Posted by Diana on March 31, 2003 at 02:46:26:
In Reply to: Re: navicular diagnoses posted by Rick Burten on March 30, 2003 at 09:18:46:
: How was the diagnosis made?
with xrays. He said Disease and not Syndrome...
: Please describe your horse's overall conformation and specifically that of his lower leg and hoof.
well, he is Irish Draught x something else (they have said possibly TB) but he looks complete Irish draught with the brain of TB. Very large head and shoulders. When I got him he had no back end muscling and he powered from front. He was green and unbalanced and was 16.3hands still in his aluminum pony shoes. (maybe this was the problem?) and he had foot rot. He was a mess and I believe has come a long way. Now with balanced trot and canter and more powering from his back end rather than front...and good back end muscles. From my eye and my little bhs manual...(I asked for help at the yard and was laughed at... so am on my own here) legs seem straight, front pasterns slightly more than 45 degree angle... but just slightly. His tendons are clearly visible. He has big knees and big hooves... sorry I am completely uneducated... he is the brunt of jokes at the yard due to his non TB looks, but I believe he is a good looking Irish draught. I logged onto a proper Irish draught site and saw horses less handsome than him (but I am Mom), but with the same knee and foot sizes. He is long in the back. I bought him and was told he does a "potty trot" to begin with... I learned this means he shuffles his front feet until he works out of it... I realise now that his feet must just have been hurting. I have had him 1 year and 2 months.
Rick... I appreciate your help and the information you are passing onto me. I would like to do the best I can for my horse. Thankyou...Diana