Candy's 4 week update

 Candy's is the last of our 4 week updates - delayed from last week with apologies. As usual, the current photos are at the bottom of each pair, with the original photos at the top. 

The most obvious change is the new growth, which you can see in the top band of hoof capsule. As this grows down it will shorten her toe and allow the whole hoof to be more supportive of the limb. 

Lots of improvement still required but a better frog is developing and the foot is becoming less under-run. 

We want to see her foot getting stronger at the back, primarily, and a more robust frog is the first step.

Again, the new growth can be seen at the top - this will be more obvious as the hoof capsule grows down. 

Her foot is beginning to look less contracted at the heels and from this angle as well her frog is improving. 

Candy's footage is here: https://vimeo.com/588347896

Tadpole's 4 week update

 Next up is Tadpole, also with a 4 week update and again with apologies for the picture quality. 

Quite a lot of change going on already, with a new band of growth visible in the top section of the hoof capsule and, as with the other horses, nail holes nearly grown out.

This is a messy frog still but I like the fact that his heels are less under-run and that the foot is beginning to rebalance.

Sorry - not the best comparison photos, I will try for clearer shots next time. 

Again the new growth is obvious and should result in a stronger hoof capsule once it has fully grown in.

There is more to do on this foot, and the frog is not as well developed partly because he has a central sulcus split and partly because his landing is less competent - chicken and egg.

There is a hint of a heel first landing in the footage, although it is better on the right foot, but a beginning is all we are looking for at this stage: https://vimeo.com/588842203

James' 4 week update

James' update comes today, again with apologies for the delay and the photo quality - I am using a substitute camera which is not as good as my normal one. 

However, you can clearly see the new hoof growth - the ridge is most likely when his shoes came off and his nail holes have now completely grown out. 

James' landing was flat/toe first and has only just started to improve so his frogs are still looking quite weak but his comfort levels are building and he is becoming more confident on hard surfaces which is good to see. 

This is still a somewhat crushed digital cushion but it is starting to look less pinched as his landing improves. 

Again, a clear new angle of growth and a better stance. 

His heels are also a little less under-run and both frog strength and concavity should continue to develop now his landing is heel first. 

James' footage is here - his stride is still shorter than it will be eventually but his landing is more confident: https://vimeo.com/588347444

 

Donovan's 4 week update

 I'm posting updates on the rehab horses this week - I have had a few problems with my camera so apologies for the delay but I will get the comparisons up as soon as I can, starting with Donovan's today. 

Its good to see that his feet have already grown in a fair way, with the nail holes now nearly gone (the lower photos are the current ones, as usual). 

Some encouraging changes to see, with his frog developing and his under-run heels improving as well. 

Donovan has been working well over the last few weeks and there should be plenty more improvement to come as he continues his rehab. 

There has been no trimming, as usual, his feet have simply changed naturally with movement on varied terrain. 

Similar changes to his right foot and the start of better concavity as well. 

Donovan's footage is up here: https://vimeo.com/588346338

The last of our new arrivals...

 ...is Donovan, who arrived earlier today and has already settled straight in, despite arriving during this unusual heatwave. The new horses must be wondering whether they have arrived in Spain instead of landing on Exmoor (but of course we know it won't last - rain is coming on Saturday, yay!).

Donovan has recently come out of shoes, as you can see from the nail holes, but despite that he has reasonable frogs. 

However his lameness blocked (as with all the horses who come here) to a palmar digital nerve block on both feet so we know that the back of his feet is where we need to see better development. Currently he is landing fractionally heel first but with a clear lateral landing on both front feet, so his medio-lateral balance is where we are likely to see the biggest change.

His feet look untidy where they have chipped but this will sort itself out over the next few days and won't cause him any problems. 

Quite an impressive frog on this foot but his heels are quite under-run and we would expect to see this improve as his new hoof capsule grows down. 

I'd expect to see some changes in his digital cushion as well once his landing improves - there will be more on him soon.