Horse of the week: Paddy

This week's horse of the week is Paddy, because although he has bdeen growing a great set of new hooves as fast as he can, he has hit a slight snag and needs some good vibes!

As you can see, when he first arrived he had a long hoof and in the top third you can just about see a horizontal split, to the right of the toe crack as you look at this picture.  At the time it didn't seem too significant - and talking to his owner it seems likely that it was the exit hole for an abscess he had a couple of months before he came to Rockley, which made him very lame.

Fast forward to the 19th September and the crack is lower in his hoof but a long way from the ground.  The problem arose when the split got low enough to start affecting his toe and his breakover. 

Today, as you can see, the abscess split is nearly grown out (and for good measure his toe crack is improving) but there is a weak, soft spot just at the point of breakover on his toe which is presumably the cavity where the abscess was.  

Paddy is doing his very best to grow a better hoof capsule but we will all be very glad when he has go another few mm of growth and has got rid of all that old rubbish!