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Tina Caldara
New Member
Username: Martina
Post Number: 4
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, Dec 24, 2005 - 6:11 pm: |   |
Hello; I noticed during a recent trim that one of my horses has a very thin, bright red ring around the hoof wall of his two front feet. It doesn't go all the way around; rather it extends out from the toe about 1" on either side (semi circle). The ring is between the hoof wall and the sole, in the "white line" area. My farrier said that this is quite common in Paint horses. My vet said it's a ring of melanin, possibly a vitamin deficiency (she took a blood test; awaiting results.) In trying to research it on the Internet, I've seen causes ranging from leverage pressure (heels too high), to farrier error ("bleeding" the horse), to a prior laminitis episode, to bruising, to hard ground. Has anyone else seen or experienced anything similar? Thanks. |
Tina Caldara
New Member
Username: Martina
Post Number: 5
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, Dec 25, 2005 - 9:16 am: | |
UPDATE: This morning I also see some red on the front hooves themselves... almost like scrape marks... on the right front hoof the mark is on the outside of the hoof, more toward the back/heel area than the toe. On the left front hoof, the mark is on the inside of the hoof, more toward the middle. The horse has 4 white hooves. Could this be a result of cold weather and standing in snow? I've had this horse for 4 years and have never noticed anything like this before in the Winter, and we've had some bad Winters. He is 100% sound. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 14378
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Dec 26, 2005 - 8:30 am: | |
Your description is a common finding in all horses but horses with white feet are the only ones you can see it.
This most likely represents bruising and bleeding into the laminae at the toe that now has grown out. It might represent improper trimming or just that you have hard ground and your horse really gallops hard around the pasture. You should evaluate your horse's foot balance remembering this is not diagnostic for a particular problem. The hoof care section has articles on trimming and balance that explain this.
DrO |
Tina Caldara
Member
Username: Martina
Post Number: 7
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Monday, Dec 26, 2005 - 10:02 am: | |
Interesting. A friend of mine who was present at my last 2 shoeings told me that (in her opinion) my farrier rasps the hoof way too much. Anyhow, I will read the article as you suggested. Thanks! |
