advice please - shoes off or on?

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mle22

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We have a fifteen year old thoroughbred who has evented all his life and never been unshod. He sustained a bad back injury this summer and has been off work since and out on grass. Wednesday this week we decided along with the farrier to remove his shoes for the winter. He has since been very footy, even on the mud. My inclination is to just put his shoes back on, but my daughter feels we should leave him a while to see if his feet 'toughen up'. I don't like to see him in discomfort though. What do you think? Put the shoes on again straight away or not?
 
Whats his diet? Diet is key for healthy barefoot hooves and most horses should be able to take being barefoot when in light work. Also management and exercise are key. You need a low starch, low sugar diet with all necessary minerals and vits and brewers yeast and mag ox or a good hoof supplement. I'd change the diet and leave them off.
 
He is not being fed anything at the moment except grass and haylage and cannot be ridden. We are unsure as to whether he will ever come back into work
 
I love my barefoot horses but it is really hard work, and takes a lot from the owners to get it to work. Tbh unless you look into it properly I would prob just put fronts on him.
 
mle22 said:
He is not being fed anything at the moment except grass and haylage and cannot be ridden. We are unsure as to whether he will ever come back into work
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Leave them off, no point in paying for shoes if he can't be rode. He'll need a good 6months+ to transition. I thoroughly recommend using a hoof supplement or brewers yeast and mag ox mixed with a tiny handful of hi fi molasses free to grow a healthier, stronger hoof. Keretax hoof hardener is also fantastic for strengthening the hooves but time is the only thing that will bring him 100% sound, if you can't stand seeing him uncomfortable then put fronts on him
 
To be honest one of the reasons we decided to take his shoes off was that there didn't seem a point in paying out every six weeks for shoeing when he can't be ridden, but I wouldn't save the money at his expense! I'll get a hoof supplement and see how it goes but I feel really sorry for him at the moment and don't know if I can watch him struggle.
 
mle22 said:
To be honest one of the reasons we decided to take his shoes off was that there didn't seem a point in paying out every six weeks for shoeing when he can't be ridden, but I wouldn't save the money at his expense! I'll get a hoof supplement and see how it goes but I feel really sorry for him at the moment and don't know if I can watch him struggle.
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One at our yard was like this but is semi-retired so didn't want to pay out for her to pull them off along with half of her hoof so wacked them off. She was v.footsore at first but 6 months later is as sound as a pound in field and school, slightly footy over rocks but fine on concrete and roads
 
When I retired my 7/8th bred horse he struggled initially, for about a month I gave him a bute a day then stopped bute. After about 3 months unshod he was completely field sound and happy. He didn't and still doesn't get anything other than grass and hay. It's worth persevering for the longer term
 
Interested in these replies as I'm in the same position, just taken mine off 19 y/o that's never been without them. TBH I was only going to take hinds off but the farrier thought the front hooves were in good shape and would cope (mud is so soft at the moment it's impossible to tell - I'm sure if I trotted him up on the road he'd feel that so what's the point!)
What did your farrier say when he took them off? A suppliment will take 6-12 months to have an impact (as that is how long the new hoof will take to grow down) might be tough to see him totter about for that long.
Do you know anyone who might be able to lend you some boots while he get's used to it? My farrier has some he lends out now and again
 
I don't know if boots would stay on in the amount of mud we have? Farrier basically said no point in him having shoes until we see if he can be ridden again and that he had good feet and should be able to cope ok. I was quite shocked though by how sore he looked yesterday and today. Don't know what to do!
 
Hmmm - sorry but to be honest I'd be calling the farrier and having fronts put back on if he's really that sore on soft mud, perhaps you can give him a suppliment to help horn grow and try again in a few months?

Could the wet be making them softer than normal?

Stupid question but what is his response to pain like normally, is he a wimpy type that acts like his leg is broken with an abscess? or is he a toughy - I had one that really couldn't tolerate any kind of pain at all, you wouldn't believe the response to really minor things.
 
