Thursday 13 June 2013

Thomas the Third's 3 week update

Thomas the Third has been here 3 weeks so its time for an update. He arrived in shoes with very under-run heels and long toes but otherwise with lots to like about his feet. However he has been intermittently lame for a long time and was last assessed by his vet as being 2/10 lame on a circle. 
The lameness blocked to the palmar hoof so, as always, its this area that we are trying to strengthen and develop with rehab. 
I haven't trimmed Thomas at all but you can see that by taking his shoes off, putting him on the tracks and working him within his comfort levels, his foot as shortened and come back to a much better balance.
The other benefit of the tracks - and being without shoes - is that his frog has been able to develop. This is the foot he was pointing on arrival and he was also landing laterally. 
The effect of that is easier to see now his shoe is off - the lateral side of his foot is clearly larger and has been taking more weight than the medial side. This is something which should start to improve over the next few weeks. 

2 comments:

cptrayes said...

Hey hey - by satellite!! I am particularly struck by how the clever boy has broken off his own toe to a pretty decent mustang roll, even this soon.

C

Nic Barker said...

Hello fellow space cadet :-) Isn't it fab?! Yes, he has done such an awesome job of self-trimming, clever boy!