Question about laminitic? worried!

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My cob had laminitis way back in early 2003 due to the yard owner at the time turning him out into a fertilised field overnight and he got it again in 2005 where it was bought on by stress, it wasnt grass related at all. I have managed him very strictly ever since and kept his routine the same as much as possible. I now rent my own field and he has a starvation paddock and i also strip graze, using my youngster as the lawnmower
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He is also worked regularly and he wears a grazing muzzle when necessary, has late cut hay and is few only on hi fi lite. He is not fat at all, he is slightly on the lean/ribby side and this is the best way to keep him ive learnt over the years.

He had the farrier on 10th july and the farrier didnt mention anything had changed with his feet. He also has feathers and these cover the top of his coronet band and about 1cm over his hoof. I just happened to move the feathers today and about 1cm down from his coronet band is a 1cm line/ring not quite the whole way round his hoof, it is an indent/groove on his hoof and it looks like the top layer of his hoof has been scratched/pulled off or like he has trapped his foot under something, thats the only way i can describe it. It is totally different to a growth/grass ring. What worries me is that it is not only on his front 2 feet but also slightly on his back feet but not as bad. He is not lame and doesnt flinch or pull away when i pick his feet out etc.

Im beside myself with worry now......has anyone come across this before? Im worried that its linked to laminitis.
 
I will do that, thanks! Im going to phone my own farrier asap tomorrow also. Just wondered if anyone could give any advice as to what it was as im a very bad worrier so will be in a worrying frenzy until the morning!
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Are you sure he didn't have these rings before? It could just be normal for him, and you didn't notice before because of the feathers. Dietary changes can cause different ring marks, so even going from a winter-based forage diet to a summer one of more grass (even if restricted) might have caused them. Some of my ponies have a ring like you describe - I could try to take a picture this morning if that helps!

Check for a digital pulse, and if there isn't one, I really wouldn't worry too much.
 
I could be wrong but I think its quite common for horses to get rings on their feet like that , that indicate they've HAD an incident of laminitus.
 
Can you take a piccy - its hard to picture exactly what you are describing! I would have thought if it was unusual/significant your farrier would have said something - I know mine would especially if it was my cob (who has also had laminitis in the past) as he knows I am totally paranoid about the slightest change in her feet!!
 
Oddly enough my two have developed a 'different' sort of hoof growth - it's about a centimetre down from the coronet band, it looks paler than the rest of the hoof and looks like the top layer has been scratched off! Both of them have it, neither are lame or sore. I thought maybe it was due to a dry peripole(?) but their feet are moister and in better condition than they were in the dry south. Now FB hasn't had lami but he had cortisone and anti inflammatories which have left a classic lami/trauma line around all his hooves, this is now about an inch from the ground and happened a year ago, so based on this as a growth rate I would say that this new band of growth has happened since they have been here. I have put it down to a change of food as they get hay and grass and beet pulp here, which they didn't before. Maybe it is due to the the wet weather we have all been having affecting the grass quality? I will watch with interest to see what your farrier and vet say.

This pic doest show it as clearly because his hoof was wet, but you can see on the right hand side under the coronet band that the hoof 'dips' for about a cm, this runs all the way around and gives the 'scraped off' effect. It is much more defined on a dry hoof. You can also see the trauma line about an inch up fom toe.

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ChicoMio-thats just like my horse! It is just as you have described in your post. I have a few pictures but they arent good quality, will try to post them later on though. I have been in touch with my farrier and he said it could just be the way the hoof is growing for reasons like you mentioned, changes in grazing quality etc. His hooves look much better today, i have left him in his stable anyway as he doesnt mind being in. Im now going to go to the vets armed with the pictures too and will let you know what they say. Hopefully it is nothing to worry about
 
Hi Llewelyn,

I have checked for a didgital pulse and all is normal so going by what my farrier said, im going to try not to worry! He does have few rings but they arent as wide as these new ones, but interestingly the new rings dont go all the way round his foot like the old ones do
 
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