8 minute read
Starting right Early
FEET FIRST
GIVING A FOAL THE BEST START IN LIFE MEANS PUTTING FEET FIRST, AND THE VALUE OF CORRECT FARRIERY IN EARLY LIFE SHOULD NEVER BE UNDERESTIMATED. EXPERTS AGREE IT’S ESSENTIAL THAT FOALS SHOULD RECEIVE HOOF CARE WITHIN WEEKS OR EVEN DAYS OF BEING BORN. BARBARA YOUNG REPORTS.
Leading farriers and breeders advise that early corrective trimming, to ensure foot balance, is one of the building blocks for establishing soundness and athletic prospects.
“Regular foot trimming is absolutely vital from an early age, the sooner the farrier deals with an irregularity, the better the outcome,” says Theresa Oakes of Penhaligon Stud in Shropshire. “It’s a slow process to rectify a misalignment, so we would have the farrier out every four weeks to steadily balance the foot.”
Some aspects of foot care can even impact a foal’s limb anatomy for life. “A lot of what you do to the horse as a foal is going to affect the animal as an adult. Our foals are checked at two weeks old to rectify any issues with their foot balance,” explains Theresa. “Quite often, a foal can be born with slight deviations in straightness. If these deviations are treated by a competent farrier as early as possible, this is can normally be put right in a few trims.
“We’re lucky to have a world champion farrier in Jim Blurton of Forden Farriers, who looks out for any abnormalities. We’re very aware that the vital time for rectifying problems is the first si months prior to the joint growth plates closing. Once this has occurred, there is not much you can do.”
Cotswolds-based farrier Barry Payne has worked alongside leading vets all over the country, including Bourton Vale Equine Clinic and Hook Norton Veterinary Group, and is established as a valued expert in treating foals.
Barry, who is soon to retire, says he is usually called out to
RIGHT: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOOVES AS A FOAL CAN AFFECT ITS PROSPECTS AS AN ADULT SO EARLY ATTENTION TO FARRIERY IS ESSENTIAL.
look at a foal in the first few weeks of its life or even sooner if the breeder has concerns.
“I would usually treat a foal about a week or fortnight after it’s born and trim according to what’s needed e plains Barry. “ hen I first visit I look at the foal stood up - you want to see two straight front legs - then watch it walk and study the way the foot falls and hooves strike the ground. Ideally you want the foot to land level but the ma ority of foals’ feet land to the outside which is where correct trimming comes in to help prevent lameness issues developing in later life. egular foot balancing with additional support of plastic e tensions where necessary allows the foal to grow as straight as possible while trimming keeps the weight of the foal evenly distributed over the limbs. lthough the foal’s hoof may be trimmed more often than that of a mature horse less hoof is removed and ust the e cess wall is trimmed down.
Barry believes that many of the problems found in foal foot conformation today lies in e cessive feeding of mares.
“ od’s green grass is the best thing in the world for mares and foals. If you talk to the old stud grooms in racing the only time they used to feed their mares was if they were looking a bit poor coming up to ovember so they might give them a few stud nuts ahead of foaling in anuary or February but now you’ll see people feeding all the year round.
Barry also points out that as foals’ feet grow twice as fast as those of adult horses the natural wear to hooves of foals born in the wild differs dramatically to those of future performance horses.
“If a foal is born in the wild within uarter of an hour it’s got to be up and on the move or it gets eaten. It would do miles of walking a day following the herd’s leader so the hooves begin to wear straight away he e plains. “However for domestic horses it’s a different story which is why farriers are called in at an early stage to trim. heresa says that it’s essential to have a calm uiet farrier who will be compassionate when handling young foals.
“ e handle our foals from birth to pick up their feet some are very willing while others need more time but they have to learn that this is their normal routine. Because our youngsters are handled from birth we find they are accepting of new e periences with trust and willingness. ccording to Barry many foals are born with irregular foot conformation such as upright feet which re uire immediate attention.
“ ith an upright foal the farrier needs to get there within a day or so because the sooner you can trim that foot down it will begin to walk more correctly Barry e plains. “If it’s not landing level or is bent over at the knee we would look at fitting a lightweight plastic e tension. It’s a bit like planting a young tree and putting a supporting stick ne t to it to help it grow straight. hen using the plastic e tensions we don’t build up we build out and let that stay on for four or five weeks with regular trimming each week. If not resolved this would have a long term effect on performance for the rest of its life.
“ ears ago before plastic we would put a tiny three- uarter shoe but this crushed the oints above and risked ossification so foals would be written off.
“ ith long-legged foals you’ll see them rest one leg when they’re eating which will make that hoof become more upright as the tendons contract.
Barry reveals that antibiotic in ections can also play their part in correcting upright feet and he would like to see more veterinary research into the connection to knee oint lameness.
“In cases of foals with very upright feet it’s now routine to administer a strong dose of antibiotics which will take the foot down in ust two or three hours which is absolutely ama ing.
“ ressage horses are often asked to turn very short and if they also have unbalanced feet they’ll go lame for two or three strides afterwards. In . of cases the problem is incorrect foot balance where the knee is taking all the stress and those tiny oint capsules are getting bruised because the knee is rotating every time the foot hits the floor.
“ here’s no doubt about it correct farriery early on can prevent performance problems in later life.
LEFT: THE IRREGULAR FOOT CONFORMATION OF THERESA OAKES’ FOAL DUNCAN WAS PICKED UP BY HER FARRIER, ITS IMPACT REVEALED ON AN X-RAY AND CORRECTIVE SHOEING USED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. LOWER HOUSE EQUINE CLINIC AT LLANYMYNECH.
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