Natural Hoof!

What are five of the most common pathologies of the Equine foot?

1: club feet

2: Navicular

3: Laminitis and Founder

4: white line disease

5: Canker

I will try my best to explain what every one is and why it happens.

Club feet a pathology Caused by Injury:

The horses hoof is a complex, highly sensitive foundation for the equine body that is comprised of three main parts: the wall, the sole and the frog. Even though each element of the hoof has a primary function, they are all required to work collectively to present a functional hoof.

Damaged above the foot leads to a reduced ranged of motion, shortening of the stride. The reduce stride length tends to be accompanied by a changed to the toe first landing rather then heel first, which reduces the wear at the heel and encourages the foot to become more upright, and one foot thus becomes more upright then the other in which is basically the definition of a " club Foot" It is most and so often seen in one of the front feet.

Club feet are becoming a major problem, and not just here in the States. As it happens, when working with club-footed horses is one of anyone’s pet projects. The problem is more prominent in Arabs, then come Morgan’s, Quarter horses, and on down the line. It's starting to show up in heavy horses as well.

Usually, club feet are diagnosed and treated while the horse is still immature; this is one of the most common growth (orthopedic) problems in young horses and typically affects youngsters between birth and six months of age. Sometimes, though, the horse is an adult before he presents with the condition. Here is an example of how Ideal foot looks then we have the flared foot and last club foot:

Navicular Disease:

The term "Navicular Disease" has been a concern of horse owners for many years. In fact, navicular disease has been determined as a cause of lameness in horses as early as 1752 when the syndrome was originally described. The term "Navicular Disease" itself is misleading. A "disease" implies a specific cause and therefore specific therapy (e.g., Lyme Disease caused by Borrelia buradorferi and treated with tetracyclines). Therefore, the term "Navicular Disease" has been replaced by the more accurate term, "Navicular Syndrome" which implies multiple causes and therapeutic approaches based on the individual patient.Navicular syndrome is one of several conditions leading to heel soreness or lameness. This could be more like symptom /result of other issues in the hoof/body.....caused by an imbalance or long term contraction! In order to understand this syndrome as well as these other conditions, I am posting a diagrammatical representation of the equine foot as it is shown below. Pertinent anatomical features are labeled and the ticked lines/arrows represent the "heel" region for this discussion!Now what does the term "navicular" refer to? Well, there is a bone in the horse's foot called the "navicular bone." The navicular bone is a little wedge-shaped bone that sits basically above and behind the coffin bone right at the back of the foot and navicular bone is held in place by ligaments which arise from the dense connective tissue of the bone surface and stretch to the adjacent bones. Along the posterior aspect of the navicular bone and curling underneath it, the deep digital flexor tendon stretches to attach firmly to the under surface of the coffin bone.

As the coffin joint flexes, the deep digital flexor tendon glides against the navicular bone. This rubbing action would cause tissue damage and pain if it were not for the bursa which is located between the tendon and the bone. In the normal state, this bursa is filled with a lubricative substance which eliminates pain and tissue damage.

It's purpose is to act as a sling, or pivot point, for the deep flexor tendon as it comes down and curves to attach to the coffin bone. The navicular bone also contains blood channels that help provide blood flow to the hoof. It is not always possible to pinpoint the exact cause of the navicular syndrome in horses. Because there are a variety of causes, no one treatment is successful.

Laminitis and Founder:

The definition of Laminitis is simply inflammation (itis) of the Laminae (lamin) So, translated Laminitis literally means laminae inflammed, or inflammation.

Formal definition:

Inflammation of the foot inside the hoof capsule

Failure of attachment between the P3 and the inner hoof wall.

Causes metabolic disturbance and consequent compromise of the digit’s biochemical integrity

re are 4 stages to Laminitis ...

The first is:

DEVELOPMENTAL

This Starts with exposure to cause: ends w/1st signs of lameness where laminar separation is triggered BUT there are no clinical signs at all. This stage lasts 24 - 60 hours and may or may not resolve on its own. Horses that are out 24/7 and getting the proper food and nutrition are generally going to recover by themselves and the only way the owner would tell that the horse went laminitic would be by seeing the 'rings' on the hoof a month or two later and each ring tells of inflamed lamina. doesn't matter if farrier/vet says "growth rings", "grass rings", weather rings and no matter what its ALL laminitis.

If just ONE lamina becomes inflamed it will leave a ring on the hoof wall as the hoof grows down. Reason being -- the lamina tissue does NOT go back to its original form after and inflammation subsides. It remains damaged and in its stretched form so the horn of the wall mirrors this. plain and simple. Horses that are stalled much of the time and can't move around to get the circulation going in their hooves, and get that congestion of lactic acid out of their hooves they go on to the :

2nd stage of Laminitis:

This stage begins with clinical changes in the hoof Pounding Digital Pulse, Heat, Possible sensitivity to hoof testers Lameness Lameness Walking 'as if on eggshells' and this stage lasts 72 hours and ends with rotation or sinking of the P3.

