|
|
Discussion on Is This a Quarter Crack? (see Pic)
|
| Author |
Message |
Member:
Penner
|
Posted on Sunday, Aug 31, 2003 - 6:40 pm:
Never having really seen one, now I am wondering if that crack by the coronet band is one. Am getting the shoer out (& vet too, if necessary). The looks of this bothers me, altho the horse is not lame. This is a picture of the R front hoof, on the inside (medial) side.
Why do I always find these things on a holiday weekend, sigh..
Thank you in advance for your help!
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Monday, Sep 1, 2003 - 3:34 pm:
Yes, and it is caused by the severely underrun heels. They are about the worse I have seen in several years: do you see how the coronet at the quarter just above the crack suddenly deviates to the vertical while the striations in the heel's horn assume a almost horizontal direction? There is much chronic damage and therefore difficult to correct.
You need some real professional help to evaluate the whole foot and leg conformation to make some decisions on how to attack this. Perhaps radiographs might help with the a-p balance issue. It looks like a situation that is going to worsen without some changes.
DrO
|
Member:
Penner
|
Posted on Monday, Sep 1, 2003 - 3:55 pm:
Thank you Dr O. I just got this horse 2 days ago with his feet in this condition (altho I think the crack wasn't there before Saturday 8/30/03).However, as it is so hot around here, he wasn't ridden. Also because its a holiday weekend, I couldn't get anyone here to shoe him right away.
Of course I am trying to get help on him right away. If I take care of this (vet XR for balance with the shoer there to go over XR with the vet each shoeing before & after shoeing pictures), use Keratex hoof hardener, I already put him on Masters Hoof Blend (Biotin 20mg + DL methionine 1.8G + probiotics - per dose), & don't ride him for a year, what is the prognosis on a quarter crack that resolves?
Thank you for your help. He is a beautiful 9 yo horse, knows reining, ropes both ends, does reined cow horse cutting like a dream. You don't know how sick I feel because of this.
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Tuesday, Sep 2, 2003 - 7:23 am:
A more accurate prognosis will have to wait for total evaluation of the foot and leg but I would say "fair" for cow work if you have months and perhaps even years to get him improved. However I think it unlikely that all the chronic damage (the deviated coronet and laminae) can be corrected so this will always be a weaker foot.
DrO
|
Member:
Penner
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 12:24 am:
Hi, I will try to make this quarter crack post a pictoral essay so that all might learn how a quarter crack heals. The 1st pic above in this thread, is from 8/29/03 before any shoeing/vet was done/evaluated. I will try to upload pics every month or so.
Our treatment:
1. No riding.
2. Egg bar shoe.
3. Myron McClane pad custom cut to unload (aka "Float") the weight off the heel at the area of the crack.
4. The horse is loose in a 100' x 60' paddock, freely walking around, 24/7. Its a nice climate here now.
10/1/03
|
Member:
Penner
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 12:30 am:
10_1_03 Heel (after shoeing). Notice Sheared heel...
|
Member:
Penner
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 12:36 am:
10_1_03 Pic of the Sole (& the pad)...
|
Member:
Penner
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 12:59 am:
11/9/03 Interim pic.
The horse was reshod 10/22/03. Subsequently pulled that RF shoe off with the hind shoes. The hind shoes were pulled & hind toes rolled to prevent this.
Notice the crack is getting longer (I was told this is expected & will reach the bottom of the hoof eventually too, then start to grow out). At least, the crack is getting further from the coronet band...
BTW, this horse has never been lame per vet exam too. So, I was told, it is assumed, this crack was "caught" in time. & is shallow.
Also, look at the lack of hair growth on this horses' leg (no feathers, nothing). My other horses are wooly mammoths, this horse is not growing much winter hair. So I am fearing, his hoof growth is going to be the same slow process too - despite the hoof supplement he is on. Blankets are not used as its 70 some degrees during the day, 40s at night.
|
Member:
Jojo15
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 2:13 am:
Wow... i love the internet. Penner make sure you keep up the photos. Already I can see the changes and this photo diary will be immeasurable to those who might need it.
