Pasture Pals Equine Rescue

The Missing Frog

One of the first things that catches my eye in this sagittal section is what is not there.

If you look at the back of the foot where the ruler is positioned, you can see that a substantial portion of the frog is missing. The frog should extend much further towards the heels and occupy a much larger proportion of the back of the foot than we see in this specimen.

The frog is not simply a piece of horn that sits on the ground. It is an important structure that helps form the caudal (rear) portion of the foot and works in partnership with the digital cushion and the lateral cartilages. Together, these structures help the horse manage load, dissipate forces and adapt to the demands placed upon the foot during movement.

When the frog becomes progressively smaller, narrower, or recessed, we are not simply looking at a cosmetic change. We are looking at a reduction in the amount of functional tissue available at the back of the foot.

One of the challenges when discussing frog health is that we often only see the external surface. Looking at a sagittal section allows us to appreciate the true volume of tissue present within the foot and, in this case, highlights just how much frog is absent.

A healthy frog should contribute significantly to the structures at the back of the foot. When that tissue is diminished, it raises questions about what is happening deeper within the hoof and whether the caudal foot is developing and functioning as it should.

You may also notice that the digital cushion in this specimen does not appear particularly robust or healthy. That is a subject worthy of its own discussion, and I will cover that in a future post.

For now, I would encourage you to focus on the missing frog. Once you begin to recognise how much tissue should normally be present at the back of the foot, it becomes much easier to understand why the health of the caudal hoof is so important.

Lindsey Field

Here's an effect of saddles that are too narrow.

When I've come across this, the physical and emotional trauma I've felt in the horse has been sickening. The physical damage is done - you can't put back what's gone.

The emotional distress can be enormous and I sincerely believe it's emotional trauma that has built up over many months and/or years, as an unprotesting horse continues to do as asked, despite the problem being exacerbated whenever the rider's weight hits the saddle.

Perhaps they become numb to it over time, and it's only with deep and gentle work that the problem is revealed. I hope that enough of the distress is released for the horse to continue its ridden career with renewed heart.

I've usually been with a new owner when we've come across this, thankfully not that many times, and we've taken heart that the horse knows its needs (and pain) are seen and heard. Sometimes we can't change what's there and what's been done, but we can certainly help with the horse's response to it.

This isn't a new observation - there's a reason Balance Saddles call this the 'junction' - but it's always worth building awareness and *empathy. (Please excuse the limitations of images - it can be hard to find what I need!)

- Dr Jane Clothier