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Q Will he founder again?
:I have been looking for a pony for my daughter, and have found one who is perfect in all ways but one – apparently he has foundered in the past, although not recently. I’d like to know if this means he will be prone to doing so in the future, if it will affect his long-term soundness, and if this is a reason not to buy this pony.
Cathy D, Canterbury
A
:Cathy, ponies who have foundered in the past are indeed more likely to do so again. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t prevent this happening if using the right approach and methods. There are a significant number of horses and ponies who have foundered who are suitably managed and continue to have a successful and pain-free working life.
If you are considering purchasing this pony, I recommend you seek veterinary advice first and this could sensibly include x-rays to determine the amount of damage done by the previous bout(s) of laminitis to the internal structures (and placement of the bones within the hoof capsule etc).
The most common causes of laminitis in New Zealand involve the incorrect balance of diet and exercise. This will often be the initial cause of the problem but also play an important role in future prevention. Providing the vet thinks that the damage already present in the hooves will not cause any long-term soundness issues, then with the correct work load for the nutritional intake, you could have a pony who provides a lot of pleasure for many years to come.
There are many opinions on what is a suitable diet for a pony who has foundered and it would be wise to take some professional advice from a respected vet and equine dietician who is aware of recent developments with the research being done on the condition. In recent years, the advice we have received from the leaders in research of laminitis has come full circle and it would be easy to take out-of-date advice from the wrong people on this subject.
Good luck if you decide to go ahead and purchase this pony
Q: Dealing with thin soles
My new horse is a TB cross and the farrier says he has very thin soles. Can you tell me what problems this is likely to cause him?
Is there anything I can do to improve them? When I was a kid we used to paint Stockholm tar on the soles and walls of our ponies’ feet – is this advisable?
Sarah, Southland
A
:Sarah, thin soles are not an uncommon issue with thoroughbreds. Some of the problems that you may experience include
sensitivity when riding over certain surfaces (stones, hard ground etc)
bruising of the sole
increased chances of getting abscesses
concussion-related problems
All of these associated problems may cause different levels of lameness.
Of course, thin soles are more often than not a result of the breeding and type of horse. Heavier horses (Clydesdales for example) usually grow more sole in the same way as they grow more of everything! On the other extreme, thoroughbreds generally have less bone, hair, hoof and also thinner soles.
With the soles being thinner, there is less protection for the sensitive structures within the hoof capsule. It is easier and more common for foreign bodies (grit for example) to penetrate this sole or for bruising to occur.
Preventative treatment will depend on the severity and the problems that your horse is most likely to experience.
If your new horse is to be shod, then your farrier may prefer to fit a wider shoe to cover a greater area of the ground surface of the foot. This will afford further protection and prevent some of the problems we have mentioned.
If you think there may be the chance that your horse will have regular problems as a result of the very thin soles, then the options for fitting pads could be worth considering. Pads are a common and readily available solution and are fitted under the shoe by your farrier and cover the sole area. There are a number of different styles of hoof pad and which is the best to use should be discussed with your farrier.
Stockholm tar is a traditional treatment with some antibacterial qualities. Applying it to the soles is a simple treatment and may produce some (if limited) improvements to the thin soles problem. Good luck.
Q Hind shoe loss
:My horse frequently rips off his hind shoes, which is really puzzling to me. Bell boots are not going to be much help!
Why would he be specifically losing his back shoes, and is there anything you can suggest to help prevent it? One of his feet in particular has lost a lot of wall now, so it’s just going to make it harder to keep shoes on him.
Deborah, Pukekawa
A
:There could be a number of things causing it and I suggest you ask yourself a series of questions to try and get to the bottom of it.
For example, has this problem just started and if so, what has recently changed (have you moved to a different paddock, changed to a different farrier, work on a different surface)? This could give you a clue as to which factor is worth investigating first.
When does he rip the shoes off? Is it when he is loose in the paddock, when you ride him or at different times? If we know when and where he loses the shoes this may bring to light certain methods of prevention.
If he loses shoes in the paddock, do you find them in one spot? Are they twisted when you find them? Finding lost shoes hanging on (or near) a wire fence may give us a clue what is happening. Likewise, if they are in a muddy spot or near unlevel ground, this may offer up some clues.
Does he lose the shoes soon after shoeing or when he may be ready for reshoeing? This may tell us that adjusting the fit may help (if he loses them soon after shoeing) or that he’s ripping them off only when they are loose (if it’s after a longer period when he loses them).
Have you considered conformation, posture and foot flight? If he is particularly ‘close’ when moving forwards, then this may help us identify how he is ripping off the shoes and help us make some adjustments to the shoeing to prevent it happening again.
If you have seen him rip shoes off, does this happen with the interference of a front foot or the opposite hind? Again, if we know which the offending foot is, it may be possible to adjust the balance of the hooves accordingly to prevent the problem.
You are quite correct; this problem can be a vicious circle. The shoe loss can weaken and cause you to lose chunks of hoof which in turn will make it harder to keep the shoes. It will be a worthwhile exercise to identify the possible cause and eliminate it as soon as possible before you get to the stage where it is almost impossible to get the shoes on at all.
I hope you can get to the bottom of this frustrating and expensive problem soon!
