Thrush, Sheared heels, hoof imbalance - Lameness

PinkvSantaboots

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One of my Arab's has coffin joint arthritis he had just normal front shoes on when diagnosed he had it treated last June and then he started to look short infront and tripping and at times almost scuffing his toes as he walked, I spoke with my farrier as I was sure it was the shoes causing it so we took them off and immediately he walked so much better so I have kept them off.

I have to be careful on hard ground but his been so much better, he had an under run heel on one front which only started to happen after he fractured the pedal bone in quite a rare place on the side of the toe, most fracture on the wing up higher so my vet said it could have contributed to how his foot grew afterwards.

Looking at your horses hooves I think some time out of shoes would really benefit and improve them, it doesn't actually take long for a whole hoof to grow and by then the hoof usually looks much healthier.
 

PinkvSantaboots

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Having a proper look at those pictures his hoof wall is not in great condition and the soles are quite flat so even with a shoe, his probably feeling alot through those soles and then the pedal bone is literally just under the sole so if his already got arthritis his gonna be sore.

If his not already on a good hoof supplement I would put him on one I used progressive earth platinum hoof for Arabi when he initially had all his hoof issues and it really helped.
 

Dregish1950

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One of my Arab's has coffin joint arthritis he had just normal front shoes on when diagnosed he had it treated last June and then he started to look short infront and tripping and at times almost scuffing his toes as he walked, I spoke with my farrier as I was sure it was the shoes causing it so we took them off and immediately he walked so much better so I have kept them off.

I have to be careful on hard ground but his been so much better, he had an under run heel on one front which only started to happen after he fractured the pedal bone in quite a rare place on the side of the toe, most fracture on the wing up higher so my vet said it could have contributed to how his foot grew afterwards.

Looking at your horses hooves I think some time out of shoes would really benefit and improve them, it doesn't actually take long for a whole hoof to grow and by then the hoof usually looks much healthier.
My vet said his feet weren’t too bad. New farrier couldn’t understand why he was put in the 3d pads with impression material. But would explain how he went sound in normal shoes after the thrush and has been lame ever since he had heart bars and then these.
 

Dregish1950

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Having a proper look at those pictures his hoof wall is not in great condition and the soles are quite flat so even with a shoe, his probably feeling alot through those soles and then the pedal bone is literally just under the sole so if his already got arthritis his gonna be sore.

If his not already on a good hoof supplement I would put him on one I used progressive earth platinum hoof for Arabi when he initially had all his hoof issues and it really helped.
He was on farriers formula then he went off it. He’s always been on biotin since he’s been with me. Vet isn’t concerned about his coffin joint arthritis for the work he is in. He also reviewed his previous X-rays and had no concerns.
He has done Grand Prix dressage which is when he was treated but he’s happy he lameness has. Nothing to do with the coffin joints.
 

Gloi

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My vet said his feet weren’t too bad. New farrier couldn’t understand why he was put in the 3d pads with impression material. But would explain how he went sound in normal shoes after the thrush and has been lame ever since he had heart bars and then these.
If the vet didn't think his feet were that bad goodness knows what he's comparing them with.
 

Dregish1950

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If the vet didn't think his feet were that bad goodness knows what he's comparing them with.
im not getting into a debate about his feet. They are much better than they were 12 months ago.
The main thing is I know what the problem is and I can get him on the mend.
 

ihatework

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If you could give him the winter out of shoes and boot him up with some pads to ride it will likely do the world of good.
Keep the foot treated for thrush, trimmed for balance but try not to overtime the sole and frog. Will pay off in the long run for his longevity

Might be worth testing for Cushings too.
 

ycbm

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His toes are extraordinarily long. The frog should be 2/3 of the length of the foot and his are much less. His heels are also badly contracted. If you want this horse to stay sound for a good long time in future, you'd be well advised to give him 6 months out of shoes, in graduated work, using boots and pads if necessary.
.
 
