Horse is walking on

4 fingertips, with the

hoof wall a specialised fingernail

Pedal bone is suspended within hoof by interlocking lamellae 

Heredity

Diet

Environment

Farriery 

Wet horn weaker than dry

Ammonia rots horn

some hoof hardeners can damage hoof wall horn ( contain formalin) 

 7-10 mm/month

• 6 -12 months for full cycle

• Constant wear and exfoliation 

Geometrical axial symmetry

– Viewed from dorsal, palmar and solar surfaces –

All parts in proportion

• Toeangleequalpasternangle

• To eangl eequal heel angle
• Heelssamelengthandheight

– Equal distribution of weight 

Cranial to caudal imbalance has been defined as a deviation in the hoof alignment or as problems with heel support

(dorsopalmar or – plantar imbalance)

(mediolateral imbalance) 

Hoof pastern axis

Normal
Broken forward

(club foot)

Broken back

(long toe/low heel) 

Always:

Use hoof testers

Palpate digital pulses

Palpate coronary band

Manipulate the foot 

assess quality of farriery : 

horses normally shod every 6 weeks

nail bind

minimum number of nails

know how to remove shoes 

palmar digital nerve block

abaxial sesamoid nerve block

distal interphalangeal joint block

navicular bursal block

Protect hoof wall against wear & tear Improve performance
Additional support on slippery surfaces

but

They add weight (affect foot flight) They restrict expansion of foot during loading
They cause problems when incorrect 

• Clinical manifestation of different pathological processes: 

  • –  Navicular bone

  • –  The flexor surface of the NB

  • –  DIP joint

  • –  DDFT

  • –  Navicular suspensory

    ligaments

  • –  Impar ligament

• Is it a different entity of “distal tendinopathy of the DDFT” ? 

  
  

Vasculartheory(shaky...)

– Nutrient arteries occludenecrosis and bone resorption

• Biomechanical theory

– Increased pressure between the DDFT and NB; flat foot with long toe/low heel

• LeadingtoremodelingoftheNB (sclerosis. Marginal osteophytes, thickening sc bone) and inflammation of the NBsurface defects

– Analogous to degenerative joint disease 

• Insidious onset; frequent stumbles, reluctant to work on circle

• May point one foot

• Short strided at the trot;

• Often bilateral lameness which is

  accentuated on the hard circle

• Diagnostic analgesia: will improve to

– PDNB, DIP and NB block 

• Foot care

  – Support the heel, relax the DDFT

• Medical tx

  – NSAID, Vasodilators,
  – I.a. or intra-bursal corticosteroids

  • 60% sound for 2 months (7% at 12 months)

  • Contra-indcated if DDFT lesion present

  • Repeated injections less effective

  – Tiludronate

  • Reduces osteoclast activity

  
  

  Surgical: 

   Desmotomy of the suspensory ligaments (50%)

  – Decompression of the navicular medullary cavity (rarely performed)

  – Neurectomy (74% sound at 1y, 63% at 2y)

  • Neuroma (6% of operated cases)
  • Re-innervation (28% of cases)
  • DDFT rupture
  

  • Exungulation due to progressive abscessation