Yay, another hows my barefoot hoof post...

[TPO]

Apologies because I know these are awful pictures. I just snapped them when mum and Fat Cob came back from hack.

Hooves were trimmed 1 Oct (10 days ago). The usual trimmer stopped covering our area and this is fourth trim with new trimmer. They are trimmed every 6wks

It looks like a good job initially but they end up toe long and I think heels are running forward too.

I don't know how it can be the trim but since using the new trimmer they've all (3 of them) had chips and breakage. No diet or management changes.

Fat Cob has always been unshod and had great hooves despite being obese and just getting "pasture trims" in previous homes. Had zero problem with capsule shape until now.

I admit I'm hopeless at taking photos to monitor changes and go by eye. I feel like the toes are all too long however they look ok the day of and after trim but how can that be?

Last trim was to be the make or break and I thought the trim looked better this time than previous two.

Anyway getting to my point. Does this hoof look like its under running to you lot or have I been staring so much its morphed out of context?

I will try and get (clean) pictures all round of all three but I felt compelled to take a picture when Fat Cob came back to the house this afternoon.



ETA...you can see the surface of the driveway, crushed type 1, and hes always stomped over it but today he really felt his feet. No pulses and for some reason he defies logic and has never even had LGL

 

[PapaverFollis]

I find it quite hard to tell from pictures but I think it might be yes. I would trust your gut though. If you're looking at them and thinking "ugh" I'd say something is going awry.

 

[BBP]

I did a quick fiddle on my phone. If you assumed the photo is bang on side on (not sure it is) the toes are at about a 50 degree angle (red line) whereas to match the dorsal pastern angle it would be around 55 degrees. The heel red line is closer to 40 degree angle so I would say yes, it looks a bit under run. The blue is the 55 degrees that would be parallel to the pastern angle. But this is just a rough idea I’ve been playing with. If I’ve got it wrong I’m sure someone will correct me! (Also depends on if ground is horizontal and cannon bone is vertical, and if you can see through the fuzz enough to see the actual pastern angle, which I’m not sure I have!

 

[TPO]

Thank you PF

Thank you BBP...I can never manage the line thing

 

[BBP]

Thank you PF

Thank you BBP...I can never manage the line thing

I’m just learning!

 

[ycbm]

Yes, they are going wrong. I wonder what your trimmer has changed.
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[ycbm]

Bizarrely, underrun heels are actually too long though they look short. They aren't short, just lying back. My first guess is that the trimmer is trying to build the heels and achieving the opposite.
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[TPO]

The thing is that Fat Cob had amazing feet. This had all come about over the last 4 trims ?

Original trimmer was great but stopped doing as much travelling so that's the only reason it changed to someone else.

I think next appointment will be cancelled and try to find someone else.

I'd do them myself but my back is ruined. The hoof quality is so good it's really hard going even just bevelling the walls never mind anything else

 

[ponyparty]

Yep, they look underrun to me too, as far as I can tell from that angle (although massive caveat: I'm not an expert!).

I believe underrun heels can give the appearance of long toes, whereas if you were to X-ray, you'd see that there isn't actually that much toe to trim back. It's something I have seen on the Progressive Equine Services Facebook page, with photos and X-rays to illustrate the point. Maybe that's why the toe doesn't look too long straight after trimming?

It can be a minefield finding a good farrier/trimmer! At least you've noticed it quickly and can fix the problem.

 

[Gloi]

Sometimes shortening the heel gives the impression of a long toe at first but a steeper hoof will grow down over time.

 

[IrishMilo]

I think you're catching them in the nick of time. I'd be very angry if my horse's feet looked like that after trims.

 

[TPO]

Sometimes shortening the heel gives the impression of a long toe at first but a steeper hoof will grow down over time.

I do understand what you mean. My issue is that none of them had long toes and they've slowly crept forward, as have heels, over the past 4 trims.

I've parted ways with the timer so will see what the next HCP does.

I'm really mad at myself because Fat Cob has great hooves and they are really low maintenance excluding being like rocks to rasp. I can't put my finger on what has actually been done to change them for the worst.

Trimmer takes a gazillion photos from every angle so it must be obvious on those that the hoof is shifting forward.

Hopefully caught it in time and can address it

Thanks foe the replies, glad we're all seeing the same thing!

 

[ycbm]

I would be really interested to hear what your trimmer says about it. I'm guessing "increasing the heel height" is going to be in there somewhere.
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[TPO]

I would be really interested to hear what your trimmer says about it. I'm guessing "increasing the heel height" is going to be in there somewhere.
.

Nothing! Just thanks for feedback...

I'm so annoyed at myself. They all had good feet but Fat Cob was the best and even his is off so you can imagine the other two

Back to the drawing board, not sure what to try next as have exhausted most of the trimmers in scotland ??

 

[paddy555]

I would be guessing that the next trimmer will be looking at the back of the foot, the relationship of heel height to the frog, and the condition of the frog not from a fungal POV but of it's strength and resilience.