Monday 8 September 2014

Filly's 7 week update

I'm doing an interim update on Filly for Tim as both times he has come to see her she has been absolutely hopping lame - the abscess on her LF which she had at 4 weeks recurred last week in exactly the same place (photo below). 
At least we have a nice clear indication of exactly what 3 weeks hoof growth looks like  - though the hoof would be growing faster if she had been able to do more work last week! 
There is a corresponding area (pretty much directly below the abscess exit) on her sole which is also slightly sensitive. You can see it as the darker area on the lateral sole near the apex of the frog. I am really hoping that the problem is now resolved and that it won't flare up again, as it seems to have been a pretty significant area of damage.  
Back to her comparison photos and here she is on day 1 (above) and today in the lower photo. 
You can clearly see the top band of new growth, coming in at a steeper angle, which has grown in during the 7 weeks she has been here. Projecting forward, you can see that if she carries on with the current growth rate she will grow in a full new hoof capsule within about 6-7 months.
Sole shots on this foot show some quite nice changes from when she arrived in her shoes...
... this was the day after the shoes came off...
...and today - not the cleanest foot, apologies, but heels and bars coming back nicely though there is a way to go before its as good as it will be. 
This is the reason her landing has improved so much on this foot - from flat/toe first to heel first and a much healthier digital cushion, shorter hoof wall and better frog contact.
Now the most important bits - her footage. I've included stills but its easier to see the changes in the full footage which is below. 
This was her landing in July - it varied between flat and toe first, in fact. 
Her landing on this foot is now clearly heel first, which confirms what we see in the photos. On the LF its not so good yet but given the recurrent issues she has had on that foot she has nevertheless done well. 

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