Underrun Heels

[sarahhowen]

So, at the moment some of you may be aware that we are going through a rehab phase with my chappie Indi after he has damaged his collateral ligament to the coffin joint (The outside one) and we are currently weeks into our weeks of box rest and up to 2 x 20 minute hand walks a day and touch wood looking pretty good when he walks out.

Indi has always had really underrun heels and in the two years that I have had him we have battled to get him better with the farrier as at some point he has had a bad experience, the farrier is now able to do him and he is religiously re shod every 6 weeks and has had significant diet changes which I believe has helped him, before we had him he was plagued with abscesses through winter, I am happy to report that since we have had him, he hasnt had a single abscess so hopefully that indicates that something is better although the hoof confirmation is still poor in terms of his heels.

Whilst in on bos rest we have had the back shoes removed and he currently has remedial shoes on in front with lateral heel support to give the ligament extra support.

My current farrier I believe is very good and the specialist at Leahurst commented on what excellent foot balance he has but I am still worried about those heels, is it always possible to get the horse up off his heels and in a better shape??

This picture is one of the earlier ones after we'd had him a few months - the flaring is all now sorted and I will get new pictures later on,

 

[Andalucian]

Hi, although your farrier is doing a good job, in my opinion underrun heels are incurable in shoes. The very action of a shoe forces the heels forwards, particularly so if they're already underrunning. Getting them off and allowing the foot to gain traction from the ground as it moves is the way forward, perhaps you could build this in once the current treatment is complete? Personally I wouldn't have remedial shoeing at all, I've yet to see it yield any long term positive results Whereas taking shoes off is proving itself to repair foot damage time and again.....but it takes time and the horse needs layoff and careful management.

 

[sarahhowen]

Thanks Andalucian,

To be honest I have battled with myself about the merits of shoes vs barefoot but I am at the moment stuck a little bit between a rock and a hard place as the vet wants the shoes on, the insurance company are footing the bill and they want me to (Understandably) follow the vets recommendations.

When Indi originally had the support shoes on he went very reluctant to turn initially and I spoke with the vet at that stage to see about getting them removed, vet wanted me to perserver for a few days and he has become much happier in the shoes and very happy to walk out on them, he is barefoot behind which is what I am hoping to start seeing a positive response from now that he is out of shoes.

The main issue I have is, I have to walk him twice a day, to get off the yard I need to lead him prob 200m down a gravel drive which he is very sore on, I understand that he NEEDS to do this so we are just perservering on but I know that reluctance stems from the fact that he is walking on his heels largely behind and thats very sore for him to do I understand that he needs the walking to stimulate the hoof/ frog area but he really is sore.

On a side note, he has also developed thrush in all four feet, due to the poor confirmation of the hoof he has got a really deep central sulcus that is constantly getting infected, I do keep his bed as dry as possible and remove all the wet twice daily and also pick out his feet twice daily BUT he soon produced more poo to stand in!! Kinda fighting a loosing battle with that at the moment and I'm hoping that once I can get him out we will soon get a handle on that but if anyone has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Andalucian]

Hi, thrush is probably bound to develop in his situation. When a body is unwell, its got a low threshhold for fighting off infection, so it takes hold. Keep treating with antibacterial treatments daily to keep it at a minimum, when he's better and on drier ground it'll clear up. I use Red Horse Sole Cleanse on mine and really like it.

to cross the gravel drive you may need to invest in hoof boots, which are a drop in the ocean when compared to remedial shoeing.

I am familiar with the insurance/vet/remedial shoeing situation. Just keep your mind questioning and challenging. If it isn't helping, why not cut your losses and step away from the insurance and go barefoot, which won't cost you as much as standard shoeing.

Good luck.

 

[sarahhowen]

Its something to consider BUT I have to stay with the insurance at the moment as we may be looking at the possibility of Shockwave therapy if the Ligament doesnt appear to be healing, financially I want to give him every option to recover and if the insurance company are footing that bill then it opens up more alternative therapies to help him that normally I would have to pay out of my own pocket. Also over the next few months we are going to be going back and too the vets to U/S the ligament and as such better the Insurers pay than I especially when I have paid them over £600.00 a year to insure him!!

We go back to the vets two weeks on Monday for our 12 week rescan and I hope that there is going to be evidence that the ligament is healing, if this is the case that I am going to stick with the shoes for the short term and then review with the aim to get them off in a couple more months when everything has stabilised, the hind shoes are already off and they are going to stay off!!

 

[amandap]

Are they actually under run? Have you got a side view?
I do see some white line stretch which ime is dietary.

 

[flintfootfilly]

I can't see an under-run heel in that picture either? To me, an under-run heel would show as the heel buttress being well forward of the heel of the foot.

Please would you describe what it is that you are seeing in that picture which causes you to say the heel is under-run?

Thanks

Sarah

 

[Andalucian]

the picture is of a hind foot - hence shoes off as described above. Fronts are the underrun problem

I understand your position re insurance, I've seen it many times before. Just keep your wits about you, if you're not seeing positive results, don't let them keep doing more of the same. good luck

 

[amandap]

the picture is of a hind foot - hence shoes off as described above. Fronts are the underrun problem

Ah, I misunderstood, thought all hooves were under run.