my horse drags his hind toes!!! HELP

MandyMoo

MandyMoo

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we recently bought a 10yr old TB gelding, but i have noticed that when he is hacked he drags his hind toes so his shoes arent rounded at the toe, they have a squared off tip =S

he isn't plodding along or anything...he is working and using his back end and he enjoys his work...even in the school when he's working in an outline he doesn't quite pick them up much =S im worried that he will wear down his feet too much at the front =S

any ideas??

xxx
 
There have been a few posts about this lately.
It can sometimes point to hock problems i.e Bone Spavin.
I would firstly get a chiro out to check his pelvis out in particular and then if there is no improvement then I would let your vet take a look.
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get the vet to check it out as it may be a hock problem and you want to deal with this as could be sore and there could be some athritic changes going on internally. also you could ask the farrier to roll his toe as this would protect his toe. good luck and let us know how you get on
 
My horse does this and he has confirmed bone spavin. It would be best getting him thoroughly looked over by the vet. Hopefully it is something straightforward and can be treated with remedial farriery or physio.
 
My boy does that and I have been told he has a possible hock problem (bone spavin). It is really noticeable in trot on tarmac or when trotting him up for the vet on concrete. Sparks fly of his shoe sometimes. I haven't had it investigated my motto being: 'if it aint broke don't fix it' and he is not lame, not even slightly so is therefore in no pain with it. Should it become worse I would have the joint injected if the vet deemed it necessary. The chiro told me to put a curb chain tied onto bailing twine loosely tied round his fetlock as this would help him to lift his leg and build up muscle (not because it is weighted as a curb chain obviously isn't but just because subconciously he would become acustomed to lifting his leg more as he would notice it) - I'm probably not explaining the reasoning behind the method very well I'm afraid.
 
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My boy does that and I have been told he has a possible hock problem (bone spavin). It is really noticeable in trot on tarmac or when trotting him up for the vet on concrete. Sparks fly of his shoe sometimes. I haven't had it investigated my motto being: 'if it aint broke don't fix it' and he is not lame, not even slightly so is therefore in no pain with it. Should it become worse I would have the joint injected if the vet deemed it necessary. The chiro told me to put a curb chain tied onto bailing twine loosely tied round his fetlock as this would help him to lift his leg and build up muscle (not because it is weighted as a curb chain obviously isn't but just because subconciously he would become acustomed to lifting his leg more as he would notice it) - I'm probably not explaining the reasoning behind the method very well I'm afraid.

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I'm sorry but I don't get your comment 'if it aint broke don't fix it' when you say sparks fly off his shoes? Do you think this is normal action?

Dragging toes is not normal!!

Get it checked out by your vet - there are lots of things that can be done (depending on the cause) - you're farrier (in conjunction with the vet) maybe able to provide remidial shoeing to help as well
 
Like I said if he was lame I would get it checked by the vet. I competed in two Novice dressage test on Saturday just gone, scoring 1st in one and 4th in the other, the previous week I got 4th in an elementary. Three different judges, three differing opinions, none of them could see a problem with his paces (one even gave an 8 in collectives for paces) so it is not an obvious problem and he is certainly not lame. If you got the vet out everytime there was a slight problem you would have the vet practically live at your yard!! If the horse was in pain I would get him checked. His farrier has an excellent reputation and has mentioned that there is more wear in the one foot than the other but does not think it is a great problem, nor did the vet that passed him for a second vetting in order for me to up his value. So thanks for your comments, and no disrespect intended but you cannot accurately assess a problem that you know nothing about. It is only when I trot him in hand on concrete or trot on the road, in the school it is not noticeable.
 
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Like I said if he was lame I would get it checked by the vet. I competed in two Novice dressage test on Saturday just gone, scoring 1st in one and 4th in the other, the previous week I got 4th in an elementary. Three different judges, three differing opinions, none of them could see a problem with his paces (one even gave an 8 in collectives for paces) so it is not an obvious problem and he is certainly not lame. If you got the vet out everytime there was a slight problem you would have the vet practically live at your yard!! If the horse was in pain I would get him checked. His farrier has an excellent reputation and has mentioned that there is more wear in the one foot than the other but does not think it is a great problem, nor did the vet that passed him for a second vetting in order for me to up his value. So thanks for your comments, and no disrespect intended but you cannot accurately assess a problem that you know nothing about. It is only when I trot him in hand on concrete or trot on the road, in the school it is not noticeable.

