Case Study # 2
'Sun'; 7 yr old TB mare
The following set of photos were taken 7 months apart. This horse belongs to my husband and we took her on as a 3 and a half year old thin and misunderstood TB. She became unsound quickly after beginning training as a 5 year old. Last year we were advised by vets to consider having her destroyed following extensive investigation as to her unsoundness; she was diagnosed with bilateral hind limb proximal desmitis, pedal osteitis, kissing spines and had suffered 2 bouts of laminitis. My gut feeling was that she was; a) not in much discomfort and we could manage her pain, and b) I was determined to give her a chance and research ways to restore a quality of life and if she could be made pasture sound then she could live as part of our family for the rest of her life. However, with team efforts she has exceeded all our expectations and is in ridden work for the first time in 2 years!
February 2009
February 2009. LF medial view. Shod every 5-6 weeks with straight bars. Pads were used too until Dec 08. Top hole is where an abscess track was cut out of the coronet band in nov 08 and the bottom smaller hole above the side clip was drilled into the hoof wall to allow abscess to drain. I would not approach the treating of an abscess in this manner now. Very long, low (underrun) heels and ground parallel P3. Seriously deformed hoof capsule with chronically collapsed internal arch....but not a hopeless case!
Feb 09. LF lateral view. Note deep ridges in the hoof wall which indicate a major metabolic change and period of stress on the body. These ridges occured about 3 months prior to taking this photo which was when Milly was seriously ill and was consequently PTS. The other 3 herd members all have signs of metabolic changes from the same period. Wormers? grass? warm autumn? unbalanced, shod foot?
Same foot, front view. Note the amount of metabolic and mechanical flare, ridges and hoof wall cracks.
Same foot, underside view. A very splayed foot, diseased frog and flat and thin sole. No way this horse could go bare foot, right??
September 2009
Despite a major setback in july (which led to 6 weeks of chronic sub-solar abscessing) when she 'escaped' into a section of the barn with 2 others when they all suffered chronic bruising as a result of their night escapade, (made worse at the time as they were shedding a lot of unwanted false sole and frog), she is sound and back in ridden work. Here Mark is learning to remove her Perfect Hoof Wear wraps which she wore for the previous 4 weeks to assist in recovery from the 'barn' episode!
A much better foot! Larger frog mass and no sign of disease, some concavity to the sole (you can see where I have highlighted where P3 will be), better bars, heel purchase, and developement of inner wall. There is still a stretched golden line (white line) as indicated on the next photo, but the tubules above the last half inch of hoof wall are straight! Due to the lack of inner wall, poor lateral cartilage/digital cushion, I decided to apply a new set of Perfect Hoof Wear wraps to the front feet only.
lateral view. Note bent forward tubules near the ground surface of the hoof wall in the bottom half inch of wall. These forward migrating tubules used to extend nearly the whole length of the hoof wall and will be trimmed out leaving a much more balanced foor in the next few weeks. Note also the overall shape and more balanced picture the hoof presents....not you typical thoroughbred foot anymore! Heels still a little low but now we have a better frog and overall foot function. Walking on roads (yes..roads!) will improve the developement of these heels and they will creep back to where they ideally should be, as well as affording stimulus to the frog, digital cushion and lateral cartilages via controlled distortion and many heel first landings.
Same foot, front view..
LF; Same foot medial view...note the remnants of the abscess coronory hole are just growing out (tiny outer wall carck at ground surface on the medial quater where the patch of non-pigmented horn is). Incidentally, Sun recently suffered chronic sub solar abscessing and recovered without the need for invasive methods. RF pre trim.
Same day...Perfect Hoof Wear wraps fitted on both front feet...helps to stimulate development of hoof wall whilst facilitating correct function of the foot via controlled distortion and allows continuing of exercise programme, which in turn promotes correct structures, function and ultimately, performance!
Same foot, wrap viewed from behind.
September 2009 and back in action. She is ridden in a Heather Moffat Phoenix saddle with competitor polypad and prolite adjustable pad, First Thought Equine H girth and Myler hanging snaffle bit. Note the positioning of the saddle which results in an unimpinged scapula (shoulder blade) and elbow and allows for better positioning of the rider. Brushing boots are worn in front to prevent injury from possible interference from wrapped front hooves as the wraps increase slightly the width of the hoof.
Please check back soon for more updates and photos of Suns development!