Soft Tissue damage in hoof post laminitis

[GLou89]

Hi All, looking for some insight/prior experience here.... horse (6yo) has suspected soft tissue damage in front hoof, he's been recovering from laminitis and has been slightly off a couple of times in the past few weeks but has always come sound quickly. This time, after jumping and being worked quite hard he came out slightly lame in a straight line, and obviously lame on a circle. Vet saw him last night and took x-rays as they were already booked to check the lami had settled and we'd had no further movement, good news is that is under control and we think he had a very mild bout that we managed to get under control quickly. Bad news is he suspects the lameness is some sort of tissue damage. His hoof structure is good and balance is also good and there has been no rotation from the laminitis so I'm hoping that all goes in our favour.

He's now on box rest, with 2 x 5 min walk in a straight line a day, and we will revisit in a few weeks to see if there is any improvement and then will consider an MRI to know exactly what we're working with. I'm really hoping we've just tweaked something, although of course I am feeling awful for jumping him on Saturday! Has anyone had any experience with something similar and come back to full work? I'm resigned to the fact it's going to be a long road to recovery but with him only being 6 we had a long life ahead of us!

 

[Red-1]

I bought Rigs when he was just finishing 3 month's box rest for lami. He had 6 months where he either walked under saddle in a soft arena, with the occasional 1 circle of trot, or was led in hand on the road.

If the laminae have let go, it takes up to a year to grow a new hoof capsule, so nothing hard should be done before then, IMO. New, knitted feet need to grow from the top down.

He also had almost a year off grass, with well soaked hay.

That was 3 years ago. You'd never know there had been an issue now.

If yours has been having repeated lami related lameness, and is now worse, I would have the hoof X rayed to see if the pedal bone has rotated. Even if not, the laminae don't sound strong enough to be working him. As he has now become proper lame, I would be guided by the vet but, TBH, 3 months off then 6 months either walking under saddle in the school or being led in hand on the road was a good rehab for me.

If there was a single sign of lameness, I would have the vet back immediately.

 

[GLou89]

I bought Rigs when he was just finishing 3 month's box rest for lami. He had 6 months where he either walked under saddle in a soft arena, with the occasional 1 circle of trot, or was led in hand on the road.

If the laminae have let go, it takes up to a year to grow a new hoof capsule, so nothing hard should be done before then, IMO. New, knitted feet need to grow from the top down.

He also had almost a year off grass, with well soaked hay.

That was 3 years ago. You'd never know there had been an issue now.

If yours has been having repeated lami related lameness, and is now worse, I would have the hoof X rayed to see if the pedal bone has rotated. Even if not, the laminae don't sound strong enough to be working him. As he has now become proper lame, I would be guided by the vet but, TBH, 3 months off then 6 months either walking under saddle in the school or being led in hand on the road was a good rehab for me.

If there was a single sign of lameness, I would have the vet back immediately.

Thanks - we've had 2 sets of x-rays and theres been no movement/rotation. Vets advice was to work him as he was sound to ensure we keep the weight off and bring him back into full work , albeit whilst being cautious (he's been sound apart from this week when we got the vet out and once when he came out a bit off but recovered within 48 hours - we thought it was due to being shod that day). But the issue is now the soft tissue damage, which I expect has something to do with the lami due to the hoof being weakened. The rehab you followed sounds very similar to what I'm expecting, so long as there is no major damage - time will tell I guess!

Good to hear your boy is now recovered!

 

[Red-1]

Thanks - we've had 2 sets of x-rays and theres been no movement/rotation. Vets advice was to work him as he was sound to ensure we keep the weight off and bring him back into full work , albeit whilst being cautious (he's been sound apart from this week when we got the vet out and once when he came out a bit off but recovered within 48 hours - we thought it was due to being shod that day). But the issue is now the soft tissue damage, which I expect has something to do with the lami due to the hoof being weakened. The rehab you followed sounds very similar to what I'm expecting, so long as there is no major damage - time will tell I guess!

Good to hear your boy is now recovered!

Mine also had to lose weight. He was on a very restricted diet, along with his walking out. It was a faff as I had to be giving a net every 4 hours max time between during the day. Everything was weighed. He was turned on the arena, so no extraneous grazing. Bedding was not edible.

Initially mine was high EMS (in the hundreds). With the strict diet and work, he now tests normal. Only once he was normal was he allowed restricted grazing, with a muzzle, starting with 15 minutes.

It has all been worth it, as he is now pretty normal, but it took 2 years for me to treat him normally, and he is still on high fibre haylage and muzzled on a sparce paddock.