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Dregish1950

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His toes are extraordinarily long. The frog should be 2/3 of the length of the foot and his are okay less. His heels are also badly contracted. If you want this horse to stay sound for a good long time in future, you'd be well advised to give him 6 months out of shoes, in graduated work, using boots and pads if necessary.
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I will work closely with my new farrier and do what’s best. Thanks.
 

Dregish1950

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I will work closely with my new farrier and do what’s best. Thanks.
This was his frog (Same hoof as the one above) , picture taken 5th November. He was sound in these shoes once the Thrush was cleared up. He has since then been in Heart Bars and then those 3rd Impression pads and Lame.

I will take the advice from my new farrier.
 

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paddy555

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This was his frog (Same hoof as the one above) , picture taken 5th November. He was sound in these shoes once the Thrush was cleared up. He has since then been in Heart Bars and then those 3rd Impression pads and Lame.

I will take the advice from my new farrier.
t I think the difference in posts is that on the one side it is easy to say he was sound in these shoes (whichever they were at the time) but others, who have wide experience of poor quality feet many having been there, actually look at the quality of the feet and see that is where the real problem is. ie shoes are the sticking plaster to try and keep a horse sound, the real problem is the underlying state of the feet and how the overall condition can be improved to produce good quality feet.

i'm afraid I've met several vets who have completely overlooked foot quality possibly because they see thrush and poor quality feet all the time so it is just normal. Some have not even pointed out thrush problems to the owner.
 

Dregish1950

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t I think the difference in posts is that on the one side it is easy to say he was sound in these shoes (whichever they were at the time) but others, who have wide experience of poor quality feet many having been there, actually look at the quality of the feet and see that is where the real problem is. ie shoes are the sticking plaster to try and keep a horse sound, the real problem is the underlying state of the feet and how the overall condition can be improved to produce good quality feet.

i'm afraid I've met several vets who have completely overlooked foot quality possibly because they see thrush and poor quality feet all the time so it is just normal. Some have not even pointed out thrush problems to the owner.
There is no thrush, hasn't been since late October... and it wasn't as deep as we though as the frog had recovered quickly and the heels weren't sheered as we thought before. So when the vet came yesterday there was no comment on thrush because he doesn't have any so it hasn't been overlooked in this instance.

As I said, I have a new farrier who I will work closely with in the hope we can improve his feet.
 

paddy555

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There is no thrush, hasn't been since late October... and it wasn't as deep as we though as the frog had recovered quickly and the heels weren't sheered as we thought before. So when the vet came yesterday there was no comment on thrush because he doesn't have any so it hasn't been overlooked in this instance.

As I said, I have a new farrier who I will work closely with in the hope we can improve his feet.
lI wasn't suggesting your feet still had thrush merely commenting on the overall poor quality of your feet. Contracted heels at one end, seedy toe at the other. If foot quality was considerably improved the horse may stay sound for much longer.
 

sbloom

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lI wasn't suggesting your feet still had thrush merely commenting on the overall poor quality of your feet. Contracted heels at one end, seedy toe at the other. If foot quality was considerably improved the horse may stay sound for much longer.

Though to be fair a deep, dark sulcus like that is so often hiding apparently mild thrush that would be dismissed as non-existent or insignificant by vets and farriers. I once had a client whose horse was lame on and off for months on end, they finally found thrush via xray and it was extensive apparently (not heard of anything like it before or since, and don't know more detail).

@Dregish1950 please bear in mind no-one is wanting to have a pop at you or specifically criticise your team, we can only remark on what we see, on what we have experienced...everyone is trying to help. We also have in the back of our minds that HHO is searched all the time by people on the board itself or on Google, looking for answers, and your thread may be read by hundreds of people in time, so we are always trying to add general advice.
 

paddy555

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Though to be fair a deep, dark sulcus like that is so often hiding apparently mild thrush that would be dismissed as non-existent or insignificant by vets and farriers. I once had a client whose horse was lame on and off for months on end, they finally found thrush via xray and it was extensive apparently (not heard of anything like it before or since, and don't know more detail).

