Feedback Greatly Appreciated!

[Hosscrazy]

You helped me several months ago with my Cushings/IR mini who is post-laminitic/bending at the knees. A good friend is having the same issue with her full-size horse, and asked that I post for her.

He is 28 years old, foundered w/ coffin bone rotation 5 years ago (does not remember the degree of rotation) and is Cushings/IR. He is on pergolide and strict diet, but - like my mini - stands with his knees bent. Could you take a look at the hoof photos for feedback on heel height, hoof angle, etc?

Thanks again for everything,

Liz R.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v43/hosscrazy/K3.bmp
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v43/hosscrazy/K2.bmp
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v43/hosscrazy/K6.bmp
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v43/hosscrazy/K5.bmp

[calshoer]

This a common problem with chronis founders. It could be from one opr more of several things, all very dioficult to correct.
1) involuntaey contraction ofthe flexor tendons from the pain
2) pain in the coronary band area from the hoofwall constricting over the top of the extensor process of a badly sunken cofin bone.
3)Pain in all the joints from the result of the long term cortisol overload weakening the tendons and ligaments.
I will be blunt in my reply.
I have done a lot laminitis horses and most of the old chronic laminitis cases that go this direction (going upon their toes)have extremely poor prognosis. Given his age it may be time to consider quality of life rather than attempting aggresive treatments (surgery, more aggresive trimming or shoeing protocols)that it would take to try to relax those legs, and the treatments for this secondary development usually do not work anyway.
And do NOT let the barefooters tell you to take off more heel if he cannot get his heels on the ground as it is. The trim looks good for a horse in that chronic of condition and barefoot.

[Hosscrazy]

Your honestly in your reply is greatly appreciated. I believe the "quality of life issue" is the direction that I am headed with my mini, and I will pass on your reply to the owner of the above horse. Again, thank you.

[Barefoottree]

Xrays would need to be done to show the conditions of the coffin bones. If there are minimal changes and this horse's vital organs have not been overly stressed, the issues could be corrected.

Go to www.naturalhorsetrim.com/ and check out the case studies which are very similar to this horse's. The info may help your friend out about deciding if anything can or should be done.

From what I saw in the photos, the hooves are out of balance and would not be able to properly function, as is. A knee forward position indicates a horse making the unnatural effort to keep from weighting its heels. And yet, the toes become stressed so when the horse stands still, it'll park out like the photo showed him doing.

Tree