Milli'e 12 week update

 Millie went home this weekend, really pleased with how well she has done and I hope we will have updates from her owners to post in the future.

I've led with the photos of the back of her foot because this best demonstrates the changes she has made. Where a horse arrives with feet that look ok from the front and side it can be harder to see changes. 

In fact in most of the horses who come here it is the back of the foot that changes the most, since they tend to have injuries in the caudal hoof.

For Millie there is a big improvement in the strength and depth of her digital cushion and frog - the top photo shows how much higher her heels, and weaker her frog, compared to now.

You can see her foot his shorter and loading more centrally but its harder to spot angle changes.

By comparison, there is a big difference when you look from this angle. Her landing is also more confident both in front and behind (I've added her current footage below).

Improved, but the differences are easier to see when you focus on the caudal hoof or sole.

Heels are now much further back and lower, and the frog is more functional. 

This is her original footage, with the new footage below.

Goldy's update

 Goldy has been here for over 12 weeks but I missed his update so belatedly and with apologies here it is...

As usual, the original photo is at the top and the 12 week update is below. Some really good changes and the new growth is very clear from this angle. 

The top photo is his foot straight out of shoes and pads, actually in much better shape than I expected. After 12 weeks though his frog is really developing well and his heels are significantly less under-run which is another good sign. 

This angle is for me always one of the most important, and often overlooked as it is not a typical viewpoint. However a healthy digital cushion and palmar hoof is critical, and particularly in the horses who come to us for rehab, is usually the area where they have injuries.

Its good to see a more balanced and stronger foot today, with Goldy definitely heading in the right direction. 

The angles are pretty funky but this is entirely Goldy's own work - as usual, no trimming has been done and his toe is shortening steadily as the new hoof grows down.

Again, better frog development and less under-run heels; he has been landing better on this foot on the whole, and its good to see the left catching up.

There was less distortion on this foot than the left so it was already in better balance but good to see the shorter hoof capsule and more substantial digital cushion.

George's 4 week update

 George also arrived 4 weeks ago so as with Daunte its time for an update...

As ever, his original photos are the upper ones, with the recent ones below for comparison. The biggest point to note from this angle is the new growth which is visible at the top of the hoof capsule. 

His foot is beginning to work harder, but he has only recently started roadwork as he had a poor landing when he arrived. 

I like the fact that his heels are now lower and his frogs and digital cushion starting to beef up. That will happen more rapidly now he is able to work on the roads. 

Again, better new growth at the top. his toe is long but that doesn't worry me at this stage. 

It is a mistake to try and resolve this sort of issue by trimming as by lopping back the toe you further load the caudal hoof, which is only just beginning to strengthen. Much better to allow the hoof to develop and then as the toe shortens naturally the increased load is not a problem. 

More obvious changes on this foot, again early days but some improvement in the back of the foot. 

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Daunte's 4 week update

 Time for an update on Daunte, and George's will follow tomorrow. As usual, his comparison photos have the initial photos, from early June, above and today's photos below.

Daunte had obviously weak feet when he arrived and had been in shoes until a few weeks before his arrival. He had long toes and his feet were particularly weak in the back, with prominent lateral cartilages and little digital cushion.

He had most likely been landing toe first for a while and so was not initially capable of working except on a soft surface. His feet are starting to improve, though, and it is good to see the beginnings of a healthier frog which will in time lead to a stronger caudal hoof.

I'm watching the change in the dorsal wall here, which is signposting how his toe will be shorter once the hoof capsule has grown in fully; the new growth is roughly the top 20% you can see. 

There are some clear event lines which are likely when his shoes came off and when he moved here.

I quite like this angle because you can see a big change in the heels, looking at the hairline in particular, which is a good sign. 

Interestingly the right foot has already shortened much more than the left. 

The sole angle on this foot has less dramatic changes but again looking at the heels there is a hint that the foot is starting to be able to load at the back more comfortably.

The angle showing the back of the foot is not very clear, apologies, but improving the caudal hoof is going to be the key for Daunte. 

I'll upload his footage as well, and there will be more in another 4 weeks. 

Millie's 8 week update

 Hard to believe that Millie has been here for 8 weeks but here we are, and I am really pleased with his much progress she has made. 

The top photo is the original photo and the lower photo is her update after 8 weeks. Millie came here with DDFT damage and therefore a reluctance to load the back of her foot although her feet superficially did not look too bad. 

Looking more closely you can see that her heels are loading better now and as a result the back of her foot is building up. 

This is best described I think as saying she is no longer on tiptoe, if you see what I mean. 

The same foot showing the much better development of the caudal aspect - digital cushion, frog and heels.

Millie has been able to safely work on the roads for a while now and this has certainly been a factor in her rapid improvement. 

It is a similar situation with the right foot and again the key is the better development of the frog and caudal hoof.  

Again, although the changes are less dramatic than in the left there is a sense her weight has shifted back. 

Interesting demonstration of why it is important to assess from different angles as the changes are again very clear from this viewpoint. 

There will be more on Millie soon, but its great that she has done so well so far.