|Pacing is the
most common problem we are confronted with in training the Tennessee Walking
Horses. There are three distinct factors that are responsible for a horse
pacing, pain, lack of collection or stiffness.
|Pain can
|Pacing is the
most common problem we are confronted with in training the Tennessee Walking
Horses. There are three distinct factors that are responsible for a horse
pacing, pain, lack of collection or stiffness.
|Pain can be
caused by a physical problem as well as by improperly fitted tack. Start by
looking for sweat cracks in the pasterns, thrush, improper shoeing and
resultant contracted heels, bruising of the soles or wall, damaged hocks,
lumbar bruising, or swollen tendons. Finally, check the mouth for cuts on the
tongue or raw corners of the mouth.
can be remedied in less than a week by applying Vaseline or Corona Hoof
Dressing to the pastern area every day or applying Hydrocortisone-Velerate 2%
cream to the pastern and wrapping the leg for 2 days.
|Thrush is a
major problem and can be healed quickly by cutting away all dead and tunneled
frog and heel tissue. Spray out all the blackened sand and clay leaving a clean
frog. Oxygen kills thrush so it is important to open up all affected areas.
Apply Thrush-Buster or bleach, hydrogen-peroxide or iodine to further kill off
bacteria. Apply antibacterial every other day for a week and your horse should
become sound. When you clean out your horse’s hooves be sure to also spray them
out with high pressure water. This will prevent thrush
from getting started. Stay away from oily thrush medications as they tend to
help create the oxygen seal that starts thrush growing. The hoof should be dry
but it is OK to use a light oil hoof dressing like Feebings or mineral oil.
heels cause pain and are the result of improper shoeing with a shoe that is too
small. The frog becomes narrow and shrunken and the heel of the foot is drawn
together. The foot may become smaller at the ground surface than at the
coronary band. It is very important to fit the shoe fully to allow the heel
support and the natural spreading of the hoof as it contacts the ground. If the
shoe is not wide enough, the hoof will pop over the shoe at the heel and will
cause pieces of the heel to break off. Slowly over time, this will produce
under slung heels. A frog that has narrowed or is not healthy predisposes the
horse to thrush and seedy toe. A contracted heel can be improved by taking a
shoe spreader and spreading the shoe open at the heel every two weeks. This
should also be done when the 