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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
  
| Coming into the season where I need to start trying to figure out my gelding's feet. Let me start off by saying, my farrier does a great job and the vet(s) have all complimented him on his work. My horse has extremely screwed up angles in his front legs and the vet(s) have said without my farrier being proactive this gelding would be navicular.
Long story short, gelding had check ligament surgery as a 2 year old and the legs didn't quite fix themselves. He is very upright in his pasterns and underslung heels. We had some issues early on with him overextending and tearing some scar tissue. So he ran majority of his career in a 2 degree natural balance aluminum shoe. Worked great but every spring (well not every but 2 springs in a row) when he was barefoot (I used to pull them in the winter) he would come up off... not necessarily lame but just weird/uncomfortable. Lameness exam last spring and vet says, he thinks the coffin joint is being jarred. No boney changes but he thinks its getting inflamed and he was needing another 2 degree bump. I forget the correct term but he needed be a 2-4 ideally and he was a 0 (with the 2 degree wedge already on him).
So last summer, he wore a 2 degree wedge natural balance shoe and 2 degree wedge pad (vet recommended). Ran GREAT all year! Then October, he goes 3 legged. Thinking abscess, we soak and nothing ever blew. Vet comes out, does lameness exam and he says he thinks his hoof wall has rolled under. Recommends pulling the shoes and letting him sit. Light riding if he get sound, bute as necessary. Pulled the shoes and it was rolled under.
OKay, fast forward... he has been off and on sound, the ground sucks right now but in soft dirt he is in heaven.
Dilemma... that setup we had on him last year caused his hoof wall to roll under but it fixed his coffin joint issue. So if I lose the shoes, I lose that. But if I keep the shoes, I break his hoof down.
My farrier is looking into some other options but was wondering if anyone else has ideas. Love this gelding to pieces and he is my pride and joy but I don't want to wreck him. I am hoping to have a trial run of something in March. Looking into some pour in pads but just not sure what to try. Vet says we could pyt him back in the 2 degree that worked forever, inject his coffin joint(s) but at that point, I will retire him. This horse has a heart of gold and since he has issues, he is semi-retired anyway... but he LOVES to go to races.
I am going to try and get pics to upload.
Edited by stayceem 2017-02-10 3:00 PM
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I will post him a month or so ago, barefoot (they are ugly because he needed to grow out before we could do anything). I can take updated pics but they're still ugly.
And the other pics are of him after his last setup, that made him feel good but crushed his feet.
I should also add, the white leg is actually the better of the two but these were taken when he wasn't putting complete weight on it.
Edited by stayceem 2017-02-10 2:40 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Idaho | Yikes!!  Don't know what to tell you but just looking at that makes me hurt :( Poor guy!!
Looks like your farrier has the right idea about helping out his legs. Hope you find a solution!! |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| DashNDustem - 2017-02-10 2:48 PM
Yikes!! Don't know what to tell you but just looking at that makes me hurt : ( Poor guy!!
Looks like your farrier has the right idea about helping out his legs. Hope you find a solution!!
I know... its hard to look at. They look a smidge better right now because we finally could take some toe off (he got really long after these pics because he was hurting bad and we were afraid to take any off with frozen ground coming).
My farrier and vet(s) have all been fantastic with him and I was relieved we were doing the right thing for him but now I feel like we are between a rock and a hard place. This horse means the world to me and my family. Just one of those good ole boys. |
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 Loves to compete
Posts: 5760
Location: Oakdale, CA | I would xray again and my vet would instruct the farrier what to do |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| got boost? - 2017-02-10 3:16 PM
I would xray again and my vet would instruct the farrier what to do
It is a tentative plan but I guess my question is, if there's no changes which I am assuming the same issue will be there. hopefully not more then we do now. The vet recommended the last setup which again worked... but created a different problem. I could just inject his coffin joint, throw him in the old setup but I would like to explore all my options before I settle there. Just looking for ideas or possible other stories. Everything I learn will be run by farrier and vet. It was actually this board that suggested the 2 degree wedge natural balance which I think was a lifesaver for us. 
Edited by stayceem 2017-02-10 3:24 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Is it possible to send pictures to a College or Farrier school and ask for advice or etc.?
Maybe you could get a second opinion from a different vet?
Doesn't mean you have to use their treatment but you could run their suggestions by your vet and farrier and see what you guys come up with. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| In the one picture it looks like the bars are overgrown. I would be getting a different farrier opinion, perhaps try one who specializes in podiatry |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| IRunOnFaith - 2017-02-10 4:00 PM
Is it possible to send pictures to a College or Farrier school and ask for advice or etc.?
Maybe you could get a second opinion from a different vet?
Doesn't mean you have to use their treatment but you could run their suggestions by your vet and farrier and see what you guys come up with.
I believe my farrier was going to go talk to some people at the farrier school to see what they suggest. But I suppose I could try another maybe out of state school. I also have had 3 different vets involved. All essentially the same diagnosis but nobody seems to know the best way to achieve the results we know we need if that makes sense?
ETA - I have considered trying another opinion but I guess I am seeing consistent answers on problem but solution is where we struggle.
Edited by stayceem 2017-02-10 4:37 PM
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| cheryl makofka - 2017-02-10 4:10 PM
In the one picture it looks like the bars are overgrown. I would be getting a different farrier opinion, perhaps try one who specializes in podiatry
The horse is overgrown somewhat all over the place when that picture was taken. My farrier is one of the most suggested and well-respected in the state but I did reach out to another that travels nationwide and supposed to be one of the best anywhere. He and my farrier both seem to be thinking the same thing (bar shoe) but the other guy isn't really easy to get out... he is in high demand. I think their not so worried about the shoe or the angle but how to get him hiked up 4 degrees, what is the best method. Seems to be where everyone stumbles ... |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 425
Location: California | cheryl makofka - 2017-02-10 2:10 PM In the one picture it looks like the bars are overgrown. I would be getting a different farrier opinion, perhaps try one who specializes in podiatry
I agree, the bars look extremely over grown, which would cause a ton of problems (including the underrun heals). Especially as the horse gets older. Think of it as an ingrown toenail. I would definitely be looking into a farrier that specializes in barefoot trimming. And I'm not saying your farrier isn't good or great; it seems to be a growing issue I have noticed, as I also have this problem with my mare. |
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