Question regarding hoof growth/overgrowth

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

nootka

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2002
Messages
7,547
Reaction score
0
2sfrontfeet7wa.jpg


2sfeet6js.jpg


What are your opinions on these hooves? Would you say they looked like they were trimmed just 8 weeks ago?

Would you hazard a guess as to how long ago they were trimmed?

Would you consider this reasonable care, to let them look like this?

The horse was being kept in a dry lot, not pasture, and is in a slightly malnourished state, if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance,

Liz M.
 
The top picture looks for all the world like a yearling that has never been trimmed!! No, Liz that is not six weeks growth, not unless the horse is on growth hormone. And the heels are far too high so if it ever has been trimmed it has been badly trimmed.
 
These hooves appear terribly dry. And they do not appear to have been trimmed PROPERLY anytime in the past 3 months.

I would take those heels down considerably until the pastern matches the hoof angle.

Also you might need to soak them before trimming. They look like they will be tough.
 
4 months easy, if not more. Poor baby, they do look tough and dry. WAY too much heel. Are you going to help some sweet needy horse? You're the best Liz.
 
I believe that it's impossible to say how long it's been since the pictured hooves were trimmed, as individual horses have VERY differing growth/wear rates-that said, those hooves have NOT been properly trimmed, no matter how long ago it was! Yes, the heels are ABSOLUTELY 'way too high; however, they probably can NOT be taken down to a proper, proportionate length of heel/toe in a single trim, but should be done over a series of trims, done perhaps every 1-4 weeks, until they are correct-and THEN maintained properly!! I also would be concerned about how 'narrowed' they look....

I see evidence of some stressful occurance in the growth pattern, too-could well be nutritional. Soak them well in mud or just water, before trimming. Caution may be needed when trimming, as often, horses whose proper hoof trimming has been neglected, will have the 'quick' advance into the sole/wall, and must be trimmed only a little at a time-and more frequently, as I mentioned above,to minimize the likelihood of soreness and even drawing blood!
 
Dry lot hooves can be quite the challenge to trim. I took in a yearling that had never been on grass or anything moist and needed to let him soak in a pasture half submerged with irrigation, for at least a day, before I could really work with those hooves. Even his frogs were dehydrated.. your boy does look like he could use a good trim, but it may require several trims to get those heels down.
 
[SIZE=14pt]Those front feet look clubbed either from the way they grow or improper trimming. They may have been rasped or something but man! those angles need to be dropped considerably. They are almost straight up and down and he need 2/3 of that heel gone to get the right angle. This is going to take at least 4 trims about 2 weeks apart to get even close. no they were not properly trimmed ever let alone 6 weeks ago.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 
Looks like atleast 3 months to me and I agree with Margaret.

But sometimes looks can be deceiving such as in a case with two of my horses.

I must confess here Liz that I have a couple of horses here that grow their feet at a very rapid rate. At the end of 8 weeks, they look like they have not been trimmed in many months. As a matter of fact, those two imparticular horses of mine, after three weeks into a trim look like they haven't been done in months.

I've been complaining to my latest farrier that he is not taking off as much as he should. He's a "new" farrier out of school with little experience and he is very reluctant not to cut into the "quick" and chop thier toes off. He has also been in the habit of not taking the heel down as he should. We are in Tennessee Walking Horse country and the other clientele he has has him "trained" their way to leave heel on the horse and a lot of it too. So when he comes here I have to remind him that my horses were not bred to rack.

I still don't think that horse you have in the picture has been done within the last say 3 months I'll just venture to guess.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hard to tell what does the underside look like? How much hoof between the sole and edge of the hoof? Be VERY careful when you drop the heel as done to quickly can do more damage than good. I would rasp once a week to correct the angle.
 
rolleyes.gif


Okay, I'm going to put on my flameproof suit. I am a farrier and I have seen feet

like these before. Usually from a who is in a hurry and doesn't care.

1st A horse that is slightly malnourshied does not normally grow foot. Any nour=

ishment goes to maintain the body, hoof and hair are last to grow.

2nd Yes the horse can be taken down in one trim CORRECTLY by a knowledgeable

qualified farrier.

3rd The horse is definately clubby and needs attention soon if not you face an

ongoing problem. [My daughter talked me into one that required surgery.]

On an extremely club footed horse the check ligament or [in severe cases]

deep flexor is cut. Yours is definitely not that severe. Linda B
wub.gif
 
you just heard it from the best Farrier I know. I have entrusted my horses feet to Linda before!


Lyn
aktion033.gif
aktion033.gif
 
Yup, I'll join in that applause
aktion033.gif
Linda does mine as well and we love her.
 
Absolutely looks like there are founder rings on the hooves; a lot of hoof needs to come off, and heels need to be lowered ... a lot ...

I was having some problems with Misty's hooves, and had the vet do x-rays, which I gave to my farrier. Really helped him locate the coffin bone, and trim accordingly - something you may want to do.

Another option is to post the photos on HorseShoes.com - there are some wonderful farriers (Rick Burton is the BEST!) who will look at your photos, draw lines on the photos where you should trim, and will repost the photos for you.

Best wishes,

Liz R.
 
Thanks, everyone, for the input. I had thought founder, also. I know there are a lot of reasons it can happen, but this horse appears to be one that is fairly thin usually.

I have a lot of questions to ask of my farrier, who is coming tomorrow to trim. This is a mare that has a foal at her side and the foal has never been trimmed, either, and is ten weeks old.

I do know some horses grow hoof fast, as mine do that, too. 8 weeks is a long time and mine are in pretty good condition, especially those that get any pasture, the hooves are huge, but not like this.

I measured the hooves and all but the right front are 2.75" long from coronary band to the ground. The right front is 3.00"

I am thinking I may have to have my vet look at her if founder is a problem, because I am trying to get her in better condition, I don't want to make her sick in doing it.

Liz M.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top