' each time shod but was fine the next day. She wasnt hopping lame though.
 
cptrayes said:
This is not correct, sorry. The lack of pigmentation at the bottom of the hoof is the inner hoof wall. Hoof walls are in two parts, the outer is pigmented in a dark hoof, and the inner is white/cream/yellowish. All you are seeing is inner hoof wall, not white line.
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Completely agree. Hooves of OP's horses hooves are far from being through to the white line.
 
cptrayes said:
You say your photos are at the beginning of remedial shoeing. I can't see much that's "remedial" about them, they just look like a set of machine made hunter shoes put on reasonably decently but very short in the heels. Did your farrier manage to cure those desperately under-run heels in time???
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er yes he did, thanks! yes they are machine made and no they are hunter shoes. as for "reasonably decently" he save the horse being shot due to poor farriery in the past, he didn't create any of the issues with his feet that you see, he just put the first set of shoes on. like i said these were taken over a year ago. and the horse came back from crippling lame to working happierly, never has issues with his feet anymore (yes he did have a non related lameness to his hock a few weeks ago but again he is sound as he just tweeked something)

i have no worries about how my farrier shoes, as he always tells me why he is doing it and what he is doing. he tells it to me black and white. he comes out on a saturday or late in the eveing when he lives a good 20 miles from my yard to come and see him if i need him to.
 
The yellow is just wear the top layer of horse has been filed through into the none pigmented part. Nothing at all to worry about. Cold shod horses should not experience any issues relating to the fact they are cold shod if it is done correctly.
The yellow is certainly not a bruise, and im surprised you've not seen it because.
Because TB's generally have flat feet, when shod, the shoe is usually set back slightly and the farrier than takes more off the toe to restore a more accept hoof angle axis.

His feet look strong and healthy. especially for a TB
Lou x
 
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Lady.. i have to say if my farrier had done that he would of been back out the next day to reshoe the horse. They are both set of concave fullers. They are both too small for the horse. they offer no support.. sorry.. not remedial at all.. what did he tell you he was doing.

Sorry if you dont like that?!

Lou x
 
Nailed said:
Lady.. i have to say if my farrier had done that he would of been back out the next day to reshoe the horse. They are both set of concave fullers. They are both too small for the horse. they offer no support.. sorry.. not remedial at all.. what did he tell you he was doing.

Sorry if you dont like that?!

Lou x
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sorry but i total disagree and i am happy with all the work my farrier has done. i was only showing the type of shoes not disputing his work at all. like i said my horse was crippled before he started shoeing him, he is both balenced and comfortable in his feet now and i would never use another farrier.

ETA if you want to discuss this with me feel free to pm me but i don't wanna hijack 3beasties post on her horse.
 
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