Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2006 21:10:45 GMT 1
Thanks for all your ideas. I'm very relieved that no one has appeared too worried.
On the general health side, she's not had any problems that I know of. I know that sounds like a daft thing to say about a horse I see twice a day but there could always have been something going on that I didn't detect. Betty is retired so I don't have performance or anything like that to go on. She's not appeared out of sorts in any way, though.
The one thing that may be affecting her is that, since posting this, she's started showing some low level lameness. She has navicular bursitis (hence the retirement) and it is possible that she has been feeling a bit sore without it showing up, and therefore slightly adjusting her weight. Before she was retired, it would be really hard to pick up her lameness unless you did anything on a circle, especially on harder ground, when she would suddenly go to hopping lame. Out in the field, it just doesn't show. The current lameness is probably due to playing silly buggers when a gelding was put into the field before Christmas.
The only other thing that occured to me is that, although the field itself isn't very wet, the gateway is very muddy. This mud of course will remain on the hoof (as you can see from the photo) even when she's in the drier parts of the field.
I'll see what the trimmer says. She's a KC qualified trimmer who has always given good advice on other issues.
I'll give some thought to the growth rings, Amanda.
By the way, I did put something up on the EE board but didn't get nearly as much feedback as here. Thanks!!!
On the general health side, she's not had any problems that I know of. I know that sounds like a daft thing to say about a horse I see twice a day but there could always have been something going on that I didn't detect. Betty is retired so I don't have performance or anything like that to go on. She's not appeared out of sorts in any way, though.
The one thing that may be affecting her is that, since posting this, she's started showing some low level lameness. She has navicular bursitis (hence the retirement) and it is possible that she has been feeling a bit sore without it showing up, and therefore slightly adjusting her weight. Before she was retired, it would be really hard to pick up her lameness unless you did anything on a circle, especially on harder ground, when she would suddenly go to hopping lame. Out in the field, it just doesn't show. The current lameness is probably due to playing silly buggers when a gelding was put into the field before Christmas.
The only other thing that occured to me is that, although the field itself isn't very wet, the gateway is very muddy. This mud of course will remain on the hoof (as you can see from the photo) even when she's in the drier parts of the field.
I'll see what the trimmer says. She's a KC qualified trimmer who has always given good advice on other issues.
I'll give some thought to the growth rings, Amanda.
By the way, I did put something up on the EE board but didn't get nearly as much feedback as here. Thanks!!!