Shortly after being shod, this 6-year-old gelding exhibited lameness in his left front leg that did not improve over the next two weeks.
The owner decided to perform a veterinary examination to determine the cause of the lameness. After the radiographic examination, a veterinarian suggested that, in his opinion, it was a navicular problem and that egg bar shoes should be fitted.
Not satisfied with this recommendation, the owner called me to ask my opinion, whereupon shoeing was not an option at all. Instead, we started with a thermography examination. I noted a medial-lateral imbalance in both front feet, and we also noted inflammation in the suspensory ligament area and in the fetlock joint area of the left foot.
The horse was re-trimmed with the correct barefoot approach and we arranged a consultation with another veterinarian, who confirmed the existing imbalance based on infrared images and gave an injection with an anti-inflammatory agent.
Since then, the horse is sound, using hoof boots for riding work while the proper sole thickness regenerates and the internal hoof structures are restored.
In this case, thermographic examination helped to identify the inflamed areas and find a suitable solution, which led to success.
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History and description of horse thermography
Exploring Equine Thermography: Books That Illuminate the Path
