Paint on sealant for toe-dragging?

[BunithGrace]

Is there such a thing? Vet and I are working on trying to find out the cause of my pony's toe-dragging with her hind toes. She wears them both square, and without shoes she wears them too much. I really really want to let her go barefoot, but ride her so much in my ring and the angular sand rasps the hoof as she drags it through the sand. I'm wondering, is there such a thing that could be painted onto where she drags it through to create a sealant so she's not wearing her toe off, but the sealant off? I'm happy to re-apply daily, weekly, whatever it takes.

In the meantime, we are working on slowly and carefully building up her stifles and figuring out what's going on as she is not lame, he watched her on the lunge and under saddle, chiropracted her (he does once a month), and she was given a shot of Adequan. He's an excellent lameness vet, very well respected in our area, so I feel like we are in good hands.

Any advice or products anybody knows of?

[starrunner]

I don't know about a sealant, but my family had a mare that wore off her hind toes by dragging and in our case, putting...I'm having a mental blank what they're called, but they were wooden round balls and look similar to the metal chains that TWH use on her hind feet was enough incentive to learn how to pick up her feet.

Eventually, she didn't need them any longer and wouldn't drag her toes even without her "anklets"

[BunithGrace]

I don't know about a sealant, but my family had a mare that wore off her hind toes by dragging and in our case, putting...I'm having a mental blank what they're called, but they were wooden round balls and look similar to the metal chains that TWH use on her hind feet was enough incentive to learn how to pick up her feet.

Eventually, she didn't need them any longer and wouldn't drag her toes even without her "anklets"

Like, attached to one-another?:eek: Hmm. Or just to annoy her enough to pick them up more? I was hoping for some kind of epoxy or liquid sealant I could put on just where she wears them (bottom of her hoof, front, only an inch or so), but appreciate the idea and advice!

[BunithGrace]

What about this stuff, put only where she drags rather than the entire hoof?

http://www.hoofarmor.com/

[starrunner]

Naw, nothing was attached, it was just enough to rattle and cause her to pick her feet up higher.

[starrunner]

Similar to http://www.4showhorsetack.com/images/42-037aluminumrattlers.jpg
these, except ours were wooden.

Good luck with your search though.

[BunithGrace]

Oh I see now, thanks! I think I might have to just keep the shoes on if what I'm looking for doesn't exist. Those still might be a good idea though, either way.

[TheOrangeOne]

Generally toe dragging is stifle related. I don't know what you would put on the foot other than maybe just some building material like they use for glue on shoes.

[Sobriska]

I want to commend you for looking for a cause, and not just asking to cover up the issue.

I would suggest you give Perfect Hoof Wear a try. It is a mesh type material that wraps around the hoof and adheres to it. Stays on well.

If you can not use that, I would say you could try a few layers of hoof armour. Be prepared. That is some messy, PITA stuff to put on.

Besides physical causes, have you given any thought to training issues?

[NoExcuses]

In many cases horses or ponies that drag their hind toes they have sore hocks. Has your vet done any hock flexion's and x-ray's. In many cases hock problems can be helped by a variety of things. I would mention it to your vet. Good Luck

[goeslikestink]

you vet needs to work hand in hand witha farrier
go here for www.horseshoes.com a horse that toe dragging obviously has problems with balance and the lower leg and only vets and farriers can sort it out - your vet needs to work with a farrier and i doubt very much that this horse can go barefoot as you would like

[Thomas_1]

Stifle problem.

It's appropriate shoeing you need to protect her toes.

[BunithGrace]

Thanks for all the replies and advice!

The vet has done flexions, not x-rays but we may if it doesn't improve. He does not think it is her hocks or stifles right now causing her pain, but does think that she is weak behind and unbalanced.

Trainer, vet, and farrier are all working together. We are doing more poles/cavaletti and exercises/terrain to build up her stamina (slowly). Vet is adjusting her monthly, talking with trainer, and farrier as well. Last adjustment her right apparatus was (in terms for me) "locked" but not painful, nor chronic, according to vet. Pony went amazing 2 days after he adjusted her.

The farrier has been great, and she not forging and moving really well, just slightly dragging her hind toes evenly and squarely. Both back hooves are white. I guess we will probably keep doing what we are doing. The shoes are aluminum, so they are very light, and he uses clips so fewer nails.


Edited to add, the Pony is on a very low starch diet, minimal grass. She gets a great multivitamin, and the vet has been testing her for Vit E now for several months as she is very low. She is now on the liquid form of Elevate to try to bump it up, and then back to the powder. So she is deficient in E and has been since we first tested and started to treat in Spring, but has been getting better and her #'s have gone up, but it's taking longer than the Vet thought it should, hence the liquid. I have my other horse on the EPSM diet, low-starch, added oil, and the pony is on the same diet with less oil as she is little.

[dbts]

Toe dragging can also be a symptom of a problem in the SI joint. Check there also.

[NCSue]

I have an old horse that drags his hind feet. Yes he has stifle, hock, and SI/hip arthritis. He's old. He's also a ham. Poor pitiful me. Eeyore personality. Lazy. He doesn't drag his toes if he's moving. One thing that does help is to have the hind trimmed at an upright angle of about 55 degrees depending upon your pony's conformation. Round the toes also. This will ease up the stress on the stifle somewhat also. Keratex hoof strengthener is probably the best product I've found but nothing is better than learning to rasp that hoof and roll the toe.

[BunithGrace]

I have an old horse that drags his hind feet. Yes he has stifle, hock, and SI/hip arthritis. He's old. He's also a ham. Poor pitiful me. Eeyore personality. Lazy. He doesn't drag his toes if he's moving. One thing that does help is to have the hind trimmed at an upright angle of about 55 degrees depending upon your pony's conformation. Round the toes also. This will ease up the stress on the stifle somewhat also. Keratex hoof strengthener is probably the best product I've found but nothing is better than learning to rasp that hoof and roll the toe.

Thanks NCSue, very good ideas I will talk to my farrier about. I know he rounds her toes, and I'm not sure about the angle but will check. Thanks!!!