Alternatives to - or Rockley Farm at home - can it be done?

[LucyPriory]

Lucy - I will take a look at the blog and the layout, in principal my husband has agreed I can do this, but he thought it might cost £10K to do, I said NO it won't cost that much - but really I have no idea on costings.

No I don't know how to check how thick soles are, could you tell me please? He did have thrush but I managed to clear this over the summer. I don't think there are any metabolic issues going on and he has a no sugar, high fibre diet with added vitamins and minerals plus hay/grass. How would I be sure on there being no metabolic issues?

Lucy when you say you turned out two barefooters together, and horse was sound within weeks - was he/she too having problems with different surfaces, or unsound on mud too?

I just need to know whether I am right or wrong in turning him out on a surface which he is finding troublesome - and what therefore is my way forward?

My track cost me a few £00 not £000. It was on a rented field so not surfaced.

Horse was unsound from sacroilliac. At the time of going from box rest to track we didn't know re surfaces at that point. Later turned out to be somewhat a sensitive flower regarding grass and yes would show sensitivity on surfaces if diet was not right. Most people are unaware of metabolic issues until they can't get their horse sound over surfaces, or they have autumn laminitis etc. Then it all comes out in the wash over time.

Only vets are allowed to diagnose but there are some classic warning signs. Not least of which are problems with hooves. If you want clarity you may need to run bloods

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

My track cost me a few £00 not £000. It was on a rented field so not surfaced.

Horse was unsound from sacroilliac. At the time of going from box rest to track we didn't know re surfaces at that point. Later turned out to be somewhat a sensitive flower regarding grass and yes would show sensitivity on surfaces if diet was not right. Most people are unaware of metabolic issues until they can't get their horse sound over surfaces, or they have autumn laminitis etc. Then it all comes out in the wash over time.

Only vets are allowed to diagnose but there are some classic warning signs. Not least of which are problems with hooves. If you want clarity you may need to run bloods

Out of interest, what tests are done on the bloods?
I suggest OP gets Feet First by Braithwaite et al, it is hard going as there is a lot to take in, just read it several times.
Check out photos on Rockley farm, lots look quite frightening but they are there for re-hab!
You will see how important it is to check progress with walking out on a smooth surface, you need someone to help you as you need to stand back a bit, they use a camera too,
Note that seaweed is not recommended in the diet due to excess iron.
Note also the importance of collateral grooves, and that the soles will be chalky if the horse has been shod recently, but this will alter to a smoother, tougher sole over time with minerals and exercise.
Regularly push on the frog for any softness or pain, I had a stiff brush to inspect the frog grooves properly, and used a bit of disinfectant in the water, but basically hoof health comes from internal health, and [obviously] clean bedding.
P.S. soaking the hay will remove sugars which is good but also minerals, so the need to replace them.... It amazes me that vets take so little interest in nutrition...... I was told by one that he needed nothing but grass,,,,,,,,,,, he had been ill for 3 months and during that time she never mentioned his diet.

 

[LucyPriory]

Out of interest, what tests are done on the bloods?
I suggest OP gets Feet First by Braithwaite et al, it is hard going as there is a lot to take in, just read it several times.
Check out photos on Rockley farm, lots look quite frightening but they are there for re-hab!
You will see how important it is to check progress with walking out on a smooth surface, you need someone to help you as you need to stand back a bit, they use a camera too,
Note that seaweed is not recommended in the diet due to excess iron.
Note also the importance of collateral grooves, and that the soles will be chalky if the horse has been shod recently, but this will alter to a smoother, tougher sole over time with minerals and exercise.
Regularly push on the frog for any softness or pain, I had a stiff brush to inspect the frog grooves properly, and used a bit of disinfectant in the water, but basically hoof health comes from internal health, and [obviously] clean bedding.
P.S. soaking the hay will remove sugars which is good but also minerals, so the need to replace them.... It amazes me that vets take so little interest in nutrition...... I was told by one that he needed nothing but grass,,,,,,,,,,, he had been ill for 3 months and during that time she never mentioned his diet.

Food and feet. Incredibly important to horse health, incredibly neglected in education :-( of vets (apparently).

Bloods - check out the www.ecirhorse.com website for precise details but I ask owners to discuss with vet PPID, IR and liver function.

 

[Fifty Bales of Hay]

Lucy - can I just ask about your track system - how wide was it? So it was just mud, you didn't have a surface put down on the track at all? Did it not just get mulched up, with two horses, over a small area 24/7 or was it in the summer when very dry?

What in hand work did you do with the horse with the sacroilliac problem, or didn't you? Just came sound after being turned out on the track?

