DB - the latest new arrival

The second new rehab horse to arrive this month is DB, a warmblood who has come all the way from Cumbria. As usual, he travelled really well and came off the lorry totally unbothered by his long trip.

As an aside, if you aren't used to travelling horses a long distance its well worth using a professional transporter, particularly for a one-way trip. We often have horses brought this way and they always travel brilliantly, even if they are not used to it. Its also much less stressful and tiring than driving them yourself!

DB was diagnosed on MRI in February with DDFT and DIP joint injuries to his RF. There was no MRI done on his LF so we don't have any details of pathology on this foot although he is not reported as being lame on it.

However it is still an under-run foot with a rather weak, collapsed palmar hoof - the hairline is tipping downwards and his digital cushion is weak although his frog is fairly healthy and not contracted.

The RF is more under-run and also more collapsed, so its not surprising this is the lamer foot. Interestingly he is not actually landing much better on his LF than his RF - both are toe first in the footage we took on his arrival though the LF intermittently lands flat. 

Incidentally, DB was shod with bar shoes before the MRI but has not been shod since then.

This foot looks slightly less balanced than the LF but again the frog is ok and not significantly contracted.  DB seems to be enjoying the opportunity to move around more  and being able to socialise with the other horses so I am hoping to see improvements in his feet soon. 

DB's footage is here: https://vimeo.com/340170110 - I know you all love an unintentional chicken in the slow motion...