An update, we casted Laz's RH hoof weeks ago and I'm not happy at all with how it grew out.
I feel the whole hoof capsule grew out forward and incorrect. Especially in heel/toe area.
.jpg)
I also felt from the beginning that the cast was too tight/close to his medial heel bulb
Here is his hoof after cast was removed (I tried removing it on my own and could NOT do it)
Terrible angles...poor Laz.
.jpg)
The heel bulb, ugh. Look at those heels too--so high and under run
.jpg)
A day later, after hoof cast removal, his medial wall started to crack at quarters.
I can see the lateral side hoof wall is higher too...look at hairline
It's been months/years since I felt so let down
We usually have great results from the casting. Not this time.
.jpg)
I decided to let his hoof be for a few days before I did any alterations.
I'll have update photos soon and since I rasped those heels/toe back he started walking SO much better. I did a little at a time, every other day to give him time to settle into it.
Here is his hoof back in 2011
Better angle to me although quite diseased or full of laminar wedge..
This hoof...boy this hoof...!!!
I hope to get some better results soon by using my eye and not casting for a while....
I'm just really miffed to have gone backwards with his growth/angle/shape.
I'm not sure why?
By no means is this a slam on my farrier. I know he truly TRULY cares and tries very hard. This is a very tricky hoof. My feeling is to take that toe back but that could lead to more soreness...slow attempts are my best bet. We talk a lot during his trims about angles and what to try, not try, etc.
I just wish I had a clear vision of how to best help his hoof. It's not in soakings (I've done how many hundreds of soaks/thrush treatments, etc--tried it ALL)
For now...I'm taking those heels back/toe back and he's liking it and walking/weighting it nicely.
***
Apple picking time
Apple picking time
.jpg)
MI apples are the best. They crack when you bite into them. DEE freakin lic
My instagram pony pic..Sunday snuggles with this most handsome stink face!
.jpg)
Billy rubbing down Laz who was telling him "Iz vury itcheeee"
.jpg)
Doing a little hoof work
Why, why haven't I bought a hoof jack yet? I don't know. Stupido.
.jpg)
Riding home (I'm the passenger for those that are judging) and Mason's velvety ears are happily flapping in the breeze.
.jpg)
Have you tried just letting the hoof grow for 2 months and letting it see where it wants to be right now? If the rest of him is moving well and is balanced, then that hoof/limb should fall in with the rest of them and mold itself to where it needs to be, pretty or not!
ReplyDeleteI let all 4 of my geldings hooves grow out and ignored them for two trimming cycles. He'd been having a lot more tenderness early in the summer and clearly didn't like the way his trim was for his increased workload this year. So I said, "Okay, tell me what you want them to do." I knew his heels were underrun and needed to be altered, but he clearly wanted more toe, too. And his bars and sole needed to get to a little better place, also.
So he grew and I watched and I cringed sometimes, but I waited. And then he started getting little cracks and those little cracks turned into little chips. And eventually, the little chips created this dotted line for me to see exactly what his hoof didn't need and where it wanted to be. So I rasped it last week to that imaginary line....and his feet look better than they have in AGES. And he's happier moving out on varied surfaces than he's been in a long time! Do his feet look textbook perfect like my mare's do? Not quite, but they're what he wants and needs and what works best for him.
I wish you the best of luck in getting that pesky, tricky hoof to a better place! Your farrier sounds pretty kickass and you're super lucky to have such a skilled pro in your area!
Hi..oh YES I have done that attempt many times. In fact the other OTTB that lives at farm is a perfect example of a 'self trimming' horse. Where they cracks show you exactly where he wants to be. Laz's 3 other hooves will do that if I leave them alone. NOT his RH. I really think it's the stretched laminae and disconnect that prevents proper good growth..from some of my researching, unless that is removed, it's like walking on a long nail and it will continue to pull/stretch and create an issue on growth not happening in the correct areas. I think it's trickier when their is post damage in the hoof. It just doesn't operate the same way at all, at least not in my experience. His LH actually had rotation and look how well is came back, years ago!!! The RH had the worse rotation/most damage.
DeleteYes, I'm lucky to have people that WANT to help us...
Girl, you too pregnant to bend over like that. Try trimming like I do, down on one knee using the other as a hoof stand, and see if that makes it any easier. Either that or get yourself a stool to sit on.
ReplyDeletelol, I can still bend quite easily, I do it in yoga too ;)
DeleteHow do you always look so gorgeous even in cell phone pictures?? I'm apparently not photogenic LOL! I'm so sorry about Laz's hoof. I hope some time out of the cast helps. I wish I knew what to do to help you and him. It must be so frustrating!!!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a hoof stand too. :) Keep up the great work with Laz!
ReplyDelete