So when this beauty came to me the foot was almost twice as long. I am at an impasse. Should I be more aggressive? He doesn't seem to be reacting well to the shortening I already did. Of course the underside is solid healthy looking sole. Just some fresh eyes on this and learned opinions. Please sirs and mams
I'd want to see some x-rays. That said, the foot still looks overly long with rather run forward heels.
I will run it by her Rick, I don't know if she will spring for that, he is a mustang from the range, rescue, yada yada. I can hold the leg in my hand and shake it left to right and it pops and cracks loudly, sounds like a bag of rocks in the fetlock
Is he weight bearing on the heels? Maybe its just the photo but looks like the heels aren't weight bearing.
I thought this might have been the problem, but this was the first one legged horse I have dealt with.
poor bugger, why would they even adopt out an animal like that? If the photo at the bottom is accurate this horse needs a vet to at least access what is going on there. I doubt any kind of trim is going to really help.
Is this only since the trim? Personally looking at the hoof to me it appears there is some tendon issues and maybe and old injury not to mention what looks like a n.p.a. . I think xrays of the hoof and fetlock joint, and a vets oppinion on tendon issues would make your life a lot easier Good Luck
Since the last trim yes, his foot was nearly twice as long, I took off 3-4 inches worth. I am regretting that now that he doesn't want to set it down. I think it was that long for a reason?
I was told, all wild horses are perfect; it's only man's influence that can cause problems. Maybe this fine specimen should be returned to the wild?
This is what I was thinking when I saw the foot but I have become a bit obsessed with flexor deformities since I came out here to the flexor deformity capital of the world Deep Flexor ContractionThis syndrome is similar yet strikingly different than the club syndrome. It is more explosive in nature and can escalate to extreme contracture in a matter of days. The club syndrome, on the other hand, is much more gradual and may require months to reach the higher grades. Fortunately, most cases never even proceed above grade 2. The hoof capsule and bone characteristics are also strikingly different. The club foot develops a dish and bends the face of PIII creating a lip at the apex due to the relentless pull of the deep as it slowly pushes the heel upward onto the toe. Deep flexor contraction feet have a bull nose hoof capsule (bent back), and the coffin bone has a similar shape. The apex is turned back under the bone resembling the shape of a hawk's beak. The horn-lamellar zone will be much smaller at the apex than the more proximal one due to the forces at play and explosive nature of the syndrome. The contraction phase is very short, and the the heel and palmar angles can increase up to 45 degrees in a matter of days or weeks."
I have never seen this problem, I have been reading any material I can find on flexor deformities over the last year and the piece I posted is from a Ric Redden paper. When I saw the foot it reminded me of it. Management protocol according to Redden, "Treatment Re-alignment as previously described (same as club foot) and a mid-cannon deep flexor tenotomy (see video below) is my preference for all deep flexor contraction cases. The prognosis is quite good for slow sport, athletic soundness provided post-op management meets the demands of normal tendon repair."
