7 weeks barefoot - update with photos

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Fifty Bales of Hay

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So we are now 7 weeks barefoot (in front) and about 12/13 weeks barefoot (hinds)

Currently hacking without boots in walk for about 40-50 minutes. Still booted for turnout due to the hard and rutted ground. Pop boots on to walk over the gravel driveway before getting to tarmac. Then boots off for flat road, this seems to work for him.

























Photographed from near side fore (front, side and under views) to near side hind, off side hind then finishing with off side near.

The hole in the front of the near side fore was cut out due to an infection tracking up the foot, which explains why he was a bit sore on this foot.

How are we doing do you think?
 
Photos have come up tiny on my screen at least. From what I can see they still look under run but are improving. What do you think yourself? Is there an angle change, it's too small for me to tell.
 
I think they look pretty strong, esp good from underneath, I can see the event line but slightly disappointed there is not is not a better, more acute angle of new new growth from the coronet band, does he get plenty of minerals with Mg , some salt and linseed?
The bulbs should be firm, and supportive.
http://www.epauk.org/about-equine-podiatry/articles/hoof-anatomy-a-beginners-guide/
The second last hoof looks as though it might be possible to rasp the toe. to improve balance or you can increase road work for this.
 
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FfionWinnie said:
Photos have come up tiny on my screen at least. From what I can see they still look under run but are improving. What do you think yourself? Is there an angle change, it's too small for me to tell.
Click to expand...

Will they not enlarge if you click on them FfionWinnie?

Theres not much angle change from what I can see. The foot shape looks to be better. And now the white line is clean and visible.
 
Bonkers2 said:
I think they look pretty strong, esp good from underneath, I can see the event line but slightly disappointed there is not is not a better, more acute angle of new new growth from the coronet band, does he get plenty of minerals with Mg , some salt and linseed?
The bulbs should be firm, and supportive.
http://www.epauk.org/about-equine-podiatry/articles/hoof-anatomy-a-beginners-guide/
The second last hoof looks as though it might be possible to rasp the toe. to improve balance or you can increase road work for this.
Click to expand...

Hi Bonkers 2 and thanks for replying. Yes thats what I was expecting, a better angle in the new growth.

I feed him on a recommended amount of balancer, along with extra high strength biotin supplement. Do I need to add some salt to his diet as well? I feed a good slosh of linseed oil in with his feed every day too.

Which number down on the photos did you mean could do with a bit of a toe rasp, just so I can identify this one?
 
AMP said:
Hi Bonkers 2 and thanks for replying. Yes thats what I was expecting, a better angle in the new growth.

I feed him on a recommended amount of balancer, along with extra high strength biotin supplement. Do I need to add some salt to his diet as well? I feed a good slosh of linseed oil in with his feed every day too.

Which number down on the photos did you mean could do with a bit of a toe rasp, just so I can identify this one?
Click to expand...

photo 11 of 12, but as they are being regularly trimmed just proceed as you are.
Horses don't often need straight biotin as if they have all the ingredients they make it themselves.
Most people barefoot here get minerals from Forageplus or progressive earth. I would go for a 60 day trial, but introduce over 7-10 days. It is definitely worth it as I would not be sure what will happen when the injury reaches the ground, you want to have done everything possible by then, and can decide if you want to cut back for the sake of economy. A normal balancer may well not have enough MgO
 
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I have ordered some Pro Hoof, so will start feeding that and phase out the balancer when it arrives. I have bought enough for a month to start with and see how it goes? Also ordered some more Mag Ox - will I need to feed this as well as the recommended level of Pro Hoof? If so how much per day for a 16.1hh horse please in addition? And have already started adding a tablespoon of salt to his feed at night.

I think the hole in the front of the hoof will be fine as it grows down and reaches the ground. My farrier will know what to do with it if there is a problem.

We are getting a good amount of growth at the moment, it's just they are still migrating forwards instead of growing down in the heel direction? I don't suppose there is any more I can do about this though, other than good diet, and exercising him regularly on tarmac? Am I missing something important out?

Still he cannot go out in the field I don't think without boots on. Nor can he go over our stone gravel driveway without boots on. Happy to go for an hour out hacking in walk with no boots now. Haven't attempted a trot!
 
AMP said:
Here is the near side fore 7 weeks ago.


And now just after a trim.
Click to expand...

His hairline looks straighter now :) pro hoof will likely have enough mag in it on it's own unless you are on a massive calcium high like we are.

Unfortunately clicking on them opens them in photobucket which is a lot of tabs then because your PB is private you can't scroll through. Personallly I find it easier to scroll through big pics on here :)
 
Would you be able to encourage your farrier to stop thinning the wall so much at ground level? He's weakening it, and he is also reducing the surface area (increasing the pounds per square inch) on feet that may be too weak to take it. Now that you can hack out, is it possible to stop trimming altogether in order to see how he wants to balance his feet for himself?

You farrier will probably say something about needing to bring the toes back, but they should come back by themselves when the heels are strong enough to take the extra weight. You'll see this approach working time and again on rockleyfarm.blogspot.com
 
yes, much better to let them come back by themselves but that takes the time for new growth to come down.

I do think less is more in the trimming department at early days. Over the years we have learned what my boy does need touching, and what he needs leaving but in the first instance letting them get a bit freeform is not a bad thing.
 
ester said:
His hairline looks straighter now :) pro hoof will likely have enough mag in it on it's own unless you are on a massive calcium high like we are.

Unfortunately clicking on them opens them in photobucket which is a lot of tabs then because your PB is private you can't scroll through. Personallly I find it easier to scroll through big pics on here :)
Click to expand...

Thanks ester - yes I can see that his hairline is better now you have spotted it! So there is improvement?

How do I put the big pictures up on here from photobucket, do you happen to know please? I can change them to make it easier for everyone then. Sorry I am still learning how to do all this!
 
Yes I am sure I can talk to my farrier about where improvements can be made, he is very approachable. I am a bit unsure about leaving them for too long between trims in case they go out of balance and because we are still in the early stages I guess I am needing the reassurance that we're doing OK with the farrier checking him over for me. And with the hole growing downwards I definitely will need this checked and dealt with to avoid any further splitting from it.

So pleased with the quality of the hoof though, it seems very strong. And the frogs initially I couldn't brush them with a soft nail brush without the horse jumping in the air or pulling away from me. Now I can give the whole hoof and frogs a good brush every day with a wire brush and not even a flinch!
 
20160830_100219.jpg
 
I would think the hole will be fine. Was it an abscess? I would up his walking on the road if you think he can cope with more comfortably.

As ester says I can click on them (although I didn't know that before lol) but it's a bit fiddly on my phone. If you chose the IMG code link that should be better.

As long as he's getting plenty of "tarmac trimming" and can cope with that, his feet won't become unbalanced, honest. Get your own rasp and any chips can be smoothed off if you're concerned. I only ever run the rasp round the very bottom of the hoof about a mm or less, to polish them more than anything. As YCBM said you don't want to weaken the hoof wall by the farrier prettying it up as that is a pointless exercise when it comes to hoof balance and function!.
 
Yes FfionWinnie it appears he's had a small abscess in that foot, that has tracked up. This might have been why he was a little lame on this leg a couple of weeks ago when I had the swelling.

I have a small rasp that I tidy up any chipped bits, mainly because of the nail holes. The hooves seem to be quite strong generally in their structure. Not sure how strong his soles are but he doesn't mind me tapping them with the hoof pick, or scrubbing them with the wire brush.

We have upped his walking on the roads, and just started to go on the hacks where theres a couple of little hills as he seems to be getting fitter already and want to get him using his back end properly.
 
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