[QHgin]

she was saying that his heel was fixing to open up but she said blow out. he does have an infection and she has me soaking his feet and then putting a mixture of neosproin and that athletes foot cream that starts with a "c" in the creases of his frogs.

[Dawn]

I'm still not quite sure what she's meaning by the heel...

What are you soaking the feet in?

The mixture you're using is good. I typically use the powdered athlete's foot meds and add zinc oxide to the mix as well (helps it to stay on longer). But you might need a more powerful med now, especially if the sulculus is well opened up.

[QHgin]

i think that she means the back of the frog maybe???? were it looks pinched together.

[Dawn]

Okay, like as in a wound opening up?

(Sorry if I'm way off here. My mind's going through several different things she could have meant that are completely unrelated to one another.)

[QHgin]

im not real sure. but she just told me that i would know when it happened and to treat it like an abscess . she also said that the cartilage or something was real weak. like right at the heel bulbs...she put her thumbs there and showed me how easy it moved around and said that he should be walked so that the cartilage would get stronger and that the coffin bone was slipped forward and thats why his toe was so long but that it would eventually get pulled backed???

[Dawn]

Okay, that's what I thought she was saying. Based on the photos, I thought that the center sulculus was already opened. But perhaps not.

What are you soaking it in?

Does she have x-rays she's working with? If so, how long ago were they taken?

How is she proposing to get the coffin bone to 'move back'. You really can't move the coffin bone as it's attached to the bones above it. Though she might have been 'dumbing down' what she was saying.

So far, I'm scratching my head a bit on this one and would love to hear what some other people have to say.

If it were my horse, I would be incredibly unhappy with the progression of things. But that's just my opinion based upon two sets of photos.

[Dawn]

Actually looking at them again, it is definately opened. Unless the photos are playing some very real tricks with my eyes.

[Dawn]

Okay, I went and did some searching.

When compared to 02/06, they're very different than they are now. I don't know if I would say better or worse. Just bad and different.Update w/ pics (horse trips when crossing)

When compared with 03/06, I think they look much worse now. Though I believe we only have two photos go judge from. cody's hooves update pics coming

And compared to 6/06 (basically 2 years ago), they seem to be to be coming more into the shape that they are now. Just longer and with a shoe on. From what I can see, there was definate regression between these photos and the ones a few months before. just one more time..cody's hooves

I'm not finding any from '07?

[QHgin]

Hold on i need to get out my anatomy book for this one. well i cant seem to find the term for it but i believe its cartilage. that maybe when the cartilage strengthens up that the coffin bone will then be held in place????? i never really questioned her about it i was always told that once it moves its there and nothing can move it back. she did ask that i get x-rays i just haven't had the money to do it b/c ive been paying extra than im use to for her to trim him. ive been soaking him in vinegar but she did give me a few options and i just chose vinegar b/c it was easy to get.

[Dancers Mom]

I am not an expert my any means and am still learning but the back of the hoofs look to short, and the hoofs themselves look to slanted or angled, almost like he could slip really easy. Does that make sense?