Dolly (dbL)
This abscess was caused by the heels getting too long and uneven. This is why I'm so focused on proper heel trimming. Many trimmers avoid the heels and try to convince the owner that they'll self trim when the toe gets short enough. The horse stays sound until the heels break off. At that point the owner is told that their horse has bad feet. Knowing where the inner structures are by reading the shape and proportions of the outer structures and frequently applying proper trims will keep the horse out of trouble. The medial heel quarter on this horse's right front parted ways from its growth corium due to excessive length and leverage from weight bearing. It's taken 6 months of 1-3 week trims to regrow a new heel ( a new foot actually ). The challenge is keeping the balance between removing old dead tissue fast enough while the new live tissue slowly replaces it. The new live tissue is sensitive, supple and wants to expand while the old dead tissue is hard, brittle and wants to contract. This creates a lot of pressure that is very painful. If the weight bearing isn't properly maintained the new foot will grow in crooked and the horse starts over from scratch...another 6-8 months of lameness. If it's managed properly, the new foot grows back properly aligned with P3 and the horse is on their way to continual development.
