At the time of birth, the foal did not want to stand immediately, did not have a sucking reflex and became very weak shortly after birth. The owner rushed the mare and foal to the veterinary hospital, where the vets ordered IV fluids and X-rays of the hind hooves. The foal eventually began nursing, regained strength and started behaving like a normal, healthy foal.

The X-rays revealed the foal was missing both a coffin bone and a navicular bone and had an under-developed short pastern bone in the left hind distal limb.

By the time we saw the foal, it was a week old. After arriving at the barn, the foal was ambulating in a normal fashion, walking, trotting and frolicking around. The foal’s head was parrot-mouthed with a protruding upper lip and eyes that were flush with the head.

Situation Didn’t Look Good

Three of the hooves appeared normal. The left hind hoof had a dished appearance on the lateral aspect and the hoof lacked overall height. I quickly realized corrective trimming was not going to help this foal.

Without a coffin bone for the laminae to attach to, the hoof wall itself had…