X-rays for pony with overgrown toes

S

Sarys

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 April 2023
Messages
78
Visit site
My pony who is on loan had come up lame. It turns out she’s not been trimmed in 12 weeks!

The vet wants to do x-rays so the farrier knows where to trim.

This seems excessive to me and my farrier, but their farrier (newly qualified) says he needs to know where to trim b4 putting shoes on (my barefoot pony).

What do you all think?
 
I’d roll with the vet’s suggestions of x rays. I’ve done similar for the same reasons (after a disastrous interlude with a barefoot trimmer, although he was coming out every 4-6 weeks), and it does help the farrier to size up what he needs to do. It also checks for any arthritic changes or other issues to be noted.

It shouldn’t be too expensive to get the x rays done.

Just re reading, the pony is yours but is out on loan? Any explanation for the 12 week trimming interval?
 
Tiddlypom said:
I’d roll with the vet’s suggestions of x rays. I’ve done similar for the same reasons (after a disastrous interlude with a barefoot trimmer, although he was coming out every 4-6 weeks), and it does help the farrier to size up what he needs to do. It also checks for any arthritic changes or other issues to be noted.

It shouldn’t be too expensive to get the x rays done.

Just re reading, the pony is yours but is out on loan? Any explanation for the 12 week trimming interval?
Click to expand...
Apparently the farrier said she was ok to wait until next time. I’m not very happy about it.
 
I'd be taking the pony back! I've never heard of it being ok to leave for 12 weeks unless the owner is rasping in-between. Also why are they shoeing the horse suddenly? Have you checked the rest of their management
 
this sounds a bit odd. Have you been told the full story?

have you seen the pony? have you got the vets diagosis report? what has caused the lameness, does the pony have laminitis, why are they shoeing a barefoot pony.

I would be visiting, presumably he is too far away for your own farrier to trim, and looking at whether this is a good loan home.
 
misst said:
I'd be taking the pony back! I've never heard of it being ok to leave for 12 weeks unless the owner is rasping in-between. Also why are they shoeing the horse suddenly? Have you checked the rest of their management
Click to expand...
Apparently it’s on the advise of farrier. The shoes are so they can trim back further but I’m not happy about this as I believe it would be better to trim back now and perhaps then again in a week or sos time to get them right. That’s why I’m questioning the images. Rest of management has been spot on. I’m in regular contact but didn’t realise that farrier visits were being left.
 
paddy555 said:
this sounds a bit odd. Have you been told the full story?

have you seen the pony? have you got the vets diagosis report? what has caused the lameness, does the pony have laminitis, why are they shoeing a barefoot pony.

I would be visiting, presumably he is too far away for your own farrier to trim, and looking at whether this is a good loan home.
Click to expand...
I’ve literally been on the phone all day to all parties when I found out what was happening. Vet, my farrier, their farrier. My farrier is of the opinion that a good trim would be first port of call and any decent farrier would know where to trim to. Their farrier says they need the x-rays.
Vet says they need to guide the farrier. I’m attending appointment now so I can hear and see everything first hand. Vet says toes too long and maybe hard ground.

Pony not hugely lame just a bit off. Loaner is in bits.
 
I wouldn't want my barefoot horse shod just so he could be ridden. I'd want him appropriately trimmed by a farrier who knew what he was doing. Then treated with either box rest or field rest and boots as appropriate. Is the horse laminitic and being xrayed for rotation?
None of this makes sense.
 
Midlifecrisis said:
My gut feeling reading this was the loaners have sore footed pony and their vet wants to X-ray for pedal bone rotation prior to heart bar support shoes and loaners don’t want to pay for the X-rays.
Click to expand...
I spoke to vet and farrier and there was no mention of this at all which is why I’m questioning. Pony does not do well with a long toe and I’ve always had them done every 5 weeks in summer due to growth.
 
misst said:
I wouldn't want my barefoot horse shod just so he could be ridden. I'd want him appropriately trimmed by a farrier who knew what he was doing. Then treated with either box rest or field rest and boots as appropriate. Is the horse laminitic and being xrayed for rotation?
None of this makes sense.
Click to expand...
Exactly my thoughts. Vet said she needs to X-ray to tell the farrier how to trim appropriately. I asked if they thought laminitis was at play and both said no. But vet said that if inappropriately trimmed back too far it could trigger laminitis. My farrier however would be able to trim properly.
 
misst said:
I wouldn't want my barefoot horse shod just so he could be ridden. I'd want him appropriately trimmed by a farrier who knew what he was doing. Then treated with either box rest or field rest and boots as appropriate. Is the horse laminitic and being xrayed for rotation?
None of this makes sense.
Click to expand...
Exactly my thoughts. Vet said she needs to X-ray to tell the farrier how to trim appropriately. I asked if they thought laminitis was at play and both said no. But vet said that if inappropriately trimmed back too far it could trigger laminitis. My farrier however would be able to trim properly
IrishMilo said:
Sounds a bit odd. I mean 12 weeks isn’t ideal but it’s not 12 months. Some horses just don’t grow that much foot so it might not be disastrous. X rays seem excessive… why don’t you ask for some pics of the feet?
Click to expand...
I have and the trot up. Just going ahead with the appointment now. I wondered if I was overreacting but it seems that we no longer have a conservative approach any more. I would have been even more upset if the shoes had been put on without my permission.
 
