A foot update from Miri

[LadyGascoyne]

From arriving obviously lame to now almost completely sound.

We still have a few weird steps every now and then but she looks sound as a pound 99% of the time.



This is nearly 2 years of work but we knew we had to take things very slowly given the internal soft tissue structures in her feet were already compromised. X-rays clear.



I’m so happy with her, she’s been amazing through box rest, learning to wear hoof boots, walking in hand, eating all her weird supplements. She’s really helped me to help her.

We still have work to do, and her feet still have a tendency to go long, especially the foot she is most iffy on. But she is standing so much better and we are getting much more even wear. Previously all her weight was coming down the inside.

She’s on healthy tummy + forage plus hoof and skin, + oily herbs.

I want to re x-ray soon and we will do a proper work up at the same time. I’ll share an update from that too.

All thoughts, suggestions etc always very welcome.

 

[Peglo]

I have no constructive knowledge to pass on. Sorry

I missed you buying her and just wondered did you buy her knowing there was issues with lameness?
My first pony had lameness issues when I got her (why I got her really) but she came sound in retirement and she lived until 32 so always interested to hear other folk taking on horses with issues.

 

[ElectricChampagne]

The difference in hoof shape is unreal!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I have no constructive knowledge to pass on. Sorry

I missed you buying her and just wondered did you buy her knowing there was issues with lameness?
My first pony had lameness issues when I got her (why I got her really) but she came sound in retirement and she lived until 32 so always interested to hear other folk taking on horses with issues.

I nearly bought her as a 2yo and bought Mim instead but always kept an eye on her when she was sold. When she came available again, years later, I knew I wanted her but she failed the vet, and was obviously not right. So I agreed with the owner that if she passed the vet after a 6 month loan I’d pay x amount and if she failed, I’d pay a token amount.

She was really very seriously lame but I was convinced it was coming from the foot and I could do something for her by going barefoot.

If she recovers enough to ride properly then I have no issue with putting shoes on her for studs etc. I’m not anti all shoes just anti poor shoeing, and shoeing for the sake of it - so many horses really don’t need shoes. I’d always rehab to barefoot first though and then only ever put shoes on a good, sound foot.

 

[BMA2]

What a simple but so sensible statement...

then only ever put shoes on a good, sound foot

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I can see a new angle of growth happening there. Good progress and thank you for posting. It's always neat to follow transformations like these. Kudos to you for sticking with it, and sometimes it is just a slow and steady grind with this hoof stuff. I'm not anti-shoes either, but the horse is only shod if the horse NEEDS to be shod.

 

[McGrools]

Well done! It is all about time and patience isn’t it?
My tb mare is getting there now, I suppose it’s about 16 months give or take at this point. It will only get better. But definitely the long game for a compromised foot xx

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

Looking a lot better! Is she coming back to any work, or are you letting things take their time?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Looking a lot better! Is she coming back to any work, or are you letting things take their time?

We’ve started in-hand with some basic dressage movements, poles on the ground, and ‘hacking’ in straight lines on the lead rein. At the moment she does something for 15 min 3 times a week and then a 30-40 min walk around the farm on the weekend.

I’ll probably continue that until late May / early June. We started mid-feb. I plan to send her to the vets for a full work up in May, and then possibly have a sit after that.

I’m hoping spring grass will encourage growth with these the new angles, and that will be the last piece of the puzzle for her. She hasn’t grown too much in winter but we do keep to a strict 4 weekly cycle for trimming so that we are making minor adjustments and never letting them go too long.

 

[Gloi]

What a simple but so sensible statement...

then only ever put shoes on a good, sound foot

So true
People say their horses haven't got good enough feet to go barefoot when really they should be saying a horse hasn't got good enough feet to cope with being shod.

A really good improvement there LG.

 

[ycbm]

We’ve started in-hand with some basic dressage movements, poles on the ground, and ‘hacking’ in straight lines on the lead rein. At the moment she does something for 15 min 3 times a week and then a 30-40 min walk around the farm on the weekend.

I’ll probably continue that until late May / early June. We started mid-feb. I plan to send her to the vets for a full work up in May, and then possibly have a sit after that.

I’m hoping spring grass will encourage growth with these the new angles, and that will be the last piece of the puzzle for her. She hasn’t grown too much in winter but we do keep to a strict 4 weekly cycle for trimming so that we are making minor adjustments and never letting them go too long.

It's a good start. They should improve a lot faster now she's out of box rest and moving. A conventional barefoot rehab would have her doing a fair few more miles of walking a week than she is, LG. Is that your vet's recommendation?
.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

It's a good start. They should improve a lot faster now she's out of box rest and moving. A conventional barefoot rehab would have her doing a fair few more miles of walking a week than she is, LG. Is that your vet's recommendation?
.

Yes, we’ve effectively treated the first 12 months as injury rehab not barefoot rehab. Box rest, pen rest, small paddock, out 24/7 in a field with friends just mooching about.

We did wedged pads in hoof boots alongside, slowly dropping the heel, and then no boots when she went 24/7.

She’s out on a hill, on about 8 acres so she’s naturally walking a lot (and galloping a lot ) - she’s a very active sort of horse.

I’ve mainly given her the break because I can’t sustain rehab walking during winter but now that it’s lighter and the days are longer, I can be more consistent. I didn’t want to do that sporadically as I felt it would be worse for her than not at all, and she’s quite a hot mare.

We have done the in-hand so far because she needed to learn to be safe to walk out. She was barely schooled when we got her and has done nothing since. So we’ve worked on being light and soft in hand, and lowering her head and engaging behind. I wanted to feel like I’m definitely in control before we did road work.

We will build in walking out now that we’ve got the light, and I can trust her to listen to me even if she’s feeling a bit fresh.

We are lucky that the track we can do is mixed ground, steep hills and even includes crossing a little ford there and back.

I can add further loops to this so as we go, we’ll expand.

 

[ycbm]

I think all barefoot rehabs are injury rehabs, otherwise they are just a barefoot transition. I'll look forward to seeing her progress as you get better weather, both for her feet and for you to work her. You'll get fit with all the walking
.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I think all barefoot rehabs are injury rehabs, otherwise they are just a barefoot transition. I'll look forward to seeing her progress as you get better weather, both for her feet and for you to work her. You'll get fit with all the walking
.

I can’t wait! I need it more than the horse does

 

[dorsetladette]

I nearly bought her as a 2yo and bought Mim instead but always kept an eye on her when she was sold. When she came available again, years later, I knew I wanted her but she failed the vet, and was obviously not right. So I agreed with the owner that if she passed the vet after a 6 month loan I’d pay x amount and if she failed, I’d pay a token amount.

She was really very seriously lame but I was convinced it was coming from the foot and I could do something for her by going barefoot.

If she recovers enough to ride properly then I have no issue with putting shoes on her for studs etc. I’m not anti all shoes just anti poor shoeing, and shoeing for the sake of it - so many horses really don’t need shoes. I’d always rehab to barefoot first though and then only ever put shoes on a good, sound foot.

I really like this statement. I wish more people had this train of thought.

I don't have any knowledgeable comment to add. I am not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to feet (I know what looks right and what doesn't) and rehabbing. I just hang off my farrier's every word.

Looking forward to the next update.

 

[tristars]

if she is coming sound you must be getting there, well done

one of ours has been barefoot for years but minced around on the stoney gravel, and needed boots, but the other day he marched out like a good un, as if he had shoes on, i was stunned, and he is a real fussy creature who lets you know if something bothers him in no uncertain terms

so even when you think it will never happen, sometimes it does eventually