Laminitis?

[sarah.x]

Hey, im new so sorry if this is in the wrong place
I have a Welsh Section D and for quite a while he has had rings around his hooves, these dorun parrelle to each other and do not slope towards his heel. The farrier has nevermentioned anything about laminitis and now the sole of his hoof is very cracked and starting to come away, i put it dwn to the dry weather and ground. He is overweight but is not obease. I am one of those people that will search iton the interent and then panick about the results. The farrier isback on friday so im going to ask him then. He lives out atm bt was wondering if you think it will be a good idea to keep him in for the next few days. Also could the rings just be a sign of poor work on the farriers part?

Thanks

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

The rings in a horse's hoof are a bit like tree rings - they show changes in the horse's nutrition and circumstances. So for instance, if you changed yards and the grazing was significantly better or worse, then in about 3 months you would see a ring start to show at the top of the hoof. Same if he was ill, a ring would show where he'd perhaps had different feed or was stabled or was depressed and off his food etc etc. You're right to note that if the rings aren't parallel and they are tighter at the toe end, it could be a sign of a laminitis attack. But I wouldn't worry overly about rings otherwise. Hopefully, if he stays with you forever the rings should lessen or vanish. My horse Sunny has a hoof horn ring showing and, allowing for the time it would have taken to grow down and be noticeable, the only thing I can think of is that it was the time when we had that horrendous burst of old fashioned winter weather with snow lasting for yonks. The horses still went out every day but there was no grass even just to nibble at because it was under about 2ft of snow! And I had to change Sunny from out overnight and in during the day to in overnight and out during the day because it was so bitterly cold. I think that's what his approx 5 months ago ring is all about. If you feel like a challenge, you can try to work backwards and work out what might have changed in your ned's life to give him the hoof rings. Does his passport show a change of owner? Vaccinations? Virus? New field? Box rest? Summer project to keep you busy xxx

 

[sarah.x]

thanks
im just such a worrier haha, he does change yard (about 100 miles between each one) every easter and summer, due to him being at uni with me. He doesnt stress about it or anything otherwise i wouldnt move him at easter he settles well each time. So I guess the grass is going to be completely different between each field. As i said he has had them a while but once I get my mind set on something its hard to take it off it. He is not lame, no heat, no sweeling, so yr advice has been very reassuring
Thanks

 

[mrdarcy]

Whilst nothing to panic about if they are the only symptom these rings aren't called stress rings for no reason. There are different triggers but the process that actually forms them is the same... inflammation of the lamellae. You don't see these stress rings in the hooves of wild horses or healthy barefoot horses that are kept with the correct diet. Causes are most usually a flush of grass, or a change in hard feed to something with a higher sugar/starch content, or a change to higher sugar content hay or haylage. Stress can play a part too but generally only if diet is already on the brink of being too high in sugar/starch, or the horse is already over weight. Other things that can cause stress rings are injury, with associated drug use, worming, vaccinations and ingestion of something toxic.

The sole flaking away is natural - just as humans shed skin, horses shed dead sole, but it can be related to those stress rings. With inflammation of the lamellae there is usually associated increase in production of sole, in order to strengthen a compromised foot i.e. as the hoof wall throws out more growth (seen as these rings) the sole will do the same. Now that excess sole is shedding away which is generally a good sign.

I would say if he is overweight then you need to get his weight down asap as any overweight horse is at risk of laminitis. Restrict his grazing and up his exercise so that he starts to drop weight. You don't say if he's on any hard feed but if he is have a close look at the ingredients, if it contains molasses then stop feeding it and replace with a low sugar/starch feed, something like Fast Fibre or unmolassed sugar beet. Cut out any carrots or horse licks and treats - all are very high in sugar. And keep checking his digital pulses - we are entering a high risk period right now... we've had a warm dry spell followed by rain, and it's warming up again at the end of this week. Perfect conditions for rapid grass growth.

You're right to be vigilent - keep up the good work and get his weight down!

 

[sarah.x]

I completely understand and agree with what you are saying. He is currently not in work (starting again on Monday) not due to lameness or anything just exam period, so hopefully a lot of the excess weight will be shifted. He is usually quite good with weight, although he can balloon like any other welshie it is not difficult to get it off him so hopefully it wont be mission impossible
Yea I didn’t think the sole was much to worry about but once your mind starts running….
Right now he only gets a small amount of happy hoof once a day just to get in some garlic etc.
During the winter he is on hay and during the past few months this changed quality a few times, at times he didn’t even want to eat it. Although these lines are not new as such, they are further down the hoof. Ill take another look tomorrow just to make sure.
Thanks
xx