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Mark my words, you will have a problem with the side he is wearing. Horses do not drag their toes for no reason whatsoever. My horse was doing this and wearing her toe a bit, not lame whatsoever and jumping 1.10s. Have had her xrayed and no signs of Spavin but was lame on flexion and was not happy about it. Just had a 7 week course of Adequan and a month off and she has improved already. The toe is no longer wearing.
The wearing of the toe was the first sign of anything was wrong.
I have never heard anything so mean as to put a chain around the fetlock! That is putting more pressure on what hurts.
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Please don't leave these things if you value your horse. I could have carried on and ended up making whatever the problem was worse.
 
I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. The curb chain around the fetlock which probably weights 6 oz isn't going to put pressure on him at all! I do think it is a shame that some people feel it is their god given right to criticise what other people do without knowing the facts. I came onto this forum to try to help people with their problems and I have someone say they can't understand how a shooting (euthanasia) can go wrong when it did in my horses case, how my previous horse didn't really have wobblers when the best consultant in the country put him down for it and now for you to tell me I am being cruel. I am beginning to wonder why I botherered joining this forum in the first place. I really wish you could see my horse for yourself and then you would see why I don't have a problem by not investigating it further!!
 
What is the purpose of the chain then?
Do you drag one of your feet as you walk? Probably not.
I am trying to help you - not be awkward. I am telling you this as I noticed this on my mare and it turned out if I had carried on working her as I had been then she would have more than likely got lots worse.
Ask any vet, I had one fail a vetting for dragging a toe, it bounced it on the road and true enough, after flexion he failed. They do not drag, bounce toes for no reason, Simple as. It may be something simple like a bad fitting saddle or a misaligned pelvis but a horse does it for some reason.
Maybe you are right and should not bother coming on this forum if you cannot take other peoples opinions or advice.
I am saying as I have experienced and for no other reason.
 
As I explained in my previous post and I quote: "The chiro told me to put a curb chain tied onto bailing twine loosely tied round his fetlock as this would help him to lift his leg and build up muscle (not because it is weighted as a curb chain obviously isn't but just because subconciously he would become acustomed to lifting his leg more as he would notice it) - I'm probably not explaining the reasoning behind the method very well I'm afraid."

I also said that my horse had passed his revetting in February and I also stated that my farrier has said that in his opinion it the toe wearing is of no great importance. Is there any other experts that I should ask or just you being that you ARE THE ONLY EXPERT I SHOULD LISTEN TO???

Finally he does NOT drag his toe. He clips the toe ONLY, and I repeat ONLY when he is trotted on a hard surface, about every third or fourth stride. He does not do this on a surface, and he does not do this on a circle concrete or otherwise. He is on a joint supplement and has had a flexion test in which the vet said he "might have bone spavin". I don't mind you stating your opinion, nor to I mind you giving me your take on the situation, but what I do object to is your inference that I am not doing the best by my horse because I don't get the vet out. I have and always will do the best by my horses and I have always had their best interests at heart. I have lost four horses (none of which were my fault I hasten to add) in under seven years, and am paranoid about my horse. As I say you should not judge people. Incidently I had a lesson last night with a very experienced and very good teacher with an excellent reputation in our area and also with a classical riding instructor a few weeks ago and all without exception (as well as the dressage judges I told you about in my previous emails) say that my horse is sound. I do not wish to justify myself anymore to you, and I do not wish to discuss the matter any further.


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I rest my case you numpty. Your vet himself has said he may have Bone Spavin.
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No I am not an expert and I do not expect you to listen to me as you so obviously do not listen to your vet who has trained for many years.
As for your loss of 4 horses in 7 years ??...................
 
How dare you call me a numpty and how dare you question the loss of my horses. Who do you think you are?? Very rude and ignorant I should think. You appear to be another of those people who do not read threads before replying. My vet revetted him - he passed. He said he did clip his toe about every third stride on concrete. He said he could have possible bone spavin. It might be worth investigating it if he should ever go lame. He has not gone lame. I have not investigated it. If he did I would. What part of that do you not understand? As for the horses that I lost I do not have to justify myself to you. The heartache and total devastation is something the likes of you would not understand and you make me sick by your sordid ignorance. You obviously think you are clever, but you are very sad and I feel very sorry for you that you can sink as low as you have by infering what you are infering in your last sentence.
 
