its not good - no real outcome/decision

_daisy_

_daisy_

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Well Ebi went to the vets this morning. Its not great news but better than I expected.

He had a good look at her - trotted her up, tested her soles with pincers etc & did flexion test (couldnt trot and when she did she was proper hobbling). Shes now lame on her OF more than her NF but her NF is still sore just not as bad as OF.
So he cant see that shes got an abcess or pus in her foot. Her feet are awfully small as shes just worn them completely away. He thinks (im really hoping hes right) that shes got severe deep bruising in both her front feet. Hes given her a course of bute for a week and said if there is no improvement then shes got to go back for exrays. To top it all off due to the claim on the ringbone neither of her front feet are covered by insurance, oh and neither is the ringbone - it doesnt surprise me though.

So please everyone keep your fingers crossed that Ebi comes sound and that it is only deep bruising.

Also does anyone have there horse barefoot? just that im wondering if it will help Ebi. Im not talking strasser methods - more like Jaime Jackson etc, but got talking to hoofsculpture on here the other day and its seriously got me thinking about changing the way she is shod/trimmed to see if it will help her - well its worth a try as the shoeing/trimming lark doesnt seem to be working for her atm.
 
thanks Nic - i need them atm. shes a lot brighter in herself which is good and shes got back into the talking to me at feed times
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which she hasnt done for nearly 2weeks
 
She had her front shoes put back on a week last Tuesday and shes not gone sound which she normally does. Vet is quite astounded by this as it normally sorts her out.
Her feet arent brilliant but are a lot better than they used to be - she doesnt grow much foot with is really the main problem of everything to do with her feet. Are the Natural Balance ones nailed on?
 
Oh dear - poor Ebi. I don't have any personal advice to offer, but have heard lots of good stuff about equine podiatry. I'm pretty sure that Lynwood knows alot about it... perhaps she could help? (hope she doesn't mind me putting her forward like this)
 
Yes they are... but they create a different shape of foot which suits some horses with changes within their joints and feet.

Have a look at this: http://www.tfp.uk.com/

I feed Hannah and Grace Equine America Hoof Power and it has made a huge difference to Hannah's feet. She has growth but poor quality. My farrier did not think she would cope without shoes but so far she has done three months without them and seems to be doing quite well. She is a little footy when she thinks about it, but when she is having a paddy and prancing about at something all thoughts of sore feet seem to disappear. I asked my farrier for an honst opinion on whether he thought the supplement worked, and he said there was no denying that the hoof quality had definitely improved since using it, therefore he encouraged me to carry on doing so.
 
Is there any particular reason you haven't weaned the foal yet? As that would surely make things easier so you could get her in on a deep bed and make her more comfortable.

Hate to say it but it does sound like maybe some sort of stress or concussion induced lammi... May not be aswell but if she's worn her feet down than much and is very sore, box rest on shavings may help alleviate it.
 
thanks Rebecca ill go and have a look at that site.

Ebi has been on Formual4Feet and it has made a world of differnece to her feet but the growth isnt a good as it could be. I asked my farrier if he had noticed a marked improvement and he said he had but he wished he could add a bit more length onto her feet - especially this time round
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Heard good reports on the Formula4Feet, but I do think the Hoof Power Plus has made a big difference so stick to what works... even if it breaks my bank balance having the two of them on it.
 
Well situation is like this. I have 5 horses including the foal. I rent 2 stables and the other 3 live out 24/7. The 3 that live out are Ebi and her foal and retired old pony so they are just left to fend for themselves really - they are really happy, have shelter, lots og haylage, checked at least twice a day etc etc. The other 2 that are stabled are clipped, ridden etc.
I was wanting to leave Willow with Ebi either for a natural weaning or if she hadnt done this by early spring i was going to wean her then. I just thought that there was really no rush to wean as Ebi is retired and not doing anything,
Obviously things have changed and I have spoke to my vet about bringing them in and I would have to weant them . I told him that Ebis health was priority but he said atm he wants her to walk around at her leisure so being out is best for her.
Other problem is I ran it past my YO when I got back from the vets about her possibly having to come and id have to kick 1 out so i could use the stable. Shes just decided that she doesnt want Ebi on the yard (havent got a clue why as when we moved onto the yard she was happy for us to swap them around as and when depending on time of year etc) So my options are now really cut short. If the vet says she has to go into a stable then I will have to move them to another place unless the farmer can let me have some space in a barn - ill have to check that out with him. if not ill have to look for stabling for her - whilst im at it ill wean her at the same time.

Can understand what youre saying - ill call him tomorrow to see about the lammi - other problem is Ebi hates being in a stable and stresses/gets wound up - specially if left in on her own, box walks and digs the bedding up! oh yes not to mention chewing the stable fronts!
 