Sub Acute Stage:

Mild period with less severe clinical signs without mechanical failure of the foot and this stage often ends without permanent damage. That is the most ideal end for the Acute Stage this stage can last from 72 hr to lifetime.

Thrush:

Is usually a rather benign disease that attacks the frog and surrounding tissue. It is primarily found in the sulci (the grooves along side and down the center of the frog). It is characterized by a dark, often black, putrid slimy discharge. It is usually associated with poor frog growth and a ragged disintegration of the frog tissue. Occasionally a case will become chronic and complicated with deep involvement of the sensitive structures and may, in worst case scenarios, involve the tendons. These cases are hard to distinguish from canker, and very difficult to cure.

What causes thrush?

A little critter called spherophorus necrophorus is most often to blame. It is an anaerobic (lives without oxygen) bacterium that lives in the digestive tracts of animals world wide. Poor sanitation, dirty stalls, manure filled paddocks and wet conditions are major factors that predispose the foot to thrush. Contracted or overly high heels that trap debris also contribute to a horse’s chances of contracting thrush. But the primary cause of this disease is lack of thorough cleaning of the feet. S. necrophorus in small colonies is easily killed by air and light. This bacterium loves dark wet unsanitary places like the bottom of a horse’s foot. It can set up housekeeping and multiply prolifically, feeding on the frog tissue itself.

The treatment would require thorough cleaning, disinfecting,application of thrush remedy and packing, it might take more then one treatment to rectify the problem.

White Line Disease:

In recent years, a growing problem has been noticed in horses’ hooves. This is called White Line Disease. The places where it is most prominent include hot and humid places, but lately it has been seen all over the United States at much higher rates. It is not something that is the result of poor hygiene, and that makes it hard to prevent because the causes aren’t well known.

What is it exactly? When it comes down to it, it is the deterioration that happens on the inner part of the wall of the horse’s hoof. The reason it is called White Line is that this is in reference to the area of the inner layer of the hoof wall, which is distinctly non-pigmented. In the earliest stages of the disease, there is only a noticeable change on the ground surface of the hoof or foot, which is a small area that looks powdery near the place where the hoof wall meets the sole. It might stay just in this location, but it also might progress into a much larger area of the hoof. This disease might show up in only one foot or up to all four. It always begins with a separation that occurs between the wall of the hoof and the sole. It might happen in either the toe area, the quarter of the foot, or the heel. The process itself will actually remove the part of the hoof that is meant to protect it, and this will open the door to bacteria and fungus. These bacteria and fungus that will enter the hoof of the animal are those that are found every day, in every environment. Once the white line has been breached, these pathogens will enter and destruct and deteriorate the inner wall of the hoof.

If you want to catch the disease in the early stages, the only thing to do is have your horse observed by a farrier. Most of the time, this disease will go unnoticed until the horse is actually being uncomfortable and showing this discomfort. At this point, you can see the affected area by an examination of the food, and you can also see how far the disease has progressed by using an X-ray.

Addressing this infection would include removal of all affected horn, disinfecting, filling the void with epoxy material and applying a supportive shoe. Changing the horse's footing conditions would be required to eliminate re-infection.

Contracted heels:

Contracted heels in the horse is characterized by a shift of the hoof wall resulting in the narrowing of the foot and especially at the point of the heel and they are labeled as "contracted heels". Contracted heels are commonly found in Thoroughbreds due to the style or trimming and shoeing ( longer toe and under-run heel) to encourage greater speed. Primary cases of contracted heels result from unbalanced feet, either long toe/low heels (LTLH) or overgrown hooves. Trimming the feet and correcting the hoof angle result in expansion of the heels. Secondary contracted heels are caused by lameness and disuse of the limb, resulting in hoof atrophy.

Problems associated with contracted heels include disruption of the shock-absorption mechanism of the foot (Rooney 1974). The contracted hoof wall presses internal structures, a condition termed hoof bound (Rick 1907). Crevices and grooves formed by the contracting hoof creates a favorable environment for thrush.

It seems that most of the problems horses experience with their feet are the direct result of human intervention – either directly as a result of injury, or indirectly, resulting from failing to provide them with the environment they need to keep their feet, not to mention their minds and bodies, and health. Perhaps it is time we as horse owners led the way forward and take it upon themselves to step beyond traditional 'pasture maintenance' to something more like 'habitat creation' or 'adventure playgrounds' for our animals. If pastures were ploughed up and reseeded with 'low-quality' native grasses, fences replaced with hedges or stone walls, areas of hard-standing provided, possibly even 'climbing areas' planted up with native, non-toxic herbs, and thought given to layout so that the horses are encouraged to continuously play and explore their environment, surely we could teach the horse owners a thing or two? Perhaps a fenced off strip in the middle would encourage a 'track' to develop around it, and within the strip an area could be set aside for herbs, wildflowers and a small pond, providing an enhanced environment for wildlife, horse and owner alike. Having taken horses from their natural environment and subjected them to the perils of civilization, surely it behooves us to do what we can to restore a suitable environment for them, and for us all! and nn the end everything leads back to the natural horse and how they survive in the wild and what they eat and how they survive and why it is important for us to learn and explore everything we can about them.