Sarys said:
I’ve literally been on the phone all day to all parties when I found out what was happening. Vet, my farrier, their farrier. My farrier is of the opinion that a good trim would be first port of call and any decent farrier would know where to trim to. Their farrier says they need the x-rays.
Vet says they need to guide the farrier. I’m attending appointment now so I can hear and see everything first hand. Vet says toes too long and maybe hard ground.

Pony not hugely lame just a bit off. Loaner is in bits.
Click to expand...
excellent. A pony that didn't need trimming 6 weeks ago now needs x rays to deal with it's long feet?? and needs shoes so the feet can be trimmed back????

unless the pony is to be shod because it is footsore, in which case why, then I can see where your own farrier is coming from. I cannot see any reason why they can't do 2 or even 3 trims every 2/3 weeks to bring the toes back each time and allow the pony to adjust. If it is sore due to grass and or the hard ground what about booting?

If it's known that the pony doesn't do well with a long toe then why hasn't the new farrier been dealing with this regularly?

No chance you can get your own farrier to trim him this time? Even paying for travelling may be cheaper than x rays.

I still don't understand why the pony has to be shod to achieve this. I would ask the new farrier to explain to you precisely why he hasn't kept the toe back as it appears you are now going to have to pay for x rays to rectify this.

no you are not over reacting in the slightest. . I would be furious if someone wanted to shoe my BF horses because the farrier hadn't trimmed properly. .
 
Midlifecrisis said:
I can see you are in an uncomfortable position Sarys, I guess you are doing the right thing by attending when vet X-rays and farrier shoes..but think the loaner should pay unless your contract specifies you are paying vets costs.
Click to expand...
As part of the contract the pony is insured. It’s very frustrating though. I suspect vet and farrier are peeved with me and all my questions today but it’s still my pony and I wanted the full story and all the options. Pony has been barefoot whole life. I also explained that a few years ago pony went lame when I was let down by a farrier and she went long in toe and the new farrier had her sorted in no time. Good trimming is crucial when barefoot.
 
paddy555 said:
excellent. A pony that didn't need trimming 6 weeks ago now needs x rays to deal with it's long feet?? and needs shoes so the feet can be trimmed back????

unless the pony is to be shod because it is footsore, in which case why, then I can see where your own farrier is coming from. I cannot see any reason why they can't do 2 or even 3 trims every 2/3 weeks to bring the toes back each time and allow the pony to adjust. If it is sore due to grass and or the hard ground what about booting?

If it's known that the pony doesn't do well with a long toe then why hasn't the new farrier been dealing with this regularly?

No chance you can get your own farrier to trim him this time? Even paying for travelling may be cheaper than x rays.

I still don't understand why the pony has to be shod to achieve this. I would ask the new farrier to explain to you precisely why he hasn't kept the toe back as it appears you are now going to have to pay for x rays to rectify this.

no you are not over reacting in the slightest. . I would be furious if someone wanted to shoe my BF horses because the farrier hadn't trimmed properly. .
Click to expand...
It’s exactly what I asked my farrier but he can’t get to me b4 this appointment and so I would rather the first trim happen asap.
Thank you. It has blown my brain today as to how on earth a farrier has allowed this to happen.
 
Sarys said:
It’s exactly what I asked my farrier but he can’t get to me b4 this appointment and so I would rather the first trim happen asap.
Thank you. It has blown my brain today as to how on earth a farrier has allowed this to happen.
Click to expand...
after this appointment can your own farrier take over the trimming. Even paying extra travel for a sound barefoot pony would be worth it.
 
Your insurer may well exclude foot problems as a result of a claim.

I can't see how such a drastic trim is going to be beneficial. Why can't they bring to toe back gradually? No wonder the farrier wants to shoe, the pony is highly likely to be sore afterwards. Have they said why they left it so long?

I would be fuming. You sent a sound, barefoot pony on loan, the loaners neglected to have its feet trimmed in time and now they want to shoe it because it's not sound after being left with long toes and they need to cut them back so far the pony will need shoes. And you are going to have to cover the cost of the x-rays to some extent? Pony would be coming home. Feet are quite easy to keep properly, just have regular visits from a good pro.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top