snowstormII
Well-Known Member
Perhaps there should be a pinned post on pre-barefoot advice?
I have just bought a new 15.2hh 6 year old cob, who I believe was not shod before June this year. I bought him shod on all four feet 3 weeks ago (believe he has been shod only since June this year) and has no lameness issues. I would be interested in going down the barefoot route as I have noticed he slips a lot behind on tarmac. As a minimum I would like no shoes on his back feet. I hack 4-5 times a week, on tarmac and gravelled paths in the woods, will be having lessons in an all weather school probably fortnightly and hunting over old turf, mud and a bit of roadwork (not jumping at all though!), hopefully weekly. In preparation for the hunting I will need to do a fair bit of roadwork to strengthen ligaments and things, and I don't fancy skidding every day!
At the moment he is quite rounded, not obese but I would be happier if he were to lose a bit over the winter as nature intended. Bearing in mind I have only had him for 3 weeks I am still trying to work out how little/much food he needs, but he is currently on 24/7 grass (1 acre shared with another 13.2 pony with more in reserve for later in the winter), a token 'feed' of 1/2 mug micronised linseed and a sprinkle of brewers yeast 2x day and about 6kg hay a day. I will start giving them all unmollassed chaff as soon as the molassed stuff has run out (but Buddy doesn't get any of the mollassed stuff).
His fronts turn outwards and I would guess he puts more weight on the outside edges as the inside edges are flared. I love my farrier as a person, I just wonder whether my last mare's over-run heels were totally necessary...
His soles all have a smelly black layer on them when I pick them out daily - read somewhere this might not be thrush but just the vegetation in the earth rotting a bit?
...So what should I do to make preparations for going barefoot behind, with a view to completing the picture at a later date, maybe after the hunting season?
Should I wait a full 6 weeks shoing cycle before removing the back shoes so there is some growth to wear away?
Should I add/remove anything to/from his diet to start the horn growing healthily?
Should I be putting any lotions and potions on his hooves as they are now, or is it better to let them find their own way?
Should I not even think about doing this till the hard work of hunting is finished?
When should I actually remove the back/front shoes?
I am sure I am not the first to ask - apologies for going over old ground.
I have just bought a new 15.2hh 6 year old cob, who I believe was not shod before June this year. I bought him shod on all four feet 3 weeks ago (believe he has been shod only since June this year) and has no lameness issues. I would be interested in going down the barefoot route as I have noticed he slips a lot behind on tarmac. As a minimum I would like no shoes on his back feet. I hack 4-5 times a week, on tarmac and gravelled paths in the woods, will be having lessons in an all weather school probably fortnightly and hunting over old turf, mud and a bit of roadwork (not jumping at all though!), hopefully weekly. In preparation for the hunting I will need to do a fair bit of roadwork to strengthen ligaments and things, and I don't fancy skidding every day!
At the moment he is quite rounded, not obese but I would be happier if he were to lose a bit over the winter as nature intended. Bearing in mind I have only had him for 3 weeks I am still trying to work out how little/much food he needs, but he is currently on 24/7 grass (1 acre shared with another 13.2 pony with more in reserve for later in the winter), a token 'feed' of 1/2 mug micronised linseed and a sprinkle of brewers yeast 2x day and about 6kg hay a day. I will start giving them all unmollassed chaff as soon as the molassed stuff has run out (but Buddy doesn't get any of the mollassed stuff).
His fronts turn outwards and I would guess he puts more weight on the outside edges as the inside edges are flared. I love my farrier as a person, I just wonder whether my last mare's over-run heels were totally necessary...
His soles all have a smelly black layer on them when I pick them out daily - read somewhere this might not be thrush but just the vegetation in the earth rotting a bit?
...So what should I do to make preparations for going barefoot behind, with a view to completing the picture at a later date, maybe after the hunting season?
Should I wait a full 6 weeks shoing cycle before removing the back shoes so there is some growth to wear away?
Should I add/remove anything to/from his diet to start the horn growing healthily?
Should I be putting any lotions and potions on his hooves as they are now, or is it better to let them find their own way?
Should I not even think about doing this till the hard work of hunting is finished?
When should I actually remove the back/front shoes?
I am sure I am not the first to ask - apologies for going over old ground.
