M's 3 week update

Time for M's 3 week update with photos to prove that even feet as weak as his can make changes - albeit slowly. Here are his comparison shots, with the photo from when he arrived at the top for each.

Obviously he has a long toe and weak under-run heel. There is also lots of deviation in the hairline which suggests the hooves have been loading unevenly. Lots of ripples and bulges in the hoof wall are more indications of dietary and loading problems. 

The more recent photo almost looks more under-run but in fact you can see from the sole shots that the back of his hoof is slowly getting stronger. M's been treated for ulcers and his diet has been improved over the last few months but what his hooves have desperately been lacking is movement and stimulus which will be the essential if he is to improve.  

His soles are so thin that he can't cope with hard surfaces and so at home he had been booted simply in order to keep him comfortable. Fortunately here he can move on the gravel tracks and they will be the key to strengthening his soles, frog and digital cushion. 

You can see the bruising in his soles quite clearly but it is already less than it was when he arrived and his heels are starting to be more supportive. He is still landing toe first on concrete, which is why the tracks are critical for him. Once his hooves are stronger that should change. 

The RF has the same weak frog and bruising but the most significant difference so far is the improvement in the bars. The frog is also beefing up and the heels are becoming less underrun though of course its very early days for him.

Finally, caudal shots of the LF - not a lot of change visible here by comparison with the sole shots but a slightly more engaged frog. I know from experience that there is no point in trimming a foot like this - even taking that untidy hoof wall off at the toe is more likely to make him uncomfortable as it will overload the weak back of his foot. 

Its also interesting to look at the length of the hoof wall and see that it is more even in the second photo. 

More from M soon, of course.