Hello I am huge fan of barefoot after having my horses shoes took off last year. However I have no experience of horses with 'problem' feet but the web has lots of stories about how barefoot has helped such horses. If you have an specialist barefoot trimmer nearby it might be worth talking to them, but my horses are trimmed by an 'ordinary' farrier and I honestly think this is as good as long as they have an understanding of what horses can do barefoot. The only farrier I would avoid is one who thinks horses feet will disintegrate if they have to work without shoes as many still do.
 
Poor old you, it always seems to rain on your parade!

Just a thought but if it is stress related, even just a little bit, I would hold off weaning them as that wouldn't help at a time like this. Are you feeding the mare and foal anything special that could perhaps be too high powered for her which could affect her system?

Also, what is your soil and land like as that could have worn away whatever hoof is growing? We have an old railway track through our winter paddy field and they love to race up and down it but the clinker covering (it's grasses over in summer) plays havoc with their feet, especially when it is so wet as it has been. There's nothing I can do about it (fencing it off is not an option besides they have hay out on it every day to keep them out of the wet) except let the blacksmith only 'tidy up' during the winter else they wouldn't have any feet left at all.
 
it certainly does but i think its just pissing it down atm
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right will hold off till shes sorted - really greatful of your advice re weaning.
the 3 girls have adlib haylage at all times in a hay ring. Ebi gets happy hoof - just to keep her occupied and not to steal anyone elses tea, along with a bit of pasture mix, her formula4feet and mobifor. Willow has foal mix and thats it.

Field is really good - never had any problems with her feet before. There is no hard cored areas or stoney areas - yes there are a few stones around the gate way (handful of them) but they are more like cobbles than sharp stones. They only come to the gateway when its tea time -rest of the time theyre somewhere in the middle of the 6acres.
 
im being swayed to the barefoot way. Ive been told there is a lot of difference to the way a grass trim from a normal farrier is done, to a barefoot trim by say a EP.

ive got a few good links that im going to read up on - 1 specifically about a case study on a horse with ringbone so hopefully its good reading
 
Mine would love to come live with yours if they have six acres to play in with no or little mud!!

Sorry then, I'm stumped for now! It'll probably be something so simple we'll all smack our foreheads and nod knowingly!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope so anyway.
 
I had this with a horse I bought a few years back. He was written off a perminantly lame by his previous owner so I took him on feeling sorry for him. It turned out he had very deep bruising caused by a puncture wound on one foot that had travelled up his leg, cam out mid cannon!! deep bruising on other foot caused by compensation. was off for 6 months but is now hunted and xc with no problems. He had bar shoes on for a few shoeings after the initail lamenes which did help.
 
ooh thats interesting. vet doesnt think she has an infection so hopefully that wont happen. If i can get her sound and comfy riding her isnt a main priority, just so shes happy and back to normal will be great - would love to ride her again though!
 
Gosh what a connundrum eh?? I have to say that whilst Amy had her shoes taken off two years ago - and has been wonderful without them, I can't see that it will do your little horse any good at all atm, and I certainly wouldn't hurry to remove them until you know what's going on.
 
Oh dear, I don't really have anything to say just adding my support and I hope you reach a positive outcome.

Sounds quite similar to a friend's horse which turned out to have very deep bruising with slight inflammation of the pedal bone. She was shod with horse trax pads and I think that solved the problem. Keeping my fingers crossed for you xx
 
Hi ECW, I don't remember the precise details of your horse's problem, but if your vet is running out of ideas, then it could well be worth considering barefoot, but make sure you put yourself in the hands of an Equine Podiatrist, as it can go badly wrong with the wrong trim, or no trim. The method also includes a programme of gradual conditioning, which most horses definitely need. It requires patience and commitment, and the support of a professional.

In my experience, EPs will give their honest opinion as to whether the horse is likely to cope and if it would be better in shoes. Their services are in demand and they aren't so desperate for clients that they will persist with a horse who isn't benefiting.

I found my EP had an uncanny ability to see into the hoof. His initial evaluation of my horse, based on a brief discussion on the yard before I appointed him, brought up some of the precise issues revealed by MRI. These were damaged structures that the vet had not been able to diagnose previously.

Initially, most horses going barefoot need to be walked in hand in pads which are either taped to the sole, or wedged inside hoof boots. These pads stimulate growth and exfoliate the sole without wearing the hoof down which sounds like one of your concerns.

I would check out the EP website http://www.aepauk.org/ There looks like 2 EPs that cover your area, Adi Pratt and Paula Mayne.

I wouldn't say barefoot suits every horse. Mine had profound issues and I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I have another horse in shoes.
 
My farrier now has a thermometer which he holds against the horses hoof and it can pinpoint any heat in the foot, very useful in detecting abcesses etc. might be worth a go

Hope its not serious.
 
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