Venda's Limbs

Venda was born with quite straight legs. Her hind legs were mildly windswept, that's all. It took them few days to straighten up and as they did so, her front legs got more buck kneed.

Both are quite common in new born foals and they tend to get better as the foal begins to move more and more. Some one even said the fastest horses are buck kneed. I quess they were talking about galloping horses rather than those who should trot fast.

Even though little things repair themselves, you should act fast if improvement isn't ovious or if the condition is serious. I was worried. I always am. Even with the tiniest things. Even with imaginery things and neighbours problems. Had they any or not.

That's my worst weakness.

But there was reason to be worried. Not with her front knees but with her rear. It had been examined before, since she was two weeks old, but I was unable to get the attention I hoped for from doctors who saw her. Her legs seemed excellent.

Her left hind leg turn bit funny when she walks. It rotates on every step, on every third step or not at all. Problem comes ang goes on daily basis. When she stands still, trots or gallops her step straightens.

Our farries used gluemass to support the hoofs outer side. It didn't help.

A while later the situation went worse. Her legs looked ok when standing still, even though the outer side of her left hind hoof was lapsed a bit. Problem wasn't still shown on everystep but when it showd, it was worse. IF Venda was tired you saw it more clearly.

As the movement went worse, so did the hoof. As the hoof lapsed more and more, the movement went worse and worse.

I've tried to get the problem on a video, here's the best clip I managed to get:

As Vipsu had suffered a serious hepatitis earlier this summer we had check ups at the Hyvinkää horse hospital. They have one very meritorious farrier working for them and we were lucky to meet with him.

He agreed something needed to be done. He mounted the hoof with dallmer laterall glue shoe. The same show I tought ripped of Vendas hoof a less than a week after.

First few days were hopeful. Looked like things were improving. Suddenly everything went worse again.

We went back to the guru in Hyvinkää. Hoof had lapsed despite being shoed. Movement was rotative.

Venda's hind leg was x-rayed. All the bones and limbs were perfect. The doctor was amazed. The problem had to be somewhere else. Maybe higher up the leg. Maybe it was a nerve problem, who knew.

Whatever it was, it was higher or deeper. Just as we suspected. The hoof was mounted with glassfiber glueshoe on the outer side of the hoof. It's purpose was to protect the hoof from lapsing and supporting the movement to straighten. We hoped this would ease up what ever was wrong and give it peace to heel itself.

I was hoping we would have gotten a chance to meet with Ismo Haapanen but the timetables were not on ourside. I was glad to hear Fanny ja Maja Littorin happened to be next door and I managed to get them have a look.

Venda had had enough of people so we just had a quick look but they tought it was all a result of her size. She is big. She was born big. She was cramped in the uterus and maybe she had tension on her upper hindparts.

We were guided to give her walks in the forrest where she had to lift her hind legs more. That was a change to what we had been doing. Which is her running around estate as a maniac. Hopefully this will work better. Atleast it shouldn't do any harm.

Even I could do with a little exercise myself.


- J