Update...any ideas...the second opinion

[Skilgariff]

Got new vet out on Wednesday to examine my mare. He had not seen xrays yet but spent ages with me. So far he was able to say that she is actually lame on both front. He also noticed a different foot imbalance to the long toes. He made me walk her with eyes closed and eventually I could hear two clicks when she put her front foot down. She is still on box rest but being allowed out in small paddock and each day she is getting better and better. I think we are resting her for further two months and I really want to get some weight off her. Apparently when she walks, she puts side of hoove down first. He is unsure if this is all that is causing lameness, but he seemed positive and I am just keeping fingers crossed that corrective shoeing will do trick. Oh also showed him other shoes she had on and he said they would not have done much good. Will keep you posted to what comes out of xrays....hope my bubble is not burst...again!

 

[Tia]

Hope all goes well and you finally find out the cause.

 

[henryhorn]

Our welsh cob puts his side down first, but his is due to sidebone. It does sound like the imbalance is causing the lameness, and a different farrier may sort it.
We have espent over a thousand pounds in the last year ferrying Diamond another horse 40 miles to a specialist farrier every few weeks, and all her troubles were due to the farrier shoeing her poorly.
Unless they get the heels absolutely level the horse puts strain on it's tendons and joints, the side bones in the other horse developed years ago when out then farrier used to see how many horses he could shoe in a day, and didn't trim level enough.
good luck, if that's all it is, the lameness should go.

 

[Maggie2]

And I would be more than tempted to get a really experienced EP type trimmer out instead of a farrier, I have had good results with them when farrier was making things worse, or in more than one case with previous farrier, actually causing the long toe and foot imbalance that caused the problem in the first place.

 

[brightmount]

I couldn't agree more with Maggie. My lame horse, who was at the point of being PTS, had her shoes off and was taken on by an EP in February of this year, and she is a different horse now. I am so impressed with the depth of knowledge about hoof balance and structure that my EP has, and the way he set about correcting years of disastrous farriery, and basically saving my horse's life.

 

[Skilgariff]

Thanks for those replies, so good to hear from people with same problems. I am very impressed with new vet and he has suggested a more qualified farrier, or he has also said that he is going to come up with my farrier and stand over him!! I will speak to him about some of your comments though as I am sure my insurance pays out for this....don't fancy the travelling though!

 

[charlie76]

A horse on our yard was lame and has had xrays-the x rays showed no problems with the bones themself but he has far more toe than heel causing an imbalance and therefore lameness. He has been put in 4 point shoes and gel pads and they have made a vast difference.
Good luck.

 

[brighteyes]

OOOOh radical vet!

 

[sally2008]

I think I like your new vet.

Good luck and fingers crossed for you that it turns out to be something your new and more experienced farrier can sort out. Please let us know how you get on.