Lanky Loll
Well-Known Member
She was on Equinox... which I think was helping her maintain weight and chill out a bit but it could just have been the good grass and extra turn out in the summer 
Its off to the vets for us tomorrow!
- Thread starter stencilface
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stencilface
High upon a hillside
I'll try to get a now shot of his feet/heels but I think shoes is the only option really. 
stencilface
High upon a hillside
A update of the feet pictures, just for the near fore. Here it is in summer 2013, and then again today. I hope being bf hasn't caused the ddft?!
2013
Today
2013
Today
ester
Not slacking multitasking
It might just be the pic/can't tell from sole pic but it does look like his heels have run forwards.
stencilface
High upon a hillside
Oh. So I have caused this you think?
Bummer
Bummer
ester
Not slacking multitasking
No, you donut 
.
I'm also no expert and I don't know why it would have happened as he has had lovely frogs etc for a long time so no idea why he wouldn't have been landing heel first and keeping his own heels back. I do know that Nic has had a few more already barefoot in recently at Rockley and they do seem to have some issue with their heels that then causes the pathology. But I don't know what you do about that if they aren't maintaining it apart from sending them to devon and then I don't know if it stays once they are home. I do know that my trimmer did try to encourage F to use his heels (they still a bit under run) and bring them back a bit more by putting a slight backwards slope on them at one point but he didn't like it so we didn't carry on.
If he were mine I would be sending Nic an email to ask her about the bits I don't know above, I would also prob pm andalucian on here and poss send lucy priory a message on fb (she not really on here anymore) just to get a range of input before I made a final decision. Though that is because I am a bit of a gatherer of info when I don't understand stuff - but I suspect you might be the same.
. I'm also no expert and I don't know why it would have happened as he has had lovely frogs etc for a long time so no idea why he wouldn't have been landing heel first and keeping his own heels back. I do know that Nic has had a few more already barefoot in recently at Rockley and they do seem to have some issue with their heels that then causes the pathology. But I don't know what you do about that if they aren't maintaining it apart from sending them to devon and then I don't know if it stays once they are home. I do know that my trimmer did try to encourage F to use his heels (they still a bit under run) and bring them back a bit more by putting a slight backwards slope on them at one point but he didn't like it so we didn't carry on.
If he were mine I would be sending Nic an email to ask her about the bits I don't know above, I would also prob pm andalucian on here and poss send lucy priory a message on fb (she not really on here anymore) just to get a range of input before I made a final decision. Though that is because I am a bit of a gatherer of info when I don't understand stuff - but I suspect you might be the same.
BethH
Well-Known Member
Can I ask if your horse is just pasture trimmed by the farrier or do you have a decent podiatrist do it? It's just when I took my horse barefoot after the master farrier mullered his foot balance, I used & still do a really good DAEP podiatrist. He spends a lot of time on the foot balance and looks at every part of the foot when he trims, from the heels to the toes to the bars and the frog, he looks at flare & why, if the foot is changing shape for the better or worse and every bit of the foot & angle of the foot is considered. I just wonder whether your pony is getting a correct trim?
Can I also say that your desire to fight for him and get him right is a real credit to you, lucky horse to have you persevere. I'm not sure at all about eggbars, i always heard they were a short term fix and then it goes a bit wrong, but I don't know your pony's history. Mine has gone wrong a lot lately, much emotion, time, money & feelings of helplessness - you aren't alone! Very best of luck, I think a different type of trim could help.....
Can I also say that your desire to fight for him and get him right is a real credit to you, lucky horse to have you persevere. I'm not sure at all about eggbars, i always heard they were a short term fix and then it goes a bit wrong, but I don't know your pony's history. Mine has gone wrong a lot lately, much emotion, time, money & feelings of helplessness - you aren't alone! Very best of luck, I think a different type of trim could help.....
