Monday 14 January 2013

Alfie goes home

Alfie the Morgan went home yesterday (after a slight false start when his lorry had a tantrum). I've been really pleased with how well he has done and it was very satisfying to be able to lunge him for his owner, Sue, on a lovely sunny day and for him to be strutting his stuff and showing off his best posh trotting  - and cantering...(!)
Alfie arrived in shoes but had the tremendous advantage of feet which hadn't been shod till he was 8 years old so he had a head-start when it came to rebuilding a well-developed palmar hoof. 
As usual,  the frog and digital cushion is the key to a better landing and improved soundness. Compare the proportions of his foot and how much more influential the back of the foot is in the photo taken on his last day. Bear in mind too that his foot should improve further over the next 3 months. 

...and this is why the palmar hoof is more substantial out of shoes...



3 comments:

alfiebeansue said...

Nic, I picked his feet out tonight and his feet are amazing, the cleft of the frog is so deep, and he's got his lovely round little feet back, I think they look even better than they did before he had shoes on :-)

Nic Barker said...

Love it, Sue :-) He has gorgeous feet and I hope they continue to serve you both well for many years :-)

Nic Barker said...

Love it, Sue :-) He has gorgeous feet and I hope they continue to serve you both well for many years :-)