Steph
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I contacted you a couple months ago about writing a short article on the
problems I've experienced with my mare's hooves.
Jas's first endurance ride was 9/95. (Previously we'd competed at Competitive
Trail) At the Bully Wully we placed fourth in the 50. In 2/96 Jas developed
cracks parallel with the cornary band. Mid- Feb. she went to a trainers,
where she sustained severe damage to the back of her front feet, above the
heel bulbs. (The trainer, who we had used previously with our other two
horses, failed, for whatever reason, to use bell boots, or protective equip
while working Jas extensively in a round pen.) Her legs were swollen to the
knee, and she had "scauld" up her legs, and along her belly.
We had planned on doing Animal House the end of March, so worked hard to
reduce the swelling, and get her sound. Two Vets pronounced her fit to do the
50 at Animal House. Our shoer put on pads, & we were on our way. At the
first Vet check, at 16 mi. we were in third. I jumped off to find her
bleeding from the coronary band of both front feet! The blood was mixed with
clear fluid. We pulled.
At home our Vet did a blood test, and decided that she had contacted a virus
which had produced the leg swelling. His opinion was that the remants of this
virus had erupted out the cornary due to the excessive impact of the ride.
Within 6 weeks we had new cracks coming down, this time all the way around the
foot.
By this Sept., she had not been lame, so we decided to do a 25, and see how
things would go. We placed sixth, and she was sore after the ride was over.
Two weeks later, a piece of the side of the hoof broke away. Our shoer has
been stopping by weekly, and by mid-Oct. actually had good news. Though her
hooves look terrible, with most of the dead, broken hoof cut off, new growth
is strong, and thick. Ron (the shoer) is a MASTER. He managed to find enough
hoof to get shoes on, and filled in the holes with a fiberglass filler. Seven
tries with one nail - tweeking it each time to get it where it needed to be.
(I have neet photo's) Ron feels that by spring Jas should have sound feet.
We're plan to use shock absorbing pads.
One theory is that horses in Western WA live in so much rain/wet type weather,
that the hooves don't have the opportunity to stay hard. When we travel with
them to the dry side of the state, and compete over rock, the concussion
creates the cracks. The problem with the theory is that our other horse has
no problems whatever. They both have the same enviroment, diet, suppliments,
exercise, etc.
I would like to hear from anyone else who has experienced these type problems.
Dr. Peter Van Dyke has an excellent article on Lamainitis at
http://www.olympus.net/personal/pvd/pvd.html
Thanks!
Connie Hoge
pvtevt@msn.com
Arlington, WA