I found a really nice summary about it. Sort of has to do with the terrain and whatnot in Spain. I’ll try to find it and post it here later.
But this is because feet are a natural extension of the horses’ overall conformation. PRE are built more vertically, so their feet will be more vertical, but I still don’t think that’s any excuse for a contracted or split heel. A bad trim is a bad trim. A good trim takes the overall balance into consideration.
I just posted the summary because another poster asked, I’m sorry if that derailed things a bit. Perhaps I should’ve PM’d it.
You’re right they the hoof has to go with the conformation. No one here is saying it is an excuse for a contracted or split heel. A bad trim is in fact a bad trim. I don’t think you’ll find any argument there. 100% right there a good trim takes the overall balance into consideration.
I’ve personally seen more contracted heels in taller heels/hooves. That’s purely anecdotal and only what I’ve seen. So don’t take it as the end all be all.
No, it’s an interesting article to see! I only say that because the article doesn’t really explain this and people are asking how I know it’s a contracted heel instead of just a tall foot. I do wish I had before/after pics of his feet but all I have are the very beginning when his heels were filled with epoxy to keep him from pulling shoes off when he needed the support
Ah, ok.
Yeah, it’s hard to say without pictures, so that’s why people often guess or speculate, because they just don’t know (myself included). So that’s why myself or others ask. Not looking to discount your knowledge or anything.
It is really useful to keep a photo diary of hooves. I take photos of my PRE’s hooves monthly/when I remember 
especially since we pulled the shoes in September. It’s interesting to notice little changes and a before and after.
The Andy article is interesting. I think it might be true. My baseline horse is a Paint with fantastic round feet, and the Iberian horses are definitely different though very sound and functional.
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In my experience, I would look first for back, SI or neck issue. If not that then suspensories. But based on the behavior issues you mention, I would start with neck or something else on the neuro side of things (EPM, etc).
Interesting. Watch videos of Contucci. He dragged his toes as well but i don’t think was ever diagnosed as being unsound. May be 100% not applicable to your situation. My horse drags his feet until he’s engaged. Then he doesn’t. This happens with some horses. None of what I said may apply to your situation. Good luck. If your guy gets his stifles injected, that might be the answer. Or other hind end joints, I’m looking at the hips because of your description. Well, yep, Adequan is efficacious. It doesn’t matter what level the horse was showing at, it matters how much the joints degrade, which may or may not be related to work or level. Many upper level horses require maintenance to keep them there.
I’d suggest having the vet and farrier chime in. The owner will certainly understand this if a sales is in queque. Ultimately, it isn’t your horse and you have to learn to let go. SURE, I have no doubt that you know this horse so very well. It sucks that the horse’s fate is probably out of your control. Your lease should reflect that you’re adding value to the horse if you’re adding value to the horse. If he needs maintenance now, I’d suggest that it is the responsibility of the owner to keep him at this level or the responsibility of you to keep him at this level. Or step back. This is a conversation that unfortunately goes with a leased “show horse”. Be honest. Be 100% honest. IMO. Assess what you’re willing to take on and what you are not willing to take on and be very clear about that. It will be hard, but you will likely find another horse. Divorce yourself from the sale of this horse if you can’t/don’t want to buy and consider the horse might go to a better home. Help the horse go to a better home.
Someone will have to pay money to figure this out.
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Updating mostly so I have a record of what’s going on week to week: lesson with Trainer 2 last night and he was the best he’s been in a LONG time. I did a lot of overbending, small circles, and moving the shoulders around the beginning of this week. I’ve also been asking almost solely for a little haunches in action to the right to counter the butt-swinging and I’m now thinking it was a little ouchy on a tired day that turned behavioral-- I’ll keep overriding the haunches there until I’m reminded not to, probably in a few weeks. The canter is much getting much stronger, I’m finally feeling like the lunging isn’t helping for strength anymore and I need to get on and fix the rest-- good news to me!
I’m still taking this day by day/week to week but don’t want to give up on the little watermelon if things are progressing to some degree.
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I suspected PSSM in my horse as well. She had toe dragging, underdeveloped hind quarter and difficulty with canter. I put her on a ration balancer and added fat and the symptoms improved greatly. This website was helpful in learning about it:
Rural Heritage Vet Clinic - EPSM in Draft Horses
Table of Contents for EPSM
Rural Heritage — Horse Health Resources
Can you tell me a bit more about the diet change? What ration balancer is she on and what was she eating before? What did you use to increase fat? He is already on a low starch/sugar feed and Vitamin E.
I started the Vitamin E at the end of Dec and he has been excellent lately. Much more chilled out, but whether that is from the Vitamin E making a difference, feeling more confident in the work, or something else, I’m not sure.
I was previously feeding Triple Crown Low starch and switched to Renew Gold. The recommendation for fat is to feed oil, but I board and it is messy to deal with so I tried Cool Calories 100 which is a dry fat supplement. Before this change I added vitamin E also and believe it helped with her finally building muscle in the hind quarters. Once she was on the fat supplement the symptoms improved more.
We just went through a similar thing with my Luso. No lameness, but a slight toe drag and a reluctance to sit behind. We x-rayed and did a full lameness work up, and the vet diagnosed soreness in the SI.
We injected and started him on Legend, and he’s back to work this week.
First impressions:
- Much more movement in the walk and canter - my hips are being swung way more.
- He’s not quite sure how to balance himself in the canter now that he has more movement.
- My saddle is now bouncing because his back and loin area is moving so much more.
All-in-all, it’s positive. It’ll take us a little while to get used to this, but it’s how he used to move when I first got him.
My almost-27 Paint gelding always had a bit of toe dragging and stumbly steps. He’s had the same farrier for 20 years. He was in Natural Balance shoes, fronts only, which helped and has a vet-prescribed 2 degree pad for his pastern angles. The vet was doing x-rays of his knee with the 20-year-old lump which hasn’t bothered him much until lately. It has calcified and the joint is arthritic. We did a complete set on both hooves… Our vet and a lameness specialist both said his feet are excellent with no signs of any developing problems, a result of 20 years of excellent hoof care.
He’s on previcox, a joint supplement from HorseTech, biotin and vit E. 2 loading doses of Adequan (September and December), and a shot of Osphos in February - amazing stuff. He was sound at W/T in September, but problems developed with the barn’s quality of care so we moved in late November. He had developed severe lameness on that side. The lameness vet thinks a toe caught something in a muddy area when another horse chased him… I got on him yesterday for the first time since late October. The past 12+ months have been very hard on him so we are at square 1.
The farrier put him in Avanti shoes a couple of years ago. All of the toe dragging and stumbles are gone. It is amazing. The breakover was correct in the NB shoes. The Avantis make the breakover easier without moving it. The wear patterns match on the NB and Avanti, something only a farrier can see. The outside contour of Avanti allows more room when they pick up the foot. Farrier has tried this shoe on a number of clients and it has really helped significantly. She said the dressage people don’t like it because it takes some of the action out of their action.
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