.
I agree but I wasn't wanting to be antagonistic :)
 

ycbm

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Though to be fair a deep, dark sulcus like that is so often hiding apparently mild thrush that would be dismissed as non-existent or insignificant by vets and farriers. I once had a client whose horse was lame on and off for months on end, they finally found thrush via xray and it was extensive apparently (not heard of anything like it before or since, and don't know more detail).


Charlie had "no" thrush when I picked him up. Central sulcus were a bit too deep is all. In the next few weeks holes big enough to put my finger in and tunnels a hoof pick head deep were exposed as the top layer shed away. A sulcus in one foot which looked fully closed one day was a split half an inch deep up into his heel bulbs the next.

I've never seen anything like it before, thrush can certainly hide!
.
 

Dregish1950

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Charlie had "no" thrush when I picked him up. Central sulcus were a bit too deep is all. In the next few weeks holes big enough to put my finger in and tunnels a hoof pick head deep were exposed as the top layer shed away. A sulcus in one foot which looked fully closed one day was a split half an inch deep up into his heel bulbs the next.

I've never seen anything like it before, thrush can certainly hide!
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I have no doubt which is who I have continued to treat them every 2/3 days with some iodine or red horse sole cleanse. I would still be packing them if it would hold but it no longer holds.
 

ycbm

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No, he felt the lameness which he described at 2/10th lame was too much for coffin joints. He also nerve blocked.


I understand the possibility that he's seeing something in the actual movement of the horse that's leading him to this conclusion, and perhaps it's too subtle for laymen to see and he's given you an easy to understand explanation, and that you will follow his advice.

But for the sake of others reading the thread, is perfectly possible to be more than 2/10 lame with issues in coffin joints, particularly when they've not been x rayed for several years.
 

ycbm

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I have no doubt which is who I have continued to treat them every 2/3 days with some iodine or red horse sole cleanse. I would still be packing them if it would hold but it no longer holds.


My reply was to Sbloom, D, I'm not trying to give you any advice. What we've seen is rare, between the two of us with experience of hundreds of horses between us, we've only seen it twice.
.
 

Dregish1950

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Update:
Sacked my farrier and changed to a new one who shod him on 23rd December, wasn’t as lame in walk and came almost sound on the 2nd January vet told me to hack him. 2.5 miles in walk got back, trotted him up and he’s lame again. Nerve blocked and injected some steroid and he was much more comfortable ever so slightly off in trot up 1 week later.

Yesterday had another vet asses who suggested ultrasound the navicular. DDTF fine, some fluid around both but nothing of concern and happy considering his is 18.

We now believe it’s because he’s been too long in the toe which has resulted in bruising and pain. No bruising in the sound foot just the lame across the toe along with stretch white line so all makes sense. I must add when he went lame he had bad balance issues along with sheared heels.

Yeaterdays vet advises this can be managed by good shoeing. He’s happy with what my new farrier has done with the rolled toe shoes and taking the toe back.

We believe it’s because he’s been too long in the toe which has resulted in bruising and pain. No bruising in the sound foot just the lame across the toe along with stretch white line so all makes sense. I must add when he went lame he had good balance issues along with sheared heels.

The vet advises this can be managed by good shoeing. He’s happy with what my new farrier has done with the rolled toe shoes and taking the toe back.

I Appreciate it’s going to take time and all are different but I have no idea what kind of exercise programme or even programme I should be working to. 4 weeks no work? 4-8weeks on the soft?

He is comfortable on the soft just not the hard, anyone had any experience of this?
 

Highmileagecob

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Just take things slowly and allow time for navicular changes to take place. A lot of rehabs seem worse before they improve, and be prepared for an abscess or two as internal structures are properly loaded and made to work. You could be looking at one or even two complete hoof growths from coronet band to floor. Good luck, I hope everything works out.
 
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