Hoof assessment please!

[Laura+Phantom]

Seeing as there are such knowledgeable people around here, can you tell me what you think of Phantom's hooves please? Sorry they aren't more detailed/different angles, shall I take some that are?

Front foot sole
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomfronthoofsolemay07.jpg

Hind foot sole
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomhindhoofsolemay07.jpg

I expect he could do with a trim but he was convinced the farrier was a vet when he was last around and wouldn't let me catch him :rolleyes:

Have a guess as to when he was last trimmed? He is ridden on the roads about twice a week at present.

Is there an improvement over time, do you think? (aside from needing a trim - i'm looking at shape) Front hoof pics:

November 06
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantombarefootsole.jpg

January 07
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomfronthoofjan4th2007.jpg

May 07
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomfronthoofsolemay07.jpg

Thank you! :D

[VickiGG]

Apart from quite a bit of excess hoof wall (looks like toe is wearing quite well but flaring a bit on front quarters) - looks great... piccies are a bit blurry?

[MelanieD]

Could do with a trim but hard to tell how long ago the last one was, could be anything from a couple of weeks to months depending on how the feet grow.

Last pic is too blurry to see much detail but can see some improvements in the more recent one compared to the first pic.

[Jaimee]

These hooves are in need of a good re balancing. The heels are too forward. If you visualise the part of the foot that hits the ground first (it should be the heels) it has all migrated forward, and the heels are high as a result. I have drwan on one of your pictures as a guide of where things need to be.

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/531/phantombarefootsoleor6.jpg

You need to make sure the bars dont bear weight, they should roughly follow the lines and slope down in towards the frog.

Hope this helps.

[Laura+Phantom]

Ah, I see, I will mention that to my farrier when he comes, and I will get him to to give them a good going over (and i'll catch him this time :rolleyes: )
Thanks for that Jaimee! Is it any better in the most recent pic though, compared to that one?

He is going really sound and seems to like being barefoot, he used to rip his front shoes off a lot, and he's not been footsore yet. My farrier trims him and all my others as I don't know of any EP's near here and can't afford to pay one to travel all the time. He sounds like he knows a lot a about hoof balance etc though.

Phantom hasn't been trimmed since...october 2006! :eek: Sorry about the blurry pic, will get better ones with better camera!

[MelanieD]

The heels do look better in the newer pics, but the newest one is too blurry to be sure if they could come back further or be trimmed down more.

[Laura+Phantom]

Okay, new, better photos!

Front hoof sole (sorry about the shadow)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomfronthoofsolemay07-1.jpg

Different view
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomfronthoofsoleanglemay07.jpg

Side on front hoof (other leg in the air as he was licking a lickit!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomfronthoofsideonmay07.jpg

Hind hoof sole (ignore shadow)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomhindhoofsolemay07-1.jpg

Different angle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/phantomhindhoofsoleanglemay07.jpg

Thank you!

[Jaimee]

Here is some drawings on your new photos. By getting the heels back will develop and widen the back of the foot (nice juicy frogs!). This will strengthen your horses digital cushion which is pivotal for soundness. These photos clearly show that the lateral balance is not being trimmed correctly either. My farrier did the same. We had him for fifteen years untill I started learning about horses hooves and how to trim. I had never had much in the way of problems. But now I am trimming myself I see how much I really was missing out on. Most of the time I didnt realise my horse just wasnt 100%, now they are soooo much more than that, sound on all terrain and move ten times better and never stumble (used to be a real problem with one horse!). Knowledge is key!

Here are the pictures. Hope it helps.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/nicole5310/ph1.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/nicole5310/ph2.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/nicole5310/ph3.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/nicole5310/ph4.jpg

Your horse is high on the outside in front and high on the inside on the hinds, can you imagine how uncomfortable that could be to him further up in his body? A few mm on the foot can make a big difference further up.

Good luck!:D

[Laura+Phantom]

Thanks a lot for that Jaimee! Very helpful :D