OUTBACK FIRST AID

by David Farmilo
Accredited Master Farrier, Oakbank SA
PH 0418 835 186
www.horsefarrier.com.au

Horses on remote outback stations often have to do it tough and survive without the veterinary care that city horse owners take for granted.

On one outback station this year I saw a mare and her 2 year old gelding, both with severe injuries; the owner was waiting to see if I could do anything to help.

The valuable brood mare had severed a deep flexor tendon 6 months earlier and was walking on the heel buttress.

The injury had healed, but the heel growth was distorted.

The hoof was corrected as much as possible.

The best option for the mare was to apply a reverse shoe to give support to the injury.

The mare can now stand correctly and learned to walk much better with the trailer in place.

This was a great outcome, as the mare is now comfortable and will be able to continue as a brood mare.

Her 2 year old gelding had a severe leg problem from being kicked in the shoulder as a foal. (RIGHT)

With no vet care, the knee joint was flexing outwards about six inches and appeared to have no ligaments in place for support.

The feet had gown very crooked as they had never been trimmed as the foal was so unsteady on its feet.

Fortunately, the gelding was having a sleep in the sun while I trimmed the mare, and was happy to continue snoozing while I trimmed all the distorted flares.

The bad leg had huge inside distortion.

He was then standing on level feet, but needed support in the knee.

(Note the depressed shoulder which was the cause of the problem).

We used a motor bike inner tube and a roll of duct tape to act as a flexible splint up the outside of the leg, then tensioned it to pull the knee back into alignment.

It did work, but the shoulder was never going to allow the leg to rehabilitate so it was really just an exercise - help was too late for this horse.