Re: Pictures!

[ Follow Ups ] [ Hoof Conformation and Balance ]

Posted by Patty Stiller on July 15, 2003 at 09:46:49:

In Reply to: Re: Pictures! posted by Anne (Tree) Coley on July 15, 2003 at 08:31:19:

: : Pictures taken today. She isn´t much bent, but because she was perfectly straight before, I want to know if this is just "normal" due to growing and will straighten by itself, or if i Should take action.

: : http://hem.passagen.se/xyplex/keleben.htm

:
: Alexandra,

: Nice filly! However, most of the photos hide her hoof angles in the grass. Is there any way you can take photos of her feet in shorter grass or on a hard level surface? Any comments I could offer, based on the photos so far, would not be as accurate.

: It would be nice to see sole views too (see the bottoms of her front feet).

: In one photo it appears her hoof angles are steeper than her pastern angle. This would lead me to suspect she toe weighting those feet and causing her toe walls to be more compacted and thus shorter. Horses will do this in an attempt to avoid placing weight onto their heels. The end results can be slack in the deep digital flexor tendon which allows the knees to go forward in an effort to take up some of that slack. Shoulder angles will steepen as well and the heels will grow at a faster rate than the toes.

: Is it possible that you can get photos showing the feet better?

: Tree

tree, when the knees go forward, it *decreases* the tension in the DeepFlexor Tendon, because the tension comes from tihtness in the inferior check ligament, not the muscles.
A common reason that the feet get upright and the knees buckle forward is that simply because the check ligament behind the knee,(and consequently the deep flexor tendon) gets too *tight* probably due to fast growing bones or a mineral imbalance, or both.
The check ligament(which connects below the rear of the knee to the deep flexor tendon) gets painful, as well as the attachment of the DDFT to the bottom of the coffin bone. The coffin bone is mechanically pulled upward bythe tension,and the foal will also avoid loading the heel because it hurts to do so asthe DDFT attachment is stretched. Then the knee is also held forward to reduce tension in the painful ligament and in the attachment of the DDFT under the coffin bone. The remedy (believe this it works) is to rocker the toes well to reduce pull on the check ligament and tendon as the foal moves.
As well, sometimes wedging the heels up for a short while(a week or so) reduces the tension and thereby stops the pain cycle so and the heels let down and the knees come back.
It is not usually toe pain which causes all this, it is tendon and check ligament pain. Standing the feet more upright a short while is NOT a problem is if can break the pain cycle and allow everyhing to relax. Besides, wedging the heels loads the HEEL more, not the toe.
Patty

Follow Ups:

Re: Pictures! Alexandra Wikner 12:29:58 07/15/03 (13)
- The new pictures can be seen here Alexandra_W 13:55:32 07/15/03 (12)
  - Re: The new pictures can be seen here M. W. Myers, D.V.M. 22:38:51 07/15/03 (11)
    - And that means? Alexandra Wikner 02:07:42 07/16/03 (3)
      - Think I have sorted it out now but treatment questions Alexandra Wikner 05:06:24 07/16/03 (2)
        
        Anna comments Anna 23:47:09 05/31/04 (0)
        
        Re: Think I have sorted it out now but treatment questions Anne (Tree) Coley 23:22:17 07/16/03 (0)
    - Re: The new pictures can be seen here Anne (Tree) Coley 23:33:33 07/15/03 (6)
      - Re: The new pictures can be seen here Alexandra Wikner 02:14:06 07/16/03 (5)
        
        The farrier has been here now Alexandra Wikner 10:22:08 07/16/03 (4)
        
        Re: The farrier has been here now Anne (Tree) Coley 23:07:58 07/16/03 (3)
        
        >Tree Alexandra Wikner 03:05:05 07/17/03 (2)
        
        Re: >Tree Anne (Tree) Coley 23:17:47 07/17/03 (1)
        
        Re: >Tree Alexandra Wikner 01:30:40 07/18/03 (0)

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Comments:
: : : Pictures taken today. She isn´t much bent, but because she was perfectly straight before, I want to know if this is just "normal" due to growing and will straighten by itself, or if i Should take action. : : : http://hem.passagen.se/xyplex/keleben.htm : : : : Alexandra, : : Nice filly! However, most of the photos hide her hoof angles in the grass. Is there any way you can take photos of her feet in shorter grass or on a hard level surface? Any comments I could offer, based on the photos so far, would not be as accurate. : : It would be nice to see sole views too (see the bottoms of her front feet). : : In one photo it appears her hoof angles are steeper than her pastern angle. This would lead me to suspect she toe weighting those feet and causing her toe walls to be more compacted and thus shorter. Horses will do this in an attempt to avoid placing weight onto their heels. The end results can be slack in the deep digital flexor tendon which allows the knees to go forward in an effort to take up some of that slack. Shoulder angles will steepen as well and the heels will grow at a faster rate than the toes. : : Is it possible that you can get photos showing the feet better? : : Tree : tree, when the knees go forward, it *decreases* the tension in the DeepFlexor Tendon, because the tension comes from tihtness in the inferior check ligament, not the muscles. : A common reason that the feet get upright and the knees buckle forward is that simply because the check ligament behind the knee,(and consequently the deep flexor tendon) gets too *tight* probably due to fast growing bones or a mineral imbalance, or both. : The check ligament(which connects below the rear of the knee to the deep flexor tendon) gets painful, as well as the attachment of the DDFT to the bottom of the coffin bone. The coffin bone is mechanically pulled upward bythe tension,and the foal will also avoid loading the heel because it hurts to do so asthe DDFT attachment is stretched. Then the knee is also held forward to reduce tension in the painful ligament and in the attachment of the DDFT under the coffin bone. The remedy (believe this it works) is to rocker the toes well to reduce pull on the check ligament and tendon as the foal moves. : As well, sometimes wedging the heels up for a short while(a week or so) reduces the tension and thereby stops the pain cycle so and the heels let down and the knees come back. : It is not usually toe pain which causes all this, it is tendon and check ligament pain. Standing the feet more upright a short while is NOT a problem is if can break the pain cycle and allow everyhing to relax. Besides, wedging the heels loads the HEEL more, not the toe. : Patty

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