right lead problems, is the foot related?

[kedwards]

I know the thread title doesn't make much sense, but here's my question. If a horse had trouble putting weight on the outside of his left front hoof, would that result in difficulties on the right lead?

My intuition would say that such a horse would have more difficulty on the left lead, since that's the leading leg, but perhaps there is something about horse biomechanics that I don't understand.

I'm posting a picture of Bud being longed on the right lead (which he's having trouble with). If you look at the front left foot, you can see that it is tilted so that the underside of the hoof is showing.

I know why he favors the inside of that hoof (it still hasn't fully grown back from being torn months ago), but my question is whether anyone can think of a reason that this would lead to problems on the right lead, but not the left.

[galadriel]

I must look really funny, as I'm sitting here "cantering" in my seat trying to come up with something that might link outside left fore problems to right lead problems.

I would have thought that with the left fore and right hind striking at the same time, and so sharing the weight and pressure, then that would be the least likely direction/gait combo to have trouble. Whereas in left lead, the horse takes all of his weight briefly on the left fore.

I wonder if the left fore and right hind are responsible for most of the propulsion for the right lead canter "moment of suspension"? That would be a fair amount of push. It's dark, or I'd go out and ask Kat and Duchess to do some cantering for me so I could get a better look ;) I wonder if pushing off right lead would involve more (or different) force on the LF hoof than landing left lead canter.

Now, having speculated and babbled that out of the way ;) what is the problem he's having? Just 'cause I'm curious. And if he's tender there, have you thought about a pad on the hoof to help absorb the concussion until it's fully grown out? When Kat was recovering from an abcess over 3/4 of her sole, the farrier used some kind of rubber-ish compound; filled the area inside the horseshoe with it and when it dried (about a minute) it provided her with a nice concussion absorber.

[kedwards]

I must look really funny, as I'm sitting here "cantering" in my seat trying to come up with something that might link outside left fore problems to right lead problems.

Thanks for risking looking silly to help me out :D You should have seen me cantering on the floor.:)

He's got pads and bars in front. At this point, it's almost entirely grown out. The next shoeing (in the next week or two) should do it.

It's hard to identify what the problem with his canter is. He has trouble striking off on the right, wants to counterbend into it, takes up the wrong lead that way sometimes, and falls out of it quickly. It's about the same whether under saddle or on the longe.

[intouch]

Please tell - there must be a reason - for the OR boots on the hind feet?

[galadriel]

Originally posted by kedwards
It's hard to identify what the problem with his canter is. He has trouble striking off on the right, wants to counterbend into it, takes up the wrong lead that way sometimes, and falls out of it quickly. It's about the same whether under saddle or on the longe.

There must be a reason you're associating this with the hoof, right? Has it been a problem for as long as his hoof's been injured, or was he maybe laid up for a while and like this when he came back into work?

I wonder if, while his hoof was originally injured, he managed to make himself a little one-sided or crooked. Trying to move around while his hoof hurt may have affected his musculature, leaving him one-sided when he started working again. In which case, the simple answer is to get him to build up his muscles properly again... (don't you hate it when you work so hard to make a horse evenly muscled, and something silly happens and all your work vanishes?)

I hope it's something as simple as that :) and not some lingering soreness in the hoof, or something else elusive.

[kedwards]

Intouch, they are bell boots on his hind feet for added protection, as he brushes behind. Normally he wheres OR in front and bell boots behind. Pretty soon, I plan to put a helmet and padded suit on him as well :D

Galadriel, I think you're right about the being one-sided from over-compensation. I've been working with him as though that's the case. I also have another visit with the chiropractor scheduled. I think the hoof should be fully grown out with the next shoeing, then after the back alignment, we'll hopefully be working with a cleaner slate, so to speak.

I was just watching him run and play with his pal yesterday, and his tendency to favor the left lead wasn't apparent at all. No problem running and cantering either direction (and on small circles, to boot), and perfectly clean flying changes both directions.

