KB schreef op vrijdag 14 augustus 2009, 2:26:
> As of yesterday, she is running with the herd in the pasture
> but still seems off at a walk, mostly in the foot we attempted
> to shoe. As she crosses paved surfaces she puts her feet down
> flat but cautiously. She walks on gravel like we would on ice,
> foot placed and tested before proceeding to the next step.
> However, on the lounge in sand at the trot and canter there are
> no signs of lameness. She stands normal, not rocked back onto
> the heels or toes. There is no obvious heat or pounding pulse
> in the hoof or pastern.
It appears to me that this horse is not foundered. What happened is that due to years of shoeing and lack of movement the laminae is very weak. The coffin bone is not held up tight enough and puts undue pressure on the sole. When walking on gravel the sole gets pinched between the protruding stones and the coffin bone which carries the weight of the horse. This not only causes immediate pain, but also causes bruising which can result in tenderness for several days.
The good news is that the laminae will heal completely (in the right circumstances, i.e. with lots of movement, low carb food, and without shoes), but the bad news is that the new laminae will grow together with the hoof wall, so it will take a while until it has grown out far enough to have replaced all the bad laminae. This may well take up to a year, but often much less than that.
So, during this process, avoid gravel and other surfaces where the horse shows tenderness. Movement is the key for the healing process, so keep the horse 24/7 outside. Give low carb food, that is, no grains or grain derivates, but plenty of hay and grass instead.
Remember, there are no short-cuts here. Any product that promises immediate effect is either a scam, or harmfull for your horse. You can not really influence the timelime here, except for giving plenty of opportunity for movement.
Frans
"If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail."
Warboel
