wendi leigh
Well-Known Member
My little Grace is 8 weeks old now and is absolutely perfect (in my barn blind eyes of course), except for her rear fetlock joints. When she trots or runs or even sometimes when walking there is no problem. However, when she is standing and relaxed, she rolls back onto the heels of her rear hoofs and the little toes come up in the air. The farrier has been trimming every two weeks, but this doesn't seem to be helping. The farrier and the vet both feel this is caused by lax suspensory tendons and that if we raise the heel to change the angle the tendons will strengthen quickly and she'll be fine. To do this, I understand that they use heel extensions. Nobody seems to know where to get anything like that for a mini foal though. I'm aware of the acrylics that they make to reshape the hoofs, but the farrier feels this is much too drying for her little hoof and that it will kill the frog and cause more long term problems so he doesn't want to use it.
Has anybody had similar problems before and what have you done to correct it? Are there possible other causes that I may be overlooking? I keep hearing about selinium deficiency and that has crossed my mind as well.
Thanks for any and all suggestions.
Has anybody had similar problems before and what have you done to correct it? Are there possible other causes that I may be overlooking? I keep hearing about selinium deficiency and that has crossed my mind as well.
Thanks for any and all suggestions.