I would love to read the book "Feet First" - perhaps someone mind lend me a copy if they have one? Or I will put it on my christmas list!

 

[LucyPriory]

Lucy - can I just ask about your track system - how wide was it? So it was just mud, you didn't have a surface put down on the track at all? Did it not just get mulched up, with two horses, over a small area 24/7 or was it in the summer when very dry?

What in hand work did you do with the horse with the sacroilliac problem, or didn't you? Just came sound after being turned out on the track?

I would love to read the book "Feet First" - perhaps someone mind lend me a copy if they have one? Or I will put it on my christmas list!

The land was rented in an AONB, a surface was out of the question. The field had lots of natural springs and there was water running everywhere including into the field shelter. I dug out and drained the field shelter and filled it with hardcore and sand so there was somewhere dry (which of course the horses never used)

I moved the boundaries at least twice a week. Not the whole lot, but if bits were getting trashed I moved the tape to rest that bit. Where that wasn't possible I got my wonderful OH to put tree trunks and other tree stuff in the areas so the horses were persuaded to go round or at least slow down. I gave them access to the middle (foggage) over the winter and this helped too.

I am a great one for long reining and ride and lead. This particular horse came sound on the track alone, but this was a product of the mix I had of bossy horse, lots of tiny hay piles and a track they couldn't see all the way round and lots of things to stimulate their interest. Once she was rehabbed we got the third horse and expanded the track to a bigger area.

Yes we had mud but it wasn't insurmountable (see above). The small track width was 10-12 feet but possibly less (it was a long time ago) the big track with more horses and more movement was never less than 10 and not more than about 15. Except for loafing areas which were much bigger. Note I originally made a lot of mistakes, primarily with the loafing areas. The horses did not agree with my choices and made their own. I ended up moving the tape to accomodate their preferences as they knew best about where they wanted to hang out and chill.

 

[ester]

fwiw our track was similar, even though our summer was pretty wet last year it coped well and we just moved the tape as required. They had the whole middle in winter. (I also did a lot of long reining with F.)

This was about as churned up as it got - on clay on the somerset levels.

 

[Penny Eater]

AMP have you tried putting EPS pads in his boots? (at bottom of page, in 4lb or 7lb thickness - you have to cut them to your horse's hoof size)
http://www.equinepodiatrysupplies.co.uk/Pads
They are closed cell rather than the open cell comfort pads, which means they conform to the bottom of the hoof and provide stimulus for weak structures to grow. So makes the horse more comfortable as well as providing conditioning/stimulation to the feet. Hand walking in boots and these pads was the best thing I did for my horse's feet, they worked amazingly well, you can ride with them in the boots too. (and no I don't sell them!)

 

[LucyPriory]

For mud - check this out http://lisa699.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/img_0754-jpg/ Life moves on and I moved current horse to this track which currently accomodates 5. Freshly built the original track had no surface and it's on a flood plain with clay. But the horses only went so deep before hitting hard pan. So yes they were muddy upto their fetlocks but it wasn't a disaster. Also my horse which had for complicated reasons been stabled for 5/6 weeks arrived with terrible thrush on all four. Despite sloshing in mud the thrush went without any help from me. The result of a good diet and lots of movement.

The track has been partly surfaced this year and it does make a difference. I no longer have to trim my horses feet.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Thank you all for your kind replies.

So I have a horse who is happy to walk in his stable, and happy out in the field on mud. But isn't totally happy on the concrete yard,and even worse up the gravel drive. Once up the gravel drive he is happier to walk on the tarmac by comparison.

Leaving him where he's happy I'd best just leave him in the field then? As I can't get out to the tarmac unless I go up the gravel drive and this makes him unhappy. Therefore I'm left with a horse I'm really not able to rehabilitate as I cannot move him to surfaces he's happy with?

flintfootfilly - perhaps therefore you are right in your thoughts, and not something I've not thought myself, but just so so wanted to help him and not just pts then feel guilty I'd not tried my best. Feel so sad when I think like this but I do understand what you are saying - where are you from Sarah, I would love you to come and meet him/me?

The problem is what is cause and what is effect.

Why does he have sore feet, if he has been barefoot a while? What is eating in terms of sugar and starch levels of forage, grass, and hard feed? Is he getting balanced minerals now? Does he have thrush or any infection in feet?

In terms of the various lameness and sorenesses the million dollar question is how many of them are primary and how many are secondary? And what is cause and what is effect.

Sore unbalanced feet can cause a lot of lameness and back problems. Fixing them can solve lots of problems.

Whether you will be lucky or not, depends on what caused what, and what is part of fixing what.