# OTTB Mare Confor Crit & Hoof Question



## SRCM16 (Oct 7, 2011)

This is my new girl that I haven't decided if is going to be another project to sell or if I'll end up keeping her, but time will tell. Wasn't planning on getting another horse to train, and the only reason I went to look at her is because I thought she was going to be skinny from the picture that was posted on her ad (can see below). Long story short went to go look at her and she's in good weight, but I fell in love with her and fell more in love with her when I saw her bloodlines and couldn't beat the price. She's going to need some work as she hasn't been worked with/ridden much in the past couple of years due to the owner's health but seems to be a sweet little mare. I plan on doing dressage and two phases with her, and eventing in a couple years if I do decide to keep her.

What should I do about her feet? They are uneven, cracked, and don't look very pleasant. Mostly working on ground manners right now with a little lunging. (Hoof pictures in second post below)

Racing history: She had four starts in 2005 and was unplaced in all of them, with comments like "tired" and "no threat", so racing was definitely not her thing and you can tell that when working with her.

Bloodlines: Tinas Cantina Thoroughbred


----------



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

If she was any other breed I would suggest just trimming her. I would have my farrier thoroughly check out her feet and he recommended shoes/and or pads I'd go with that. TB's are notorious for shelly feet and I think she'd feel better. =D


----------



## SRCM16 (Oct 7, 2011)

Sorry computer crashed before I could add the pictures of her hooves! The pictures don't really show them very good, but the cracks go all the way up and two of them are splayed out. I'm having my farrier come out as soon as he returns my call but want to know if I should leave them or get her trimmed and shoes?


----------



## SRCM16 (Oct 7, 2011)

Better conformation pictures from today. I'll be posting a video too, but its taking a while to upload.


----------



## SRCM16 (Oct 7, 2011)

Corporal said:


> If she was any other breed I would suggest just trimming her. I would have my farrier thoroughly check out her feet and he recommended shoes/and or pads I'd go with that. TB's are notorious for shelly feet and I think she'd feel better. =D


 Yeah, she seemed a little ouchy at first but I lunged her today and she seemed fine.


----------



## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

Ugly quarter cracks. Getting her well-shod to grow them out will be my choice, but it could be done trimming her frequently.


----------



## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Her front feet need a trimming (like 6 weeks ago). Her back feet as well, but those cracks look to me like they are growing down from the coronet, not cracking up from the wall. If that's the case, they can only be managed, not fixed. Get a good farrier/trimmer out to work with her regularly.


----------



## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Shoes. Reset or replaced every 5 weeks. 

Thoroughbreds can have very thin walled feet.. and those feet can be difficult to manage. 
I love a good Thoroughbred more than any other sort of horse. However, you need to look at the feet with a critical eye b4 getting one. No foot no horse sort of thing.


----------



## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Get your farrier to look and decide the best angle for them and also there are many feed supplements going around that really help with the healing and strenghtening of feet


----------



## Teekin (Apr 9, 2012)

Sorry dear I didn't get shots of the horse or the feet. All I can do is tell you what I have done and give you a petigree analysis.

Of all the Native Dancers I like Alydar the most. The boy showed real Grit and the Huge Heart the best TB have like no other. I do not patronise Culumet, may they rot in hell, because of Alydar. ( I wouldn't buy one of Barney Ward's horse's either. ) However, the horse Polynesian gave 2 things to his son Native Dancer. 
1. - Brilliant Speed- so much so that it changed the face of North American Racing and this sire and his progeny Dominatined short and middle dirt track racing for a century. 
2. - Unsoundness in the legs-- that is the trade off for the early speed. The bones do not have the same quality that the horses that run longer distance and mature slower do. The horses that are famous for throwing solid legs and stamina are allmost allways the same. There is a corolation.
Fast growing bone is brittle and prone to failure. Sad but true. This is compounded when you breed speed to speed like when you line breed Native Dancer progeny. 

Which is what happened in this mares case. I worry about this mare's long term soundness. Quality of bone is determine by genetics and the work that is done from 1.5-3 years old. In that time you can build a solid frame work or destroy the structure. Depends on what you do at what stage. A smart owner with time and a long veiw will build the best horse he can with the genetics he has. Most owners get as much money out of the horse as fast as possible irregardless of the damage to the horse. This mare is not bred well enough to be one that would nurtured along by a owner willing to take thier time. She is rough bred to turn a quick buck. Sorry. 

Now the feet. Owwhhh I have delt with BAD! feet. 1st thing to do is get a trim and find out just how far those cracks go down. As long as they are surface cracks they will grow out. If the corrnet is damaged then you have hoof defects BUT they can be managed. The worst hooves are on the TB who have run for 4-5 years. Those feet have been in shoes all that time. The soles are like rice paper. So far the best thing I have found to do, and it's a Pain, is to put down soft sand or put the horse on grass and let those soles toughen up. You Must be willing to trim the horse as she needs it. In summer it may be every 5 weeks, it winter every 8-9 weeks. Learn how to use a knife and rasp to knock of chips. Pick up a good all round supplement with lots of Vitamin C , Zinc, and Biotin. Feed good green feed high in protein. You can't grow foot without quality protein. Hooves grow INTO pressure so your horse needs to walk, trot, canter, MOVE! move move to grow foot. Devil's claw and MSM will relieve the swelling and bruising pain so she will move but will not cause stomach upset. 

Check for Thrush and White line disease. No point growing foot just for bacteria to destroy it. Treat it agggressively. It can destroy the foot and you can loose the horse.


----------



## SRCM16 (Oct 7, 2011)

rhosroyalvelvet said:


> Get your farrier to look and decide the best angle for them and also there are many feed supplements going around that really help with the healing and strenghtening of feet


She is currently on HorseShoer's Secret which is what her previous owner was giving her, but I'm going to what my farrier suggests. 



Teekin said:


> Sorry dear I didn't get shots of the horse or the feet. All I can do is tell you what I have done and give you a petigree analysis.
> 
> Of all the Native Dancers I like Alydar the most. The boy showed real Grit and the Huge Heart the best TB have like no other. I do not patronise Culumet, may they rot in hell, because of Alydar. ( I wouldn't buy one of Barney Ward's horse's either. ) However, the horse Polynesian gave 2 things to his son Native Dancer.
> 1. - Brilliant Speed- so much so that it changed the face of North American Racing and this sire and his progeny Dominatined short and middle dirt track racing for a century.
> ...


Hmmm, I wonder why they aren't working. :?

Thanks for the analysis, I'll make sure to take care of her legs well and make sure I condition a lot which is what I'm doing right now; slowly bringing her into work. 

She doesn't have thrush or anything like that, and I'm using a thrush treatment that Mane N Tail makes to prevent it since some of the pasture she is in can get a little gooey after it rains.


----------

