WRAPPING LEGS

For those that don't know much about equine feet, this is a nasty looking foot.  Actually for those that do know equine feet, this is a nasty foot.  This is Gus' right front and is the reason he spends quite a bit of time in feet made of casting material, used for arm and leg casts on people.  

The casting material works very well to give his foot the support he doesn't have internally because of long term chronic laminitis.  He has been stable for years with no reoccurring founder or laminitis, but the damage has already been done and as he gets older his foot becomes less stable. 

We are encouraged by the growth coming out at the top.  It will never look good, but it is growing out with better shape to it. 

As you can see the bottom half is contracted and scary.  He's actually walking and standing pretty good for him.  The foot itself isn't flaky, although he does have a vertical crack down the front that is trying to become permanent.  I hope as the better looking foot grows out, and better equipped to hold his weight, the crack will become less important and hopefully give up.  

Courtney and I would like to keep him out of the casting material as long as possible.  If he can make it to the monsoon season starting in July without it, she'll put it back on, thru the wet, humid time.  Of course that brings up another problem, stinky feet, somewhat like wearing sneakers all the time in hot, humid climate.  So far he hasn't had a problem with white line, or other feet problems, thank goodness.  

The wrapping legs headline tells what I've been doing almost every morning lately.  Almost every morning I add a leg or two, to my list.  Boaz, Quilla and Penny have now been joined by Coquette.  Coquette's leg sores are different than the other ones.  Hers seems to be internal, rather than sun or fly caused.  Last year they got ahead of me and was really a problem.  So this year I started early, checking her legs.  I should have trimmed the long hair off her legs when I clipped her earlier this week, because this morning she had a full blown case of sores.  I left the hair on with the idea that maybe it would help to slow down the sore problem.................nope, didn't help.  Now there are sores to contend with, not sure I can use the clippers, might have to just use scissors.  

Her blood test for Cushings came back normal, so she is probably just insulin resistant, although her numbers were within normal range.  She just needs to be taller I guess.........LOL