Basic HTML Version
VET VIEWPOINT...
WE VIEW THE OPINIONS OF OUR VETS ON
WHY
FOOT PROBLEMS ARE STILL VERY PREVALENT
IN HORSES.
Neaera Fletcher
BSc(Hons) BVMS MRCVS
Paragon Veterinary Group
Claire Sawyer BVet Med Cert AVP(EOS) MRCVS
Wright & Morten Veterinary Surgeons
Absolutely! Foot problems are still very
prevalent in horses, and even if a horse
doesn't have a primary foot problem; foot
balance can affect the rest of the limb and
even the back and neck.
Everyone has always talked a lot about front
feet, which are very important…but back
feet should not to be forgotten. Hind foot
balance is just as important as front foot
balance in keeping horses sound. If a horse
has long toes and collapsed heels it is said
to be flat footed - this imbalance puts
additional strain through the rest of the limb.
Flat hind feet are particularly problematic
in horses with hock pain - especially bone
spavin and suspensory problems.
Imbalance in the hind feet can cause
the horse to load joints unevenly and
tense up through the back potentially
resulting in back pain, joint injuries and
behavioural problems.
SUMMER 2013 ISSUE
EQUINE MATTERS
20
The horse's foot has evolved into a single
weight-bearing digit, designed for speed
and the ability to bear the load of the
horse through the limb. ‘no foot, no
horse’ maintains the same importance
today, as it did when the saying was first
used. If not resolved promptly, damage to
the foot can be catastrophic for a horse.
Horses are too heavy to manage on
three legs; the amount of stress applied
to the ligaments, tendons and joints of
the uninjured weight-bearing limb would
become overwhelming. Domesticated
horses rely on us, their owners, to
maintain the integrity of their feet through
daily care, regular trimming, maintaining
correct balance and shoeing where
appropriate. With around 80% of
lameness cases originating in the foot,
it is a crucial part of the horse which
deserves the attention and care that the
saying ‘no foot, no horse’ suggests.
Does the old saying
'no foot no horse'
still apply today?
Jane White BVetMed GPCert(FEiP) CVPhys MRCVS
St Boniface Veterinary Clinic
This was drummed into me as a child,
perhaps to foster high standards of stable
management and the need for regular
farrier visits. It held true throughout my own
Pony Club days first as a member then
an instructor and when buying horses for
competition. As a vet I find there is little to
be gained in treating soft tissue problems
without also addressing any foot issues.
What has changed over the years is the
advance in the fields of remedial farriery and
nutrition. This means that many horses with
poor foot conformation/balance can now be
kept sound. Some laminitics that previously
were euthanased may now be salvaged.
The modern glue on plastic shoes and
synthetic hoof materials benefit young foals
through the correction of limb deviations.
A good farrier is worth their weight in gold
to the welfare of our horses. So in the
current economic climate foot care is one
area I advise clients not to cut back on.