laminitis?

[Christmas_Kate]

Ponio is fat. Simple. he's a 9.3hh shetland (takes 4'6 rugs just to give you an idea of his build.. he's chunky), and weighs 265 approx.

he wears a muzzle 24/ 7 and spends his days in a piggy paddock, and nights in a big paddock with sheep (approx 3/4 od an acre).

Farrier came out about two weeks ago and I asked him if ponio looked like he'd ever had lami. He said No, he didnt think he had, he had the best hooves he'd seen in a while, in fact fab hooves. (the fact the farrier only has to rasp or at a push trim them every 15 weeks is testement to what sort of hooves he has).

Today I noticed a ridge in his hoof, about an inch from the top, measuring about 1cm wide. His hooves aren't hot hot, just warm as usual (it's been a hot day here).

OH trotted him up as he thought he was walking funny, lame on the off hind, but with a shettie you really can't tell as they waddle anyway lol. But seriously, he looked sound to me. And he was galloping around fine.

So if he's never had laminitis, what is this ridge? I'm assuming as he was only trimmed two weeks ago it isnt just developed lami, as it'd not have had time for the ridge to grow downwards (if you get what i mean?). I'll try and get a photo tomorrow, but would appreciate any thoughts in the meantime.

 

[brighteyes]

A change in diet? That can cause a ridge.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

No real change in his diet, except in march when I took him off a diet of Happy Hoof and hay and put him over to 24/ 7 grass... but i did that gradually.

 

[pottamus]

A change in ground conditions, diet or weather could cause that. My horse has one on his hooves and I put that down to changing onto a hoof supplement and off carrots. The farrier said not to worry in my case.

 

[gothdolly]

Domi got a ridge once and my farrier thought it could be the change in diet as we moved from Norfolk to Nottingham and the grazing was different?

Cassandra

 

[Honeypots]

If the ridge is an inch from the top its not likely to be the reason he may be lame now as its something that occured a few weeks ago. Its likely that its to do with changes in grass growth ie it was richer when the ridge occured. Having said that I would get any suspected lami checked out asap just in case. Daughters pony had it last year..we hacked her out the evening before with no obvious signs at all and she was crippled the next morning. The ridges that appeared (some weeks later) were very deep ridges. Very obviously different to the usual ridge you get from change of diet etc.