Wednesday 2 May 2012

Before and after: Buster and collateral ligaments

Time for photos on Buster, who is going home today. 
Apart from the fact that he has grown a lot of hair...(!) look at the difference in toe length and how much more supportive his heels are than when he arrived...
 And here is the same foot, solar view - in bar shoes on arrival...
after a few weeks...
and today.  Not only is there a massive change in the frog but look at how the symmetry of the foot is better now.  That's important because it reflects how the limb is loading the foot. 
Previously, there was too much load laterally and Buster had been diagnosed with collateral ligament strain.  Now, the hoof is much more supportive and as a result his soundness on this (his worst) foot has dramatically improved, as you saw in the clip I posted on Monday
Finally caudal shots, which give a better idea of how the back of his foot has strengthened. 
Look also at how the heels have lowered as the frog has become stronger - which is what we want in a horse working hard barefoot on varied terrain. 

3 comments:

amandap said...

Best of luck for the future Buster. You've done great.

Kristen Eleni Shellenbarger said...

WOW, what a change! Was all that toe/heel worn away naturally by movement and work?

Nic Barker said...

Keep everything crossed for him, Amanda!

Kristen - yep - I didn't trim him, if that's what you mean :-) It will come further back as his new hoof capsule continues to grow down too.