Laminitis III

Treatment:

Therapy is based on- 1. controlling pain 2. restoring blood circulation 3. stabilizing the coffin bone

Prognosis:

Keep in mind that prevention is always better then the cure. Mild cases will often get better quickly with rapid treatment and the right management. The problem is that many will recur unless very strict preventative maintenance is carried out. More sever cases will respond well to foot trimming and careful shoeing but can take many months to fully recover. The very worst cases are unlikely to be able to return to regular work.

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Laminitis II

What can cause laminitis?

• Overfeeding of any sort, especially grain
• Over-weight animals
• Illness - particularly digestive disorders, possibly after sever colic and other conditions such as liver disease.
• Mares that have recently foaled and retain their placenta. They will develop infection and consequently laminitis.
• Sever lameness in one leg from other causes resulting in excessive weight bearing in the remaining limbs and possibly, subsequent laminitis.
• Irregular or incorrect trimming of the feet and bad shoeing. Feet which are untrimmed are more prone to laminitis.
• Trauma to the feet due to excessive concussion from too much work on the hard ground causing laminar tearing.
• Drug Treatment side affects can result in laminitis.
• Hormonal problems, in particular those associated with an overactive pituitary gland in old ponies can result in laminitis.
• Stress of any sort.

Laminitis I

What is laminitis? The word laminitis means inflammation of the laminae. Laminitis is a common disease which affects a horses whole body and show up as a painful feet.

Types of laminitis:

Subacute laminitis is the mildest form where some signs are present, but they are not as severe as the acute case. Cases will most likely clear up without permanent damage to the feet.

Acute laminitis is the early stage of laminitis when the horse is uncomfortable and showing lameness, but major changes have not yet happened. It is an emergency and proper treatment needs to be started at once to prevent damage.

Chronic laminitis occurs when the coffin bone has rotated or sunk or if the condition has been going on for more the 48 hrs.

Founder is an American term used to describe a more severe case of laminitis where the laminae is tearing and the coffin bone is unstable and dropping.

Sinkers are the most severe laminitis cases where the laminar bond has been destroyed right around the foot, so that the whole pedal bone is loose within the foot. The pedal bone will drop and it can literally sink through the sole of the foot.

Equine Hoof Care

Hoof care is the most important aspect of horse ownership. The first time horse owner usually does not understand the complexity of the hoof, even most experienced horse owners don’t. The easiest place to start your introduction to hoof care is to ask yourself just exactly what you are going to expect of your horse, and then set out to try and find an animal that will suit your needs. Don’t buy a draft horse to play polo. Don’t purchase an Arabian and try to cut cows with him. No matter what you and your prospective equine partner are going to do, the best thing that you can do is always place conformation over love at first sight; even though this is sometimes hard to do.

Always strive to find a horse with straight legs and good bone structure. Remember, the better you start with the better chance that you will have to enjoy a long relationship with your horse. If possible, check out his sire and dam, or if possible any siblings that might be in the area. Keep this in mind, just because a horse is a pure bred it does not mean that he will be sound. Whether you are looking for a potential futurity winner or a trail buddy, soundness of the feet is the bottom line.

A pre-purchase veterinarian check is a must, whether the horse is going to cost $500 or $500,000. If you can have a friend who is experienced with horses be there to lend a keen eye. Most importantly, to me at least, is to have a farrier present at your vet check. Often, farriers will see things that the vet will not. Farriers look at feet in a different fashion than a vet, based on their work, and experience.

Also, do not fall in love too soon. All horses cannot be great athletes. In spite of what we may think, owning him does not make him a world beater. However, treat him like an athlete. Warm him up properly, feed a high quality ration, and keep him fit, not fat. The better that you treat him the better you will both work together.

If everything is going along fine, but you begin to become suspicious that something may be wrong with his feet, you should look for an on again, off again, lameness in the beginning. Look for a choppy or uneven gait, a shortened stride, and a lessening of his willingness to work. If you notice any of the above traits, check the feet for an obvious trauma, such as a wire cut. You can also check for swelling and inflammation. However, it is always going to be the best practice to call your farrier out to take a look. Usually your farrier can make the proper corrections to get your pony back on the right track. If the problem is severe your farrier will refer you and your horse to your vet for medical attention.

With a little care at the purchase of your horse, and a watchful eye during your partnership, your pony should have a minimum of hoof problems during his life.

