Another barefoot progress post!

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avthechav

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G has now been barefoot for 5 weeks. He is in work and I am very happy how he in in the soft and generally happy with him on the smooth road but he does find it hard on uneven or stones understandably. In each pair of pics the first is the day after removal and the second is today,

Right fore
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20443
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20795

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20439
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20796


Left fore
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20441
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20797

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20442
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/album.php?albumid=6107&attachmentid=20798


I think that I can see improvement in the sole views but I can't really see much from the ML views....any comments or advice greatfully received, :-)
 
Some good improvements there for 5 weeks especially his left fore it looks a lot better and to be fair they looked not too dreadful to start with compared to lot of horses.

He's got some good frogs coming, I would just say from experience keep on top of any potential thrush, I didn't and it set us back months.

Now with the weather turning to wet and mud, I use a combination of septiclense (Sp) and sole clense/field paste from red horse.

Do you feed minerals? I feed forage plus hoof health balancer and can't rate it enough but progressive earth also do a good one.
 
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Thanks Victoria, I am feeding progressive earth pro balancer as suggested by Oberon, micronised linseed and fast fibre. Every couple of days I am either dusting with antibacterial powder or smearing with sudocreme, maybe I should look at some of the red horse products too?
 
Sounds like you're on the ball and are on the lookout for any thrush your doing a good job so I wouldn't change anything. If you're in contact with oberon you won't go wrong she and cptrayes have been a godsend to me.

You may find http://phoenixhorse.myfastforum.org/index.php the barefoot forum very useful as well (if you're not already on their)


edited to add I see your on their :)
 
Lol I'm a completely obsessive, just trying to find out as much as possible and make sure that I am doing the right thing. Yes I agree with you cp and Oberon have been stars and fountains of knowledge! Just want reassurance I guess that I am doing the right thing as I have essentially taken a sound horse and made him sometime sore....well that's what it feels like sometimes, but hopefully boots will help with the transition then so I can keep increasing his workload without making him hurt. How does your horse manage?
 
They look fantastic, I'm so envious of those frogs! Despite being very careful re thrush my recently barefoot horse is really struggling with thrush, the back feet look dreadful although he is moving fine so I'm hoping as the work increases they will improve.
 
I cheated a bit as took backs off first then 6 months ish later took the fronts off. We've never looked back after months of constant abscesses and intermittent lameness with shoes/remedial shoes.

We've a long long way to go and have to hack out in front boots but are getting there. He still has times when he's sore and I can hear the tuts of other liveries but I'm keeping my horse for life. To me him being barefoot is an investment which will hopefully pay off in the future as I want his hooves to carry him for many a year yet.

We were starting with hooves a lot worse than your neds though. You are starting from a pretty good place so hopefully you shouldn't have too many problems.

Hope you are able to keep the thread updated with your progress/photos.
 
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BFN said:
They look fantastic, I'm so envious of those frogs! Despite being very careful re thrush my recently barefoot horse is really struggling with thrush, the back feet look dreadful although he is moving fine so I'm hoping as the work increases they will improve.
Click to expand...

Do you feed minerals? I've found this has helped my horses thrush. What are you using to treat it? I've found septi clense (sp) really good and it's cheap as well.
 
Hi Victoria, thx for your post, yes we are on forage plus minerals, linseed, vit E, & handful of Timothy chop, I've been meticulous picking out feet, cleaning with dilute hibiscrub and using iodine, I think the iodine might be too strong but was using sole cleanse & could see it was getting worse so switched to iodine. Tonight I've smothered the worst in sudocreme & will see how that goes, I'm getting to think its like mud fever, a million possible treatment's but finding the right one...?!
 
BFN, I love sudocreme, it seems to cure most things