farrier & laminitis symptom

[huntez]

Would a farrier know if your horse had slight or even laminitis?
I thought that they would, but someone told me that they wouldn't?

[jol]

I'd be very concerned if they didn't!

[jonnorris]

I'd go with farriers for feet, vet for everything else. A farrier will pick up laminitis much quicker than the vet (IMHE)

[Azrael]

They should do but I have heard a farrier say the pony didn't have laminitis when it was blindingly obvious it did and this wasn't a little bit of LGL type thing either, proper obese cresty pony with very sore feet job but wasn't bad enough to be standing in the classic 'laminitis stance'.

[19sarah74]

a good farrier would (or should)certainly recognise the slightist laminitis.

i will ask my farrier for his view the next time he comes

sarah

[anastasia55555]

in theory they should yes, but have to say that one of farriers at yard didnt notice when saxon had the beginnings of lami and couldnt keep still when having shoes put on. Which i was very shocked about, i think he has had a steep learning curve this year, and after all the unfortunate cases of lami this year after saxon

[anastasia55555]

meant to say, a vet needs to diagnose it of course for treatment from them to begin. The same with any other problem as someone like a farrier or a back person doesnt not have the 'power' as such to diagnose a condition.

[Yann]

Any good farrier should be able to spot problems brewing and warn the owner. Discomfort when having nails knocked in is often a clear sign of problems.

[dptc]

They should, but mine didn't even when asked specifically.....!!

[thegaffer]

Hi,

I have to answer No. I wouldn't rely on your farrier picking up LGL. You are much more likely to notice the changes than he/she is. Remember they only see you horse every 6 weeks. Any episodes of LGL could have settled by the time your farrier comes. When I asked my farrier about laminitis he said I was much more likely to notice than he was. He is a specialist farrier used by a large equine hospital.

Does you farrier see your horse move in walk and trot before he replaces the shoes? Does he then ask you walk and trot your horse up once they have been replaced? I doubt it.

Does your farrier every tell you if your horse has thrush? Even though you can smell it.

Does he state he has found signs of bruising in the sole and any hoof wall he has removed?

Does he notice that the feet may have changed shape, show growth rings etc, all indications that something is going on.

My horse is now barefoot after suffering LGL for two years which went undiagnosed by the vet and farriers. I was told he had hoof imbalance which was causing intermittent lameness. He was shod accordingly. Two years down the line he had started to dish in front and stand like an elephant on a ball? The reason for this apparently was his conformation?? I don't think so!!! I have had him since he was 2 and he was bought to grow into a show hunter. I'm no Robert Walker but I know I wouldn't have bought a horse that dished and stood under itself to show!! Also how come he had good conformation as a youngster.

I bumped into one of my old farriers the other day, who has now stopped shoeing. I told him my horse was know barefoot. His reply was "well in how many other ways could he have told you that he didn't suit shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!! I quote, "shoeing most horses is a con, the majority will do perfectly well with out them. Shoes can disguise all sorts of feet problems, and the horse just doesn't need them".

So go with your instinct and NEVER assume that your farrier will pick up on problems, and never be fobbed off if you have continuing concerns.

Phew ;D

[pd]

I'm not sure I agree with all of that thegaffer, but your last sentence is most definitely true, never rely on anyone completely, its your animal, your decision in the end, if you aren't convinced the care/treatment is right, listen to your instincts.

[mandal]

Dec 23, 2009 17:45:34 GMT 1 pd said:

never rely on anyone completely, its your animal, your decision in the end, if you aren't convinced the care/treatment is right, listen to your instincts.

So true!! Shall I up my 'Time to take responsibility' thread!

[taklishim]

My horse is now barefoot after suffering LGL for two years which went undiagnosed by the vet and farriers. I was told he had hoof imbalance which was causing intermittent lameness. He was shod accordingly. Two years down the line he had started to dish in front and stand like an elephant on a ball? The reason for this apparently was his conformation?? I don't think so!!! I have had him since he was 2 and he was bought to grow into a show hunter. I'm no Robert Walker but I know I wouldn't have bought a horse that dished and stood under itself to show!! Also how come he had good conformation as a youngster.

we must have had the same farrier! LOL.
My barefoot horse suffers LGL and basically needs a no grass diet.
Before I understood LGL I thought the problems could be solved by shoeing and tried. The farrier blamed the hoof imbalance and told me his conformation was so poor on his front legs that it was extremely difficult to balance the feet. He told me how badly out of line the leg was. It certainly was after his attempts to balance it. I too started to wonder as my horse on the day I bought he had been judged as the best 2yo at his breed show. I often wondered how I and the judges could have missed his badly "cock eyed" front legs.

Suprisingly after Pete Ramey had trimmed him they were perfectly in line. How strange

[kafee]

My farrier tells me if he finds any indication of bruising?/laminitis, and explains irregularities.

[ella19]

mine didn't pick up on my old ponies laminitis even when asked to look for it as I was sure he was borderline, sure enough he had a full blown attack (took him on extremely overweight). After that I swapped farriers. In theory yes they should know, but I do always allow for the fact people are human and do sometimes make mistakes, however it was a number of issues that made me swap