Marley
Marley was rescued in July 2026 with several other at-risk horses so that none could enter the slaughter pipeline or remain in situations of neglect/abuse.
Marley’s initial veterinary exam and evaluation provided the following assessments:
Marley had been given a double dose of bute the night prior to veterinary exam in order for him to stand long enough with some comfort for a brief exam.
Marley is a palomino paint gelding with a body condition score (BCS) of 3.5/9 with almost a 5/5 lameness in all four limbs. His mane and tail were either simultaneously roached, or he had global mane and tail hair loss at approximately 3-6 months ago.
He stands base-narrow with all legs as close together as possible, or the “elephant on a ball” appearance, which is highly unusual. He has severe cavitating, dissecting biphasic rings at about 3-6 months’ hoof growth in all four feet, with deep cracks intervening circumferentially.
These rings are highly suggestive of a major biphasic event likely involving an intoxication.
Marley’s origins are unknown, but in Colorado, the most likely etiologies with combination mane/tail hair loss and sloughing of hooves/frogs:
1. Chronic selenium toxicity (classic combination) without vitamin E supplementation
2. Copper/zinc deficiency, especially from mineral imbalance
3. Ergot alkaloid toxicity (infected grasses or fescue)
4. Severe chronic nutritional deficiency
5. Systemic (inflammatory) disease causing poor hoof and skin health
In several locations along the Front Range, there are known pockets of soil with toxic levels of selenium. In those places, it is recommended to either supplement high levels of vitamin E to balance the selenium intake, or remove livestock from pasture access and feed them in stalls or on a dry lot.
Marley also has a firm swelling of the facial sinus bone ventral to his left eye. This is most likely a tooth root abscess of unknown chronicity, as once the bone is deformed, it does not change back to a normally shaped flat bone of the skull.
Due to the extreme condition he was in without any way to give quality of life, Marley was humanely euthanized. After euthanasia, his feet were picked out and a rudimentary frog growth was found on all four feet, suggesting frog sloughing and regrowth recently. Hoof testers were applied ventrally, across the lateral hoof walls which showed a complete separation of the hoof walls at the level of the most distal hoof ring.
Radiographs to document the condition Marley was in were taken post mortem:
DV/Lateral views of the left forefoot and right hindfoot images all demonstrate the severity of hoof wall disruption and scarring from an event approximately 3-6 months ago, affecting all hooves.
The right fore lateral image shows approximately 12 – 14 degrees of coffin bone rotation with evidence of “sinking” due to laminar destruction. This is typical in severe laminitis cases, when the “sling” of laminar tissue is interrupted such that the weight presented by the bony column is pressed further towards the earth and is no longer reliably attached to the hoof wall.
This happens earlier and more severely in the thoracic limbs due to their heavier weight-bearing role of approximately 60-70% of the body weight. In the right hind lateral view, there is a marked separation of the hoof wall caudally, with intervening air pocketing (radiolucency) within the foot.
It is sickening to think what sort of owner left this sweet gelding in such a condition and cast him off to the hell of an auction and worse. And disgusting to think what other horses that person may own to also be thought of as disposable trash.
More About Marley
- In Assessment
- Palomino
- Gelding
- 2011
- Pinto Horse
- Colorado