Here is a Friday puzzle for the hoof anoraks out there :-)
What do you think about this hoof - why it looks as it does, whether its a good thing or a bad thing and whether you would want to do anything to change it?
Answers on a postcard, or in the comments section for the technologically able, and have a lovely weekend :-)
Personally I am hoping it stops raining and that I get the chance of a dry day's hunting on Saturday...I've stopped counting how many inches of rain we have had this year because its just too depressing - and its still not even February...
PS: Oh all right - bonus points straightaway for anyone who has already said that you can't comment usefully on a photo without seeing the whole horse - you are all too clever by half...With that caveat, feel free to say what you think ;-)
12 comments:
Can only really describe what I can see ..
Top photo the lhs (on the photo) coronary band looks "deformed" upward just inside of the toe, I can see upward waves in the hoof rings as well.
Above the "flare" (descriptively speaking) where the short pastern bone it looks as if there is there a bulge too.. is this ligament damage..?
Bottom photo the heel on the lhs of the photo (lateral?) looks like it has decent lateral cartilege. The heel on the rhs of the photo the lateral cartilege looks "weedy".
Drawing a vertical line down from the back of the fetlock centrally the top section above the is slanting slightly outwards whilst below where the bottom of the short pastern bone is, it looks like the there is a slant inwards .. so it looks like the limb above the hoof has tipped over onto the "flared" side of the hoof.
If you draw a line horizontally across at the level of the bottom of the short pastern bone The coronary band on the lhs is higher.
Is this hoof trying to prop up ligament damage?
I'll be honest and say I don't know.
When my mare has had flare like that it was around the hoof and dietary related. This looks very different to me and may be a deviation (???) that horse needs at the moment.
One for an experienced professional eye as far as I personally am concerned.
My Pie grows a flare like this (not nearly as pronounced) on his right front. He has a bowed tendon on that leg supposedly from racing, but his foot just looks like it was put on crooked! (Like his leg and foot are anatomically not correct) which in my opinion caused the bow and causes the flare.
Admittedly, I am new to all this and your blog, so that answer is surely ridiculous!
It would be most unfair for me to comment ;-)
Interestingly though Paulie has developed a flare (not as much as this one!) and he has stopped laying down "extra" ridges on his soles.
His medio lateral balance has improved he can now move in a circle on the lunge with no sign of any issues. He still has a little problem on circles when you introduce the rider.
I expect his flare to change even more as he continues his progress towards balance of his whole body :-)
Do you have a picture of the sole, by chance? I'm really curious to see what the hoof looks like on the bottom! If there's not a stretched white line and that's how the hoof "wants" to grow... I'd leave it alone. Is the horse sound? What's his workload? I guess I have more questions than answers, but my primary thought is "gosh, that sure is weird-looking!" I am definitely very curious as to why a foot would grow like that - I'm sure the horse has a good reason!
Here is what I see. From the front it appears that the foot is wearing somewhat normally and the leg looks fairly straight coming up from the hoof. But I have never seen a flare that big so I would be curious to see the underside of the foot. Is the hoof wall separating from the foot? The back view looks worse as it looks to me like the heels are not at all equal in weight bearing.
That's it - where do we find the answers?
Is the horse sound?
:-)
C
To grow that dramatic a flare without cracking is really impressive and makes me think that we are not talking about your typical stretched white line or lack of movement/trimming. I also noticed that the leg looks pretty straight coming out of the hoof. I see a little curve in the pastern in the left hand side of the photo. I definitely need more information. This is very curious.
I don't know much, but I am rather curious to find out what is going on - when looking at the pic from the rear, the left side looks either swollen, or more developed than the right. Also the leg appears to be 'leaning' to the right.
* note - these observations come after 1/2 a bottle of red... and I'm a lightweight!
So, what is the story behind the hoof???
Glad you are enjoying the puzzle :-) More info soon, and the "answer", if such it is, on Monday!
Has this horse had an injury that has caused the hoof to grow this way?
If the horse is sound I would be cautious what I did with that flare/deviation, but it has cracked and therefore I believe it is probably under some strain that it should not be under.
I am also concerned that much of the flare appears not to be in contact with the floor, and is therefore not supporting the foot in any case and may simply be providing leverage at the white line.
Having said that, the horse appears to have significant high ringbone on the side of the flare and I wonder if is is has been rpoduced in response to that arthritic change.
Waiting for your answer now :-)
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