About one and a half years ago I was showing in northern California when I realized my yearling mare was off on her front left foot. When I brought her home I called my Vet. He took x-rays and when the results came back, he told me she had foundered and had ten degrees of rotation in both front feet. I was extremely upset, because I was so careful with her feeding and training program. I called my horseshoer and told him what had happened and he came over right away. He immediately put on these plastic shoes with a liquid substance poured onto the sole of the feet called Hoof-It to create a pad. As soon has he finished she was walking a better. After a three month period I called my Vet to have another x-ray taken. He called me and told me that her foot was getting better. He also said to keep using the Hoof-It product because it was healing the foot better and faster than he had ever seen. Well it has been over a year now and she is walking and running normally during her turn out time. I asked my shoer if and when I could start working with her and if he thought I might be able to show her again. He gave me the go ahead about 3 weeks ago. I started working with her slowly. To make a long story short, I went to the 60th Annual Del Mar National Horse Show last week and I ended up Circuit Champion and Reserve Champion In my Division. This truly is a dream come true as I did not know if I was ever going to be able to show my mare again. I know for a fact that it was the Hoof-It Product that enabled my mares hoof to heal and grow so she could walk normal again. Thank You HOOF-it your products saved my Mares Life!!!!!!!! Peggy Sibley, Campo, California

BWFA Journeyman Farrier Tips

I am a full-time farrier in Maryland and shoe all types of horses doing anything from dressage to steeple-chasing.

I have used the Hippoplast shoes for six months now and am extremely pleased (as are the horses!).

They (so far) stay on better (they actually mold to the hoof over time) and longer than any other shoe I have ever used and seem to offer more comfort to most horses than any other shoe.

I have the most success when I fill the shoe cavity in with dental impression material and anti-bacterial granules from Eponashoe. With thin-soled horses, the interior of the shoe can "pinch" the sole without the "putty" protecting it.

Also, using e-head nails seems to be best.

I would love to see a more round (as opposed to oval) design included in your hippoplast standard product line (ie. a front and a hind pattern instead of a compromise).

Thank you very much for your time!

Jonathan Fell, BWFA Journeyman Farrier

Winter Snow Pads

Winter is the time when a lot of horse owners choose to pull their horse’s shoes and let the hoof regenerate. Pulling the shoes and leaving your horse barefoot enhances the overall health of the feet. Hooves tend to grow more slowly in the winter months. However, the unshod feet should be trimmed regularly, 4 to 6 week intervals, with an emphasis on keeping the edge of the hoof sufficiently rounded. The hooves should also be painted twice a week with an appropriate hoof dressing. A little extra care and attention during the winter months when your horse is barefoot will result in a stronger healthier foot the rest of the year. However, there are more than a few of us who ride and compete in the winter months and pulling shoes is just not ever going to be an option. If you are like me and live in a snow filled winter environment you know that training outdoors, and trail riding, can cause problems for your horses feet. The main issue that I have to deal with when I am riding in the snow is “snow-balling”. This is when mixtures of snow, ice, mud, manure, grass, or bedding accumulate in the sole area. It can pack very densely into large rounded ice mounds that are almost impossible to chip out. When a horse is forced to stand or move on snowballs he has decreased stability in his fetlock joint. His weight is liable to roll medially, laterally, forward, or backward. It is extremely fatiguing for his muscles, tendons, and joint ligaments as he constantly tries to make adjustments to maintain balance. It is easy for a snowballed horse to lose his balance and wrench a fetlock. I have found a product that works perfectly for my horse, and is very easy for me to apply by myself. I use the Hoof-it Winter Snow Pad to keep my horse’s hooves clear of debris in the winter. With this pad in place I have full confidence in my horse’s footing while training outdoors in the snow, or trail riding. Let me know if you have tried Hoof-it Snow Pads and how they have worked for you.

Shoeing the Performance Horse

No matter what kind of performance horse you might happen to have, cutting, reining, roping, or pleasure, one thing is a constant fact: your horse must be in balance with his body to perform at his optimal level. It is your farrier’s job to trim and shoe your horse to allow for optimal balance.

I have been lucky with my reining cow horse, Smoke ‘em. He has never needed any corrective shoeing. I simply have my farrier trim him flat and level based on the conformation of each of his legs. I have his feet trimmed short to ensure that he moves naturally. Horses with toes that are too long or heels that are too high do not stride naturally and do not look pretty to the judges. Eventually, excessively long feet cause problems that may require correction and even rehabilitation down the road. You can compare this problem to the human athlete. If a runner wore shoes one size too small, or too large, for even one training session he would feel a lot more stress and strain in the legs than with shoes which fit properly. The same is true for your horse.

The most important factor in the shoeing of your performance horse is to have him land level on the ground, You can notice this by observing your horse move at a walk. View him from the front and from the side. Does the inside or the outside of the shoe hit the ground first? Or, does he put the entire hoof down level? If his walk is level, he will most likely lope and trot level also. And, most importantly for cow horses, he will stop level also. If he does not land perfectly level his timing (and yours) will be off. This problem will only get worse as you work him at a quicker pace. Remember, all foot and leg problems intensify as the horse moves faster.

The best way to make decisions about your performance horse's shoeing needs is to watch him move from the ground, and learn to listen to your seat.

If you have any tips on shoeing the performance horse please post them here and share your experience.