whats wrong with my ponys hooves?

mrsjcmking

mrsjcmking

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This is what they look like

any ideas?

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It looks like bruising to me.Has your pony knocked a pole while jumping? Just wondering as that is what is seems to me. Also the slight ridge in your ponies feet is most likely from a change in grazing a few months ago.
 
The red looks like brusing growing out. As for the ridges, did this pony have lamintis last year, or a sudden change of diet/ grass about 6-9 months ago?
 
The red/purplish marks are definately bruising and as another poster has said ridges in the hoof denote a change in diet. They don't necessarily mean anything bad, just a change say from grass to no grass and hard feed etc.
The bruising could be caused by kicking the stable wall, box walking, bashing it's feet when getting up from a concrete floor, concussion from trotting on roads. A variety of possibilities really.
 
Best treat this as laminitis and get the pony on to a supportive diet and very restricted grass. Bruising is serum leakage in to the horn and indicates laminae compromised to some extent, but there is recent ridging.

Better over-reacting to possible laminitis than under reacting imo.
 
He has been on haylage ono winter with little to no grass. Hard to restrict as he lives out with 6 other ponies. Could this change from grass to haylage be the ridge problem? I take him ono the roads rwgularly but I've not had him ono poles or anything as only just starting lunging him so I dont know where the bruising has come from!
 
He has been on haylage ono winter with little to no grass. Hard to restrict as he lives out with 6 other ponies. Could this change from grass to haylage be the ridge problem? I take him ono the roads rwgularly but I've not had him ono poles or anything as only just starting lunging him so I dont know where the bruising has come from!
 
mrsjcmking said:
He has been on haylage ono winter with little to no grass. Hard to restrict as he lives out with 6 other ponies. Could this change from grass to haylage be the ridge problem? I take him ono the roads rwgularly but I've not had him ono poles or anything as only just starting lunging him so I dont know where the bruising has come from!
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Yes the haylage is the likely culprit. Try feeding him charcoal from Fine Fettle Feeds and if you can feed hay preferably soaked and then rinsed instead of the haylage.

The 'bruising' is not necessarily that - it is a slightly controversial subject. Suffice to say lots of horses with foot balance and/or dietary issues have those kind of marks without any banging of hooves involved. I'd fret more about the event lines if I were you.

This link goes to several posts on event lines

http://barefoothorseblog.blogspot.com/search/label/event lines
 
Britestar said:
The red looks like brusing growing out. As for the ridges, did this pony have lamintis last year, or a sudden change of diet/ grass about 6-9 months ago?
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The pony is barefoot and barefoot feet normally grow much faster than shod ones. That ridge is likely to be from 3 months ago not 6, far less 9. What happened to his diet 3-4 months ago - frosted grass??? Your pony looks like a laminitis candidate to me.

Worry about the ridge, the colour is immaterial really. Tons of white feet get marks like that, and so do dark ones only you can't see it.
 
Th event line at the bottom near the brusing looks longer ago than 3 or 4 months, mine are barefoot but that far down would be 6 months for them (but they don't do a great deal of mileage). has the pony always been barefoot or were the shoes removed sometime ago?
The upper ridges do look worrying and laminitic.
 
New ones at top look like classic diet change growth rings. However the lower one is a dramatic change of hoof angle. Was the pony on grass before haylege? Was he a bit footy? It could either be a change away from low grade laminitis (and tighter growth after) or a more severe single bout.

My hard working barefoot horse would grow that much in about 3months but the retired horse would take 6months easily.

With a crimp in the wall like that I suspect the pony will be sore when it gets near the ground: the wall will bend at the crimp and pinch the lamina underneath. That may also be the cause of the bruising now: it's getting close enough to the ground to start causing trouble

If the pony's comfortable and sound then you've been lucky but should treat it as a warning that whatever diet he's been on in the not-too-distant past doesn't suit him and that he is a potential laminitic.
 
If the lines are uniform all the way around (distance between them doesn't obviously widen) then hubby(who is a farrier) says not laminitis, is just change of diet. It is only when the lines are not equidistant that laminitis is indicated.
 
I have come to believe that pronounced rippling especially big dips indicates dietry issues of some sort that need identifying if possible. I don't believe it 'just' means a change of diet personally but I'm not a professional.
I would be looking to review the diet and from my recent experience with haylage producing a bout of laminitis in my prone pony, stopping the haylage if possible would be my first step.