SusieT
Well-Known Member
have to say at his age I'd be tempted to just turn him away and retire him particularly when he's on off lame - he may just not be able to stand up to work.
stencilface
High upon a hillside
Ester - Thankyou, I'm trying to learn as much as possible (can access papers thankfully due to uni!) to make the best long term decision for him. Whilst I want him to come back into work in the ideal world, its not like he's a pro horse so I need to pick whats best long term for his feet/sanity and not just look at a quick fix. I'm composing an email to Rockley now, but trying to keep it as short and sweet as possible. I've read the DDFT cases on the blog.
BethH - He is trimmed by the farrier, my farrier is very much old school, and the only trimmers I've seen seemed to fart around with sandpaper and didn't really do much at all. So potentially not getting the best trim, but then he only gets seen maybe 3 times a year by the farrier, less last year as he essentially self trimmed. Thats my worry about the eggbars too, what the plan for when they are removed? I'm not sure I'm up to fighting much at the moment, just feel utterly useless. (and this has morphed itself into buying new stuff for the dinky ponies.....! Although I have managed to steer clear from buying anything for me, yet.)
SusieT - I know this might be the only option for him, which is an easy enough one given that we thankfully have our own land. But I can't leave him as he is as he's been pretty much turned away for 3-4 months now and hasn't improved in that time. Although I haven;t had much joy from him the last few years other than slobber, it doesn't seem fair to leave him not even field sound and in pain without doing what I can within reason.
BethH - He is trimmed by the farrier, my farrier is very much old school, and the only trimmers I've seen seemed to fart around with sandpaper and didn't really do much at all. So potentially not getting the best trim, but then he only gets seen maybe 3 times a year by the farrier, less last year as he essentially self trimmed. Thats my worry about the eggbars too, what the plan for when they are removed? I'm not sure I'm up to fighting much at the moment, just feel utterly useless. (and this has morphed itself into buying new stuff for the dinky ponies.....! Although I have managed to steer clear from buying anything for me, yet.)
SusieT - I know this might be the only option for him, which is an easy enough one given that we thankfully have our own land. But I can't leave him as he is as he's been pretty much turned away for 3-4 months now and hasn't improved in that time. Although I haven;t had much joy from him the last few years other than slobber, it doesn't seem fair to leave him not even field sound and in pain without doing what I can within reason.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Don't worry about fighting anything right now! There is time to make decisions. I think I'd just want to know that he was going to be sounder after the box rest effort.
stencilface
High upon a hillside
The more I think about wedges the more I wonder what they will achieve, short term they will provide relief surely, but long term how are they going to fix anything? I'm also now pondering the fact that he has been sound uphill, in trot some of the time all summer, another reason I thought he had just bruised himself. D'oh!
On the Rockley blog I can see that Nic has gone on holiday (the cheek of it!
) so I don't know how long that will be for but I might have to hang fire with the vets for a while and put off getting wedges on do you think? Our farrier is out next wednesday.....
On the Rockley blog I can see that Nic has gone on holiday (the cheek of it!
) so I don't know how long that will be for but I might have to hang fire with the vets for a while and put off getting wedges on do you think? Our farrier is out next wednesday.....BethH
Well-Known Member
Might be worth a google for DAEP in Leeds (I'm assuming that's where you are based?) and see what comes back. If there is someone local to you might be worth asking on here if anyone uses them to get some feedback, then give them a call and get a 2nd opinion and ask lots of questions about how they trim as all are different. They also talk about nutrition & the whole horse not just his feet (hopefully!) you could get them to look before your farrier visit, then you would have lots of questions to ask your farrier and you can take it from there. I only mention it as i'm not an expert but thought perhaps the heels look quite low & wondered if the digital cushion is weak, a proper trim to help this could be useful especially if you suspect heel pain at all..... DAEP's are trained by KC La Pierre who is also a qualified farrier so they generally if properly trained are quite knowledgeable. If you like the idea of Rockley, this could be a helpful other source of info. If it were my horse (as my vets told me to put the shoes back on & he turned out to have a spavin caused by poor foot balance - love my master farrier not!) I would go down this route before eggbars but I'm not you and haven't met your horse......
stencilface
High upon a hillside
Thats what I'm thinking, as where do I go after eggbars? They're only going to make the foot confo worse, although I do see their benefits for short term relief. I have asked before on here for recommended trimmers, and didn't really come up with anything. I had a lady visit from miles away who was only just starting out,a dn with my horse I'm not really willing to let someone who's just starting anywhere near him. Our family farrier thinks trimmers are a load of hogwash and was very dismissive when I mentioned I had a riders rasp to get rid of cracks/flakes (which I've only used once anyway!). Its very hard when getting other people's opinions as until now our farrier has done a great job with our horses, none until mine has had any issues like this and we've had the same farrier for 30 years!
