He's Forrest! New horse thread

[JB]

@fivestrideline

Like I said, he’s no textbook example of a well built horse,

I don’t think you can really evaluate him when he’s got all sorts of postural compensations going on due to his feet, and track life in general. In the last pics he’s standing very “squished” and inverted, which just makes all the things look wonky lol

[fivestrideline]

@findeight

Maybe not now but…a “virtual string test”- distance from ergot to elbow roughly equal to distance from elbow to withers- hints that he’s not done growing. Looks like an inch or two waiting to emerge.

I’d be thrilled - he’s 5 in April so we shall see. My other TB grew until 8

@findeight

Good luck with the farrier…and you know we want to see before and after pics.

I’ll do my best!

@JB

I don’t think you can really evaluate him when he’s got all sorts of postural compensations going on due to his feet, and track life in general

Wonky is a good word

Thanks for the encouragement. I’m happy to just see what he wants to do and get him feeling better - any athletic capacity is just icing on the cake.

Farrier today. Luckily, he likes a project!

[Against_All_Odds2]

@fivestrideline

Farrier today. Luckily, he likes a project!

Post the after shots!!!

He’s lovely

[findeight]

Just a thought here, do you have any bute there? He’s leaning back on the wall while eating in these pics, can be an indication of bilateral soreness in front. On top of all the compensatory issues and possibly remaining track body soreness, this is a legitimate place to use an NSAID using proper dosage.

Have had several projects that needed a little help a few hours before long neglected farrier work…it can hurt to the point it complicates the appointment. And bother them for a few days after going months without a trim.

Wouldn’t hurt to ask farrier about it as well as vet next week.

[Inimitable]

I think he’s really, really lovely! And I’d bet real money there’s an athlete under there. Good luck with the feet. IME it’s likely to get worse for a couple of days after his trim before it gets better - he’s been living on skis for a while! But he’s going to feel so much better SOON.

[fivestrideline]

Tossed him some bute (good call @findeight), and farrier is here now. Will post pics tonight!

[fivestrideline]

He was an angel for the farrier - the best behaved of the bunch. I also own the worst behaved of the bunch today, so I guess that cancels out .

Here are some awful pics snapped in the dark - I’ll get better ones tomorrow for my records at least. Baby 4 year old was DONE STANDING IN THE CROSSTIES but trying SO hard to be good. He got a big bucket of the ever popular Safe Starch hay for his efforts
Don’t mind the poultice, I had extra on my gloves and slapped it all over him

There’s an odd artifact on this one, his white foot doesn’t actually have a weird bulge on it.

Just grabbed the fronts to compare to the before pics!

[fivestrideline]

Reminder of the before:

Bonus pics of one of the toe clippings - with thumb and cat for scale

[atr]

He’s actually got potentially quite nice feet! I’ll bet he’s feeling better already.

Did the farrier have any pearls of wisdom to offer?

[fivestrideline]

Nothing much. Farrier said he could go barefoot just to see, but I asked about pads/shoes/composites in the interest of being able to ride him. We decided on traditional shoes since he was in them before - I may push for a composite in the future just because I don’t love open heeled shoes.

Weirdly, Forrest was swaying drunkenly and shifting his weight while the farrier held his front left (white) foot up, but was solid and steadier when the right one was up. Maybe a sign of pain in the front right? Or right hind, even? Funny because it’s his left legs that have heat and the capped hock. (Both of which seem improved).

ETA I just remembered that the farrier DID say his hind feet were severely bruised, and the fronts just a tad. The toe clippings were very pink and red from his hind feet, poor guy.

[skydy]

Poor guy. I can’t imagine why anyone would let a horse’s feet become in such poor condition.

Thankfully he has you now!

[skydy]

Does he seem any more comfortable today? I guess it may take awhile.
How is he moving with the new shoes?

[fivestrideline]

No idea TBH - it’s too muddy here to do anything but stand around!

He’s a big mover though from what I can tell - what quality and what kind, I haven’t a clue. But he’s not a pony strider

[fivestrideline]

That about sums it up Forrest is on the right looking taken aback, though the harassment doesn’t really seem to bother him

[JB]

[skydy]

That expression! Bless his heart.

[fivestrideline]

Yep. I own the rage filled redhead too so I can’t say much

[skydy]

Closest thing to an eye roll I’ve ever seen from a horse.

[fivestrideline]

New question for anyone still following this - the drunken swaying thing? He does it with me just picking up his left front. He shifts his weight forward and back, and sways a bit side to side. He does not do it while holding any of his other feet up. Thoughts? I have the vet coming Thursday so I will have them look, but I’m wondering if that points to anything in particular?

[skydy]

Just a guess so don’t hold me to it.

You said his hinds were very bruised. Perhaps lifting his near fore exacerbates whichever hind soreness feels the worst to him and he’s trying to relieve it by repositioning himself?

I’d definitely demonstrate for the vet so they can see. Did he do this before the farrier came?
Either way he’s bound to be feeling wonky for awhile with those feet and getting used to his new angles.