Tommy Boy - Hoof Care w/EquiCast

We worked on Tommy Boy's hooves this evening. Over the last several weeks, it's been evident that he is very sore and has difficulty walking. (He was on bute 3 times a week, and had joint injections prior to coming here - which wore off and left him struggling to move).


Left Front - his feet are practically flat due to false sole flush with wall - no concavity (1/4 inch depth at apex of frog); evidence of dropped coffin bone from chronic laminitis (He was wearing full shoes with pads on front when we got him about three weeks ago.) Sole sounded hollow when tapped. First, Joanna trimmed sole and frog, then packed with EquiPak CS (the neon blue stuff!). Adhere Equithane (black stuff) is then applied to hold a 3/4 inch foam pad in place on the hoof for added support while the hoof grows out. The whole hoof, pad and all, is wrapped in EquiCast. Entire procedure is repeated on the right front.

Right Front - again, sole appears flat; build up of sole is due to a combination of shoes and pads- there was nothing abrasive to naturally wear the sole. Possible causes are diet related, lack of circulation in hoof from limited movement, enzymatic and mechanical forces which all contribute to hoof wall failure. Peripheral loading is the mechanical force that tears the wall away from the coffin bone.. i.e. pressure or weight bearing on outer wall of hoof only; weight bearing not distributed to sole and frog as nature intended.

Tommy Boy will wear the EquiCasts for three weeks.

For more information on natural hoof care and hoof rehabilitation check Pete Ramey's website - Hoof Rehabilitation Specialists.