Another new horse - Minty's first post

Minty arrived this week, in front shoes and with a mystery lameness which makes an exciting change! As you can see, his feet are long and have some growth rings which typically indicate a nutritional or metabolic challenge.

There is lots of false sole on both fronts - long bars and deep collateral grooves are a hint, plus the chalky, cracking sole, and its a dead giveaway that these are feet which will look a lot shorter very soon. No need to trim, even though its tempting, as the sole will wear away naturally over the next few days on the tracks without any need for dramatic intervention. Minty will be more comfortable doing this in his own time in any case.

As you can see, the shoes are twisting and not wearing evenly which gives a clue that there is a medio-lateral imbalance on these feet. Sure enough on video he is landing on the lateral edge on this foot.

Same story on the right foot though this has better medio-lateral balance. Its a weak palmar hoof, though, and Minty can only just about manage a flat landing rather than being consistently heel first.

Better medio-lateral balance, as you can see, but a frog which is desperate for some stimulus - time to get those shoes off!