Mandy moo I am sorry I didn't reply to your thread. I am really upset by what Holly F has said and won't be using this forum again after tonight. You make your own judgement in life and I'm afraid whatever you do sometimes will be wrong. There are always people out there that think they know best and will be cruel and unkind to others. I wish you luck with your horse. x
 
I am sure that people only have to read your posts on this thread to realise that I am not the one who is incorrect in what they say.
In any case, I would appreciate it if you would stop sending me nasty pms, it isnt very grown up is it?
You said you werent going to use this Forum anymore but I notice you are still posting.
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Go and annoy somebody else with your silly ideas of jingly chains and twine tied round horses legs, besides it isnt even christmas is it
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You are such a rude and spiteful person. My friend is training as a horse physio and the chain is used in a lot of cases for the reasons I gave you at the time. Many physio's and chiropractors recommend their use. You are very rude and I am sorry I have been so upset by your nasty comments as I shouldn't let the likes of you get to me in the way you do. I don't think YOU should be the one talking about growing up, I think you have stil got a long way to go in that direction love. Oh, and please stop sending me abusive PM's in reply to my PM's to you when I was trying to justify myself to you re: why I sadly lost four horses in seven years after your spiteful remark last time. Now go away please you have upset me enough by your spiteful words.
 
applecart, my horse dragged his toes on one side for a while when I was on the way home from hacks. My farrier picked up on it and rolled the toe of the shoe, he said he was being lazy. For a while when he did it i just put my leg on and asked him to pick up a bit. He never does it anymore, even when ambling along.

Don't get upset by others, you sound like you have had a rough time of it, and you should enjoy your horse. It is just a pity that people with the same interests can be so horrid to eachother when all we want is a chat and be part of a forum.

Please nobody shout me down. Life's not worth it. xx
 
I have only tried to do best by my horses and I have loved them all. I don't know why people feel they have to be so nasty to others when like you say the forum is run to assist people and give them the support and the advice of personal experience in a non critical way, which is why I joined in the first place. Thank you for your kind words I really appreciate it x
 
My horse used to occasionally clip his toe when trotting on the road. He was diagnosed 1/2 a 10th lame and xrays showed bone spavin. He got worse and so we had to treat the spavin. The best thing to do is nothing - unless it gets worse (ie: more issues when riding - canter issues, back pain etc). This is because injections are short lived and tend to do more damage and last less time after each application. Also some joints will fuse by themselves - which is the best senario.

Obviously you should be very aware that your horse does have potential arthritis.

Your physio is aiming to get the horse to use the leg more to even up muscle tone (as they tend to become asymetrical). Personally I would only do this under the supervision of a qualified equine physio and I'd use a sausage boot not a chain which would have the same effect and is designed to go on the horses leg.

I feel for everyone with a horse with arthritis - good luck!
 
Thanks Aran, hooray someone that knows what I am talking about!! You are right in what you say about the phsio trying to get the horse to even up muscle tone. This is a well documented process which is often used in physiotherapy and obviously something Holly F has not heard of. In fact when I asked my friend who is studying for a 2 year university veterinary physio course for some guidance in explaining what this process was called she was only to happy to give me the following info to use and understood immmediately what I was trying to put across in uncertain terms!!


"A process used in physiotherapy (both human and equine) where a light object is loosely tied around a joint is used to employ proprioception. Proprioception is what all living matter are born with and put simply is 'the knowledge of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body'. It enables you to walk, stand, sit, crawl, run, walk in the dark, etc, etc. If you have a bad foot or leg you will take weight off that leg and put more weight on the other thus overworking the muscles and bones on the opposite leg. The same goes for a horse. If you put a chain around the fetlock of the bad leg, or a piece of rope, or baling twine or even a string of polo mints (it doesn't matter what the item is it does not have to weigh anything but the horse must be concious that it is there by feeling it somehow) then the horse will automatically start to use the muscles of the leg more by lifting the limb appropriately, which will improve muscle tone and help to aid recovery to that limb. This will prevent the limb from becoming asymetrical. Obviously this needs to be done in coordination with a physio and/or under veterinary supervision."
 
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