Does anyone know if soaking haylage is of any benefit? I seem to be reading recently that a lot of owners have no choice but to feed it so am wondering if soaking would be something to help?
 
amandap said:
I have come to believe that pronounced rippling especially big dips indicates dietry issues of some sort that need identifying if possible. I don't believe it 'just' means a change of diet personally but I'm not a professional.
I would be looking to review the diet and from my recent experience with haylage producing a bout of laminitis in my prone pony, stopping the haylage if possible would be my first step.

Does anyone know if soaking haylage is of any benefit? I seem to be reading recently that a lot of owners have no choice but to feed it so am wondering if soaking would be something to help?
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It is starting to become more widely accepted that there are degrees of laminitis - one of the symptoms of the lower end of the scale (LGL) are the event lines.

Haylage is a fairly common culprit and for some feeding it is hard to avoid, although it should be recognised that for some horses/ponies it is essential that it is avoided because it can make them really ill.

For those in the middle ground, you can't avoid it but your horse/pony is not so good on it.

You could try soaking/rinsing - I've never done it so I don't know if ti works or is safe

You could try a probiotic such as Yea Sacc 1026 or something similar which is purported to help an acidic gut - I've seen this approach work to an extent

Or you could try charcoal from a recognised and equine friendly source. (I use Fine Fettle Feeds). Currently in testing

Whatever you do, don't ignore event lines or let anyone persuade you that they are trivial. If you have just one, then ok, but multiple - no too much of a risk, better safe than sorry.
 
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Its tricky to change his diet as he lives outwith other horses in a smallish field. Yard owner has provided haylage all winter as they had no grass now they are grazing again. He's a 2 year old and his feet grow really sloowly. Had the fatrier yesterday for the first time in 6 months and all he did was file them a bit (in his words "tidying them up) I've never had problems with him being lame. His fields was VERY boggy this winter (like up to his knees) could this be a factor?
 
This happens a lot - mild lameness goes unnoticed until horse brought into work - hence the development of both myth and habit of having to shoe horses when they start work. But event lines don't mean the horse will be lame, just that if they are multiple you have dietary upset.

I have never had a horse where the event lines were brought on by the hooves being wet all winter - but plenty from the horse being fed haylage.

If you can't avoid the haylage you may need to feed an acid buffering helper such as the charcoal (Fine Fettle Feeds).

Can you get a photo of the solar view and post it on here?
 
LucyPriory said:
This happens a lot - mild lameness goes unnoticed until horse brought into work - hence the development of both myth and habit of having to shoe horses when they start work. But event lines don't mean the horse will be lame, just that if they are multiple you have dietary upset.

I have never had a horse where the event lines were brought on by the hooves being wet all winter - but plenty from the horse being fed haylage.

If you can't avoid the haylage you may need to feed an acid buffering helper such as the charcoal (Fine Fettle Feeds).

Can you get a photo of the solar view and post it on here?
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What do you mean by solar view?
I will try the charcoal. Do you think that as the summer comes, with him being off the haylage that it will clear up? (only to have the same problem next winter!)

Oh the joys of owning a pony! He's a pain in the butt but I do love him! Just one thing after another...I'm glad I've got the castrating out of the way, could not cope for much longer with him thinking he was God's gift to Mares!

He is worth every penny though!
 
Solar view - picture of the bottom of the foot - clean preferably washed.

Your pony might get better when off the haylage but it depends if other factors kick in.
 
How about Naf Haylage balancer powder? I use that. We have absolutely no grass in the winter and the horses are all fed hard feed and adlib haylage. I always make sure that all of them from the 10hh falabella x to the 17hh WB get a good alround vit and mineral supplement in their feed to make up for the loss of nutrients from the grass.
Your youngster could be needing some mineral/vit elements. I also ensure they have access to salt lick.
 
Got my OH to look at this, he's an apprentice farrier, he said i don't think its laminitis, the ridge is a growth ring, the hoof wall above the ridge is growing down at the correct HPA (hoof pastern axis) which is the ideal angle for the horse to break over on. The red marks are bruises could be caused by stretching of the laminae or could have knocked it on something. but 90% of feet have bruising, its just white feet make it more obvious.

Thats what he said (:
 
Tell your OH to get his looking glass out :)

The rings are wider apart at the toe than they are at the heel by, I reckon, about one third. Faster toe growth than heel growth is a classic laminitic symptom. The pony is at the very mild end of the condition, but the owner has been dealt a VERY big warning as the little fellow matures and needs less energy to put into growth. He'll be in big danger at three years old when most of his growing is done.
 
