Beckie Mabbutt

Below are a couple of different examples of Flexor Tendon Contraction.

Below are a selection of pictures of flexor tendon laxity. These sort of extreme cases can be dealt with as foals but not in the adult horse.

The conference in Cincinnati was very successful, some very informative lectures and a great trade show. Here are a couple of pictures from the trade show.

This Monday I'll be heading off to Cincinnati-Ohio for 4 days of lectures along side another 800 or so farriers from all over the world. I'll also be representing the Equine Lameness Prevention Organisation by working on their trade stand whilst I'm there. I look forward to returning with some new information and ideas.

Here's the link if you want to see what the programme is click here

Here are a sequence of pictures that are a bit tricky to explain but here goes.

This is Pete a Lamanitic miniature shetland. Firstly he has grown very long feet, been on box rest and has been so sore he couldn't walk the width of his stable. An important part of his history is he also had locking stifle surgery on both hinds a few years ago.

Since his lack of exercise he seems to have lost the tension in the flexor tendons (tendons that run down the back of the leg) on his hind legs and worse on the off hind. He ended up not being able to put his feet flat on the floor his toes were off the ground and he was walking severely on the outside of the hind feet too.

I was all ready to try gluing a shoe on to help him but when I arrived the laminitis had hugely improved and he was a lot more mobile his hind legs had started to strengthen so I ended up just trimming him. I did take a lot off though.

I've added red arrows below to make it clearer the gap between the ground and foot.

Here is the leg after trimming looking quite a bit straighter.