A friend has a trimmer lady out to her horses, and she's very into keeping horses natural so I might ask her about her again, he was seen once by them, but didn't really seem to do or comment much. Might ask her again. So much to think about!
Him going to Rockley would be a huge positive I think for me, not least because I have so much work to do in the next 3 months my brain can't cope with doing rehab again! Its miles away thought obviously, although I have lots of family in Devon!
A friend has a trimmer lady out to her horses, and she's very into keeping horses natural so I might ask her about her again, he was seen once by them, but didn't really seem to do or comment much. Might ask her again. So much to think about!
Him going to Rockley would be a huge positive I think for me, not least because I have so much work to do in the next 3 months my brain can't cope with doing rehab again! Its miles away thought obviously, although I have lots of family in Devon!
BethH
Well-Known Member
When I googled DAEP Leeds, a lady came up called Sorcha Bemand, never heard of her as I'm in Kent so don't know if it is the same person you have already tried. The person I know who trains people in the UK and is highly qualified is a guy called Trevor Jones who is well known to my podiatrist, he has a wealth of experience. His website is: www.equinepodiatry.co.uk. It may be worth trying to call him to see if he can recommend anyone or knows this lady. He is based in West Sussex so not very local for you, but he may be able to give you some advice. Might be a starting point for you. Just to say I wouldn't use just any trimmer, I particularly like the way DAEP's qualify. They have to undertake substantial courses and it is all overseen by KC La Pierre, they seem to be a bit more clued up.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Oh well, if you can tie it in with family visits
are you on the phoenix forum or any of the barefoot fb groups? Am happy to ask around for any recommendations near you if you'd like me to.
I don't think delaying on wedges/egg bars a bit is going to make any difference long term.
I did think if I saw his feet and there wasn't anything that I would like to change that I wouldn't know what to suggest. As it is I think that those feet are not the best he can do. But am not sure how to go about getting him to change them .
Re the eggbars/wedges - I do get the theory on the wedges, I can see that in the immediate term with acute injuries to ddft they take the strain of it and possibly allow it to heal quicker/be more comfortable. But equally you don't want it healing short. And as he has been lame a while it isn't necessarily an acute injury iyswim. I'm not sure what the eggbars bring to the table apart from keeping the wedges on and completely immobilising the back of the hoof. I do think you perhaps run the risk of ending the shoeing treatment with a pair of hooves that are potentially even less optimal/more under run heels because I don't think there is any doubt that with them you do put more pressure on the tubules and encourage the heels to under run.
are you on the phoenix forum or any of the barefoot fb groups? Am happy to ask around for any recommendations near you if you'd like me to
. I don't think delaying on wedges/egg bars a bit is going to make any difference long term.
I did think if I saw his feet and there wasn't anything that I would like to change that I wouldn't know what to suggest. As it is I think that those feet are not the best he can do
. But am not sure how to go about getting him to change them . Re the eggbars/wedges - I do get the theory on the wedges, I can see that in the immediate term with acute injuries to ddft they take the strain of it and possibly allow it to heal quicker/be more comfortable. But equally you don't want it healing short
. And as he has been lame a while it isn't necessarily an acute injury iyswim. I'm not sure what the eggbars bring to the table apart from keeping the wedges on and completely immobilising the back of the hoof. I do think you perhaps run the risk of ending the shoeing treatment with a pair of hooves that are potentially even less optimal/more under run heels because I don't think there is any doubt that with them you do put more pressure on the tubules and encourage the heels to under run.