New horses - baseline photos

We have had new horses arriving this week so time for baseline photos - the point from which we will measure improvement (we hope) in 4 weeks' time. 

We are starting with Tadpole, who has arrived with the typical under-run heels and weak palmar hoof that we regularly see in horses on day 1. 

His frog is contracted and his digital cushion is weak, as we would expect but there is plenty of room for improvement. 

His right foot is a bit better but shows similar signs to the left foot. We would expect to see the frog starting to develop over the next month and for the long hoof wall to chip away. 

Tadpole is landing toe first on this left foot and slightly better - flat or fractionally heel first - with his right. 

Our next horse up is Candy, who arrived with very different looking feet, the left one upright and the right one flat. 

Her landing ironically is better on this foot at the moment although it is likely that this foot has been loaded less in the past, which is the most probable cause for it being upright. 

Her frog on this foot is not too bad although it is contracted, as you can see from the sole shot above.

A reasonable digital cushion, though, which is good to see.

The right foot is flatter and at the moment is landing toe first. It also looks unbalanced from the sole shot below. 

A weaker digital cushion, not surprising given her landing, but lots of room for improvement here as well. 

Finally for today we have James, our final arrival.  He has a central sulcus split in his left foot which is making his landing worse (toe first) on that foot compared to his right foot, which is landing flat. 

His feet are fairly flat and although not particularly under-run do have quite a long toe and weak frog. 

This foot also has a central sulcus split but it is closer to healing than the left foot and is obviously causing him less discomfort. 

His digital cushion is fairly weak and we would look to see improvement particularly in his palmar hoof over the next 4 weeks. 

His feet are more of a pair but he does tend to toe in on both feet, although his medio-lateral balance on film appears good at the moment. 

Again, a weak frog and flat foot which we would want to see becoming stronger over the next few weeks.