[Lucy J]

sounds like my mare, she is absolutely fine out in the field but when being ridden and being lunged in the school she quite often ends up in a disunited canter or finds it hard to do a good transition at all. her problem is that her back is quite stiff, she is always much better being exercised after being at grass all day than after being stabled. with more schooling she is getting better, but that certainly seems to be the problem with her, so perhaps you should look outwith the hoof too....

i see why intouch has mentioned the bell boots, i generally only see them used as over reach boots and a sausage boot used on the back for brushing on the lower part of the leg (or hind brushing boots if higher up!) but if they do the job that's fine! :)

[kedwards]

Thanks Lucy. I do actually think that it's his back that is the problem, much like your horse, and already have the chiropractor visit lined up. I hadn't really thought of the hoof as being related to that particular problem, but when I saw that photo, it got me wondering.

Boots would be fine on the back if they came down over his hooves, as that is where he interferes.

[virtuallyhorses]

You may find that it's indirectly related - if the foot was painful\damaged he will have tried to ease that pain by moving in an abmormal way - that then causes the stressed muscles in the shoulders, back and quarters to overwork and spasm and if it's a long-ish term problem (like several weeks or more) they will even compensate and then continue to work 'badly' once the problem is resolved. If it appears most in the canter it'll most likely be the loin or flank (or even the butt) muscles have shortened or become painful from compensating for the hoof injury - try running your hand all along those areas - lightly at first and then slowly increasing the pressure to firm - watch carefully for any twitching of the skin and feel for how soft\hard the muscles are.

Common canter problem area is the flank - those hip flexors and abs just where the belly hits the rear legs - run your hand up there and see what reaction you get, you'll probably find he's tight - physio\massage rather than chiro problem.

:)

[Lucy J]

actually, just with you mentioning the boots, my horse used to catch herself behind around the coronet band. she doesn't anymore, could be that this is also due to stiffness or perhaps the pelivis being slightly rotated. just a though, but would be interesting to see if the horse still interferes behind after the chiropractor has been out?

keep us posted...

incidently, just over the last week or so my horse has got much better and has much more flexion and better transitions, at last!

[kedwards]

Interesting, Lucy. The interfering is a newer habit and very well could be related a back problem.

Your thoughts regarding compensatory asymmetries are also very interesting, VH. My trainer said something very similar and thought he looked somewhat stiff around the croup area on his right. Perhaps I will get a hold of a massage therapist too.

[virtuallyhorses]

This may sound rather strange but would you be able to pull his tail without being kicked? Although this is most likely a muscular issue you can also provide your horse with some relief by working his tail (its basically a nice spine stretch). The simplest exercise is simply to pull - putting tension on slowly at first. Passers-by find this highly amusing :D.

Do check the tail FIRST before doing this - run your hands down it on both sides from the dock and gently tension each joint in turn if there are ANY that feel loose or bent DON'T pull on the tail.
Once the horse knows what you're up to he'll often show his enjoyment my leaning into the pull and letting you pull really quite hard! other good signs are sighing after you slowly release and his willingness to let you lift and work on the tail - I guess its like traction and releases all the tension along the spine.

You can also give the tail itself a little massage by working in little circles on the underside and help ease tension in the back by lifting the tail vertically, rotating it and bending it to each side.

Do everything slowly and gently at first and let your horse be your guide to what he's enjoying.

[galadriel]

Interesting, Viv, interesting. Makes sense too.

[Lucy J]

yes i quite regulrarly, after exercise, stretch my horses tail, she really enjoys it and leans her weight towards me and lowering her head. it seems to be a good way of straightening out the spine. i have a book on shiatsu for horses and this along with many other useful exercises are included in it.

[kedwards]

I'll pull his tail then:D Seriously, I have a nice book on horse stretches too, but only do a few of them regularly and have never tried the tail one. Thanks for the idea.

And, for a little update, Bud continues to progress. It's been slow-going, but over the last two weeks I've really started seeing significant improvement again.