Ganymedes - Bleeding coronary crack

Ganymedes got iron horseshoes at the age of four for the first time because his owner intended to use Ganymedes as a horse for leisure riding. According to his owner, Ganymedes had never had hoof problems up until then.Thereafter, a coronary crack appeared on his inner left fore hoof, which sometimes bled in the next four years without otherwise causing difficulties. The owner asked several farriers for help and tried different horseshoe materials and techniques but nothing helped in the end. During the last year it was impossible to work with Ganymedes at all. The crack was closed with a metal plate to prevent further fissure and bleeding.

In this botched situation the owner decided to consult a hoof orthopaedist. At the first appointment the screwed-on metal plate was already loosened and the fissure was bleeding again. The hoof had been shod with a special iron.

The hoof orthopaedist removed the horseshoes and worked on the hooves following regular orthopaedists' procedures. Ganymedes was allowed to go out to pasture but otherwise he was not to be ridden or worked. A few days later the putrefied walls of the hoof broke on both sides of the coronary crack.

The owner was asked to inform the hoof orthopaedist regularly as to any change. Therefore it was possible to treat the hooves again in accordance with the new developments, which prevented further negative effects. All in all, once the hoof orthopaedic treatment was started, the condition of the hooves improved and the fissure closed up, as if it had been waiting for the proper treatment.