Hopefully never!
joj
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 8:12 am:
Wow Penner,
Absolutley great pictures and an absolutely heroic attempt at correcting a really bad underrun heel. It appears to me that there is actually pressure with the pad against what should be the back of the heel's wall but has almost become horizontal. The idea is to relieve the torque that caused the quarter crack. The question is will this deform the horn back to a more natural appearance and do it without causing pain. Looking forward to the next update!
DrO
|
Member:
Summary
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 8:38 am:
Dear Penner,
Farriers Formula for the hoof will make it grow faster. I used it on a thoroughbred and had to stop because his hoof grew to fast on it.
Sincerely, Summer
|
Member:
Onehorse
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 9:12 am:
Penner,
Thank you for this 'diary.' This is truly a learning experience...not to mention the feeling of hope and excitement for this horse. You deserve a 'hats off' for seeing the potential in this horse. And so does your farrier (oh how the good ones are worth their weight in gold) and vet who are contributing to this process. Please keep us posted. Thank you.
|
Member:
Gillb
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 11:42 am:
Amazing pics Penner! DO you have cornucrescine ointment in the US? It's rubbed into the coronet band and is supposed to stimulate growth, I have used it and it does seem to work well.
|
Member:
Canyon28
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 12:24 pm:
Thanks very much for the pictures. My stallion has had a somewhat similar problem , he got a heel crack, but it runs vertical. Is the reason this one is not vertical is because of the badly underun heels the horse had? We have Peppy, my stud in a somewhat similar type shoeing mode, but his problem is not nearly as severe as this one seems to be. I started him on Farriers Formula about a month ago and we also have him up on his toes now more , since he has a short and somewhat upright pastern, he is now much more in line with how he should be. I would like to post some pics also, if I can get time.
|
Member:
Suzeb
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 1:48 pm:
Truly remarkable pictures Penner. I will add a third yeah for the "Farriers Formula". My gelding has been on this supplement at the treatment level for about a year and the results are truly amazing. He also had underrun heels and long toes. Wish I had such great pictures as yours to show the before and after. Also, important is your team of farrier and vet working together. We have had to change my geldings shoeing prescription as the first idea truly wasn't working so be prepared if you have to do so. It is not easy to wait out the healing process, but when it happens it is such a joy. As Dr. O says you may never get a perfect foot but what you are doing for this horse now will certainly prolong his life and his soundness. I am amazed this horse was not head bobbing lame. This is a great site for learning about these conditions as well as the sister site www.horseshoes.com. This horse is truly lucky to have you and it may take some time to fix this, but it can be done. Sadly, this condition of underrun heels and long toes is quite preventable with good farrier and owner care. Genetics and confirmation play a role too. Enough ranting from me. Keep those pictures and updates coming. This is a great learning opportunity for all of us. You go Penner and hats off to you for taking on this horse. Cheers, Susan and Laser Bilsky
|
Member:
Penner
|
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 - 4:20 pm:
Hi, I wanted to add that I went to a specialist vet. A fairly well known (at least out west) race track "leg" vet. I am also only using the farrier the vet recommended (the farrier, as an aside, is kind of fun to talk to, as he is Australian, & he reminds me of Clinton Anderson). You all are right, a good farrier is worth their weight in gold, & difficult to find. Thats why I let the vet pick the shoer. I have found, in the medical field, that when a team has worked well together - keep them together, outcomes are better.
Also, we use this very useful computer program to keep track of the progress of hoof angles & such:
https://eponatech.com/products/Metron_PX/info.htm
This program is fascinating & an education in hoof anatomy & proper shoeing in itself!
|
Member:
Tangoh
|
Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 9:32 am:
Hey Penner,
Resurrecting an old post here. What ever happened to this horse?
|
Member:
Dawson
|
Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 5:19 pm:
I just read the post and would like to know too!
|
|
|