I've just had to shoe mine for the 1st time in his life, he's 7! I was gutted to have to do it but couldn't watch him struggle any longer, I'm hoping its temporary but he's much more comfortable now, he's on barefoot diet but it'll take time for that to kick in And until it does he's staying shod
 
If he's been shod for that long without a break his feet are likely to be very weak and unhealthy. I agree with adding a mineral supplement; pro balance + has good mineral levels without the cheap fillers found in many commercial balancers.

If he's sore even on mud then I'd imagine his soles must be paper thin - or he's abcessing. Diet and stimulation are the key to building thick soles (and not letting the farrier trim any sole off ;)).
 
He is out 24/7 and is a bit of a wuss, unless he's going xc and then he's brave as a lion! Think I may just phone the farrier and get fronts on again.
 
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I would leave them off. Historically horses always had a period without shoes at some point in the year and histoically we didn't have as many hoof problems as we have now. If he has been shod all his life, it will take him a little while to asjust - he needs to grow some calous for one and if your farrier trimmed his frogs (as many do) this wont have helped. All frog and sole should be left well alone.

I would get him on a good hoof supplement - either pro hoof or the forage plus one and see how you get on... you should start to see improvements quite quickly...

you could also get some boots for the time being too - the modern ones will stay on in most situations - may use them for endurance, hunting and eventing :)
 
I am very pro barefoot and currently have a barefoot TB. However my last TB never ever adjusted, whatever we did. He had to have his shoes off as due to the arthritis in his knees it was getting too difficult for the farrier to shoe him. He was retired to the field and never adjusted. He was PTS 6 months later. I know where you are right now and I know how I felt back then. Hoof boots would be an option, but if they're not possible then I would shoe on the fronts.
 
Do you know CBfan, I was just thinking that my horses when I was growing up used to have their shoes off when they were out of work for the winter and I never remember there being any problems
 
If your horse is footy (i.e lame) then you need to do something about it-I should think this might involve being in on a soft bed or having shoes back on as it's not fair to leave him in discomfort.
 
A soft bed would not be any softer than the grass and mud? The reason I'm asking for advice is because I have absolutely no intention of just leaving him in discomfort! Shoes back on or boots and supplement until hooves adjust, possibly plus bute - just need to decide.
 
Does he have any sign of thrush? My horse was very footy due to what was probably thrush in his sulcus, didn't smell much or look really grotty, just a bit black. Sorted it out and much much better. All this bloody wet doesn't help either!
 
I don't think there is any sign of thrush, but will check. It hasn't stopped raining here for days - on top of all the rain this summer it's awful!
 
if he's sore enough to need but he needs to be either off the field or shod. soft bed will be softer than grass/mud as it is slippy/has stones.
 
Well sometimes I'm sore enough to need the human version of bute, doesn't mean I have to stay in bed. A painkiller/antiinflamatory can enable ordinary life to continue. He is a much loved and very well looked after horse and I can assure you will not be left in pain.
 
Mle22 I'm sure you will do what you feel is right. Iv actually found with all my barefoot ones ( 6 ) from exmoor - tbs that movement is the key, the more movement the better but saying that they have to be comfy. I do feel as well that a period on hardstanding each day or stabled at night is a must to let their feet dry a bit.

Good luck with what you decide
 
Genuine question, is there any risk with bute that he would race around and do more damage? break pieces of wall off, bruse the sole etc.

I believe pain is usually there to remind us not to do something so if we take that away we are at risk of over doing it - I don't know enough about feet to know if that's a risk in this situation. If it's just him being a bit wimpy and the anti inflamatory properties help it may well be worth it.
 
CBfan and mle22 your both right, when I was younger horses had shoes on full stop/end off. And looking back at it now my mare had rock hard feet when I first got her but the shoes went on, now 10 yrs later and without a break iv finally taken her shoes of and she's nothing like I remember and looking back at old pics of her feet wow what a difference. The damage has set in so slowly I haven't even noticed the complete change in her foot angle.
I wish I knew then what I know now : /
 
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