My understanding of red around the hoof is bleeding from the damaged lamina connection rather than a knock. Apparently the bleeding, although it happened a while ago when it is evident as the hoof grows down, remains red until it is exposed to oxygen in the air.

Thankyou for that clarification LucyPriory.

My sister made haylage for the first time last year and checked the correct moisture for wrapping herself in the microwave. lol She also tested the soil and has fertilized appropriately. All her horses have done extremely well on it over winter. That's what made me give it a try, but I bought local haylage off an ancient meadow. :(
I have a feeling much of the haylage may be verging on silage. It's amazing how dry the grass has to be to wrap for haylage.
 
amandap said:
checked the correct moisture for wrapping herself in the microwave/QUOTE]

Amandap - I am dead jealous of your sister - I'd never fit in a microwave...... :-)

But did you see Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe? Where one of the lead characters wrapped themselves in cling film?
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CPTrayes - I'm with you - plus I have a strong suspicion this pony has been throwing event lines for some time - but they have been rasped out of the lower hoof wall.
 
so many suggestions!

I will try the charcoal and vitamin supplements. I noticed the lines about a month ago (I hadn't been able to clean his feet until then!)

I'm a bit confused by people telling me different things., althought the general consensus is that it's early lamnitis, probably cause by haylage...this right? And that the red marks are bruising that I can't really do much about? Will the lines grow out if treated? I'm currently lunging him 2 times a week and taking him out on the road 1-2 times a week, is this going to be okay for him or should I cut this down? (never had to deal witha lamnitic horse before!)

Is this going to get worse when he's older? Any advice on next winter. He lives out all year in a field with 4 other ponies, in winter they have constant haylage. I have him on 1/2 scoop pony nuts, 1/3 scoop mollichaff, a dollop of beet and carrots. He was on much much more when i first got him as he was so thin, but i've been gradually cutting this down. (he used to be on 1 scoop pony nuts, 3/4 scoop mollichaff and 3/4 scoop beet, plus hay and grazing) This was advised to me by a trusted friend and horse owner of about 20 years! If I add vitamin supplements and charcoal, will this help?

Thanks for all advice!
 
LucyPriory said:
amandap said:
checked the correct moisture for wrapping herself in the microwave/QUOTE]

Amandap - I am dead jealous of your sister - I'd never fit in a microwave...... :-)

But did you see Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe? Where one of the lead characters wrapped themselves in cling film?
Click to expand...
Doh, LOL! I'm sure you all know what I really meant. :o

Yes, gosh I saw that film years ago... :D
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Actually, the Barefoot trimmers think your pony has/had mild laminitis. Farriers think these lines are due to change of diet, temperature, environment and simply record that event. The bruising on hoof wall (leaking of tiny blood vessels) indicates a knock (trauma) and are harmless. Look at horses with white hooves and you'll see how common an occurrence it is. Simply doesn't show on dark hooves.
Have a word with your farrier as he can see properly how the rings are formed and how they look all the way around the hoof.
That said, hay would be better for him if he's a good doer. You are right to be so observant, laminitis is a risk and being constantly alert to the possibility is wise.
Please don't worry too much and over complicate his feed and management. Your farrier and vet are the best people to give advice as they know how he's kept, what your grazing is like and can discuss his routine/exercise, having seen him.
 
The fundamental belief of the cause of this type of bruising is something I have come to from studying about how the hoof is structured, works and what makes sense to me. I am not a professional as I said but I recommend you do some research about hooves for yourself then you can make your own decisions.
Pete Ramey is imo a good place to start. http://www.hoofrehab.com/
 
My pony had something similar coming out of the winter last year but not so pronounced lines, a lot finer and also mine were not all the way round the hoof - about this time. They'd had 12 days in the January with no turnout due to snow and ice and are on haylage only at the yard. I got my farrier to check his feet very thoroughly at each shoeing over the time these lines were visible as I was very worried about laminitis and he said grass/stress lines due to a marked change of diet which imo would tie up with no grazing for nearly 2 weeks. The hooves were overall the worst I'd ever seen since I'd had him and were wearing a lot at the front as well. This year/end of winter he's fine, we've had restricted turnout but only the odd day here and there so never had to go on haylage forage only. Also since last year I use an unmollassed chaff which can be fed as a hay replacer so on the days they were stuck in he would have some of that as partial replacement to the rich haylage. I also stopped hosing his feet in the winter this year - I think the very cold water on very cold days also weakened his hoof wall a bit and like I say I don't know if my different management this winter helped but his feet are showing no signs of any lines or wearing this year at all.
 
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