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Shoes mask weaknesses, barefoot highlights strengths

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Hoof Reading 2























The owner of this horse told me that they were reassured when the attending farrier told them that the horse did not have laminitis.

Only a vet is allowed to diagnose, but like you, I think the horse is a strongly laminitic case, particularly as part of the back story is that it has presented in founder stance.

Only vets are allowed to diagnose though and when a farrier says 'no laminitis' who can blame a less experienced owner for believing them?

Certainly not me, I spent years believing all sorts of things I now realise were completely and utterly wrong and worse.

Sadly I don't know what is going to happen to this horse, I just hope and pray he will get the help he needs.

On a separate note, I haven't commented on the individual photos, but there are some interesting points. Anyone care to have a stab?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Heel/caudal area very poorly developed. Oddly uneven in both trim and stance - can't see the legs or body but wonder if there's something going on up there that causes the stance, and perhaps the odd uneven trim was (perhaps improperly) trying to balance the odd stance - I'd expect very odd gait or lameness even without laminitis. Extremely aggressive rasping of hoof wall and also evidence of stretched white line, and even signs of (perhaps) an abscess exit hole at the toe. Event lines on walls, showing uneven growth. Heels are contracted. Poor horse.

smazourek said...

It would seem to me that farrier doesn't know what he's talking about. Those hooves and the founder stance speak for themselves.

They need to get a vet and change that horse's diet ASAP.

Lisa said...

Is this a clubby foot that went laminitic?

amandap said...

I'm so hoping all owners get to read blogs like this and begin to learn and question. I think we're all guilty of putting all our faith in false information even from professionals.
I so hope this pony gets help...

I see a very marked medial/lateral imbalance in the hoof. Very high heels and long toes. The frog is wasted, infected and deep below sole plane and high heels.
The sole at the toe has a semicircular area notched out where it isn't growing in a continuous normal round shape.
Collateral grooves are deep in the back of the hoof and shallow at the tip.

I'm hoping diet and hoof support at least is sorted for this pony.

amandap said...

May I just add that the ripples/lines on the hoof wall are wavy, dipping at the toe and so is the hair line.

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