As discussed, the underlying cause of lameness will dictate some of the conditioning parameters.īut, more generally speaking, consider that injury is often the result of repetitive motion, so the more variety you add to the training program, the better. The second part of your question correctly identifies the fact that conditioning is always walking a fine line between building strength and fitness while not inducing injury. While a horse with osteoarthritis might benefit from living in pasture so he can continually move around, a horse with a history of laminitis should not be allowed access to a grassy pasture. Even the ideal housing condition could depend on the underlying cause of lameness. Alternatively, corrective shoeing for a horse with thin soles might consist of shoes with pads, particularly if the horse lives or works in an area with hard or rocky footing. Take, for example, a horse with a deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) injury at the level of the navicular bone this horse might benefit from a shoe and/or pad that elevates the heel region as this decreases tension on the DDFT. Is the gelding’s front-foot lameness due to laminitis, navicular syndrome, coffin joint osteoarthritis, a soft-tissue injury, or something else? Knowing the underlying cause will help guide an appropriate and effective management program with considerations for ideal footing, housing, shoeing and appropriate length and intensity of exercise. The first, and most important, step in managing the lameness will be to accurately characterize the cause. Managing LamenessĪs I am sure you know, the horse’s foot is an extremely complex structure and there are a multitude of things that can cause hoof lameness. ![]() I’ll break my answer into two parts-managing the front foot lameness and building condition while minimizing injury risk. ![]() It’s great to see these semi-retired horses finding second or third careers in their later years, and it’s wonderful you’re being so proactive in this horse’s management.
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