frog and toe pain?

[lbequ4002]

I have a 2 year old tb and I've noticed he seems a little ouchy inconsistently on the parts of his pasture that are rocky. So I got the hoof testers out today and he's a little ouchy in his right front in the toe and frog but not the heel. He's due for a trim next wedneday but his feet don't look long and he's never been shod. His frog looks nice and flat and his heels are not contracted. He does do this thing when he eats. He puts his left front forward and right foot back. It makes his feet a little different looking but the farrier says he trims them as individuals. the left has a lower heel and slightly more toe while he tends to wear the toe off his right front and the toes are slightly higher. Should I be freaking out?

[fishing_trex]

Originally Posted by lbequ4002

I have a 2 year old tb and I've noticed he seems a little ouchy inconsistently on the parts of his pasture that are rocky. So I got the hoof testers out today and he's a little ouchy in his right front in the toe and frog but not the heel. He's due for a trim next wedneday but his feet don't look long and he's never been shod. His frog looks nice and flat and his heels are not contracted. He does do this thing when he eats. He puts his left front forward and right foot back. It makes his feet a little different looking but the farrier says he trims them as individuals. the left has a lower heel and slightly more toe while he tends to wear the toe off his right front and the toes are slightly higher. Should I be freaking out?

This probably has nothing to do with his feet, but my mare was eating exactly as you describe -- one front foot way in front, the other way in back. She did this for a long time and I never thought anything about it. After she went down on the trail (and landed on me) I had an equine chiropractor check her out -- her back was really bad. It took almost a year to get her back where she could be ridden rigorously again. There were really no signs of her back bothering her -- no shying from the saddle, no indication of pain on palpating her back -- the vet couldn't even find anything -- nothing except that funny stance when she ate and some tenderness and stumbling on gravel and rocks.

There are sevearal reasons for tenderness in the location you describe, including a stone bruise or an abscess. If he gets worse instead of better, I'd probably call the vet.

[seerfarm]

I would agree here. Some horses are extremely handed and can wear one side more or completely different that the other. If it is something new in the wear pattern he could be carrying himself differently which may signify being out of alignment.

Could be an abcess building as Fishing Tex referred too, sign of something more complex in the hoof itself and or adjustment issue.

I would watch him for a day or two treating as an abcess bruise with soaking and such to see if it helps. Get with the farrrier and discuss his current wear pattern and angles...if no improvement I would try a possible chiro for an alignment and then the vet for foot x-rays.

Of course at any point evident lameness enters the picture I would contact the vet.

[kanoo32]

Since a lot of TB's tend to be "flat footed" I would try and put shoes on this hrose and see if that relieves the problem. These horses just don't do well bare with their soles and frogs on the ground all the time. When they are like this, there is no relief because no matter what they do their foot is always on the ground, causing repetitive bruising. Pain in the frog can also be relative to the coffin bone.

[lbequ4002]

he has had this stance since he was a baby and his legs were so long he started doing it to reach the ground. My farrier has me feed him at head level so he doesn't do it with grain but grazing all day I cannot help. He is a little flatfooted.

[kanoo32]

If he is flatfooted I would shoe him.............the flatfooted horses I get in here cannot do without shoes, they are always dinky and more prone to abcess from the constant pressure on their soles.

[lbequ4002]

I can't believe I didn't think of this before. a little over a month ago he went through a fence while I was on vacation and was pretty cut up on his knee, elbow and stifle on the left hand side. He was off at the time too as he was cut up in kind of all over with little things. He could be moving differently too. Hmmm.

[CatsTack]

It sounds like he may need a little more sole to grow in. As said above tb's tend to be flat footed. Combine that with then soles and it makes for an oughy feeling for sure.

The trim is most important. No sole should be taken off and the hoof walls could be left a little longer than normal with more frequent trims to help the sole grow in.

I'd suggest purchasin' a pair of boots for riding on hard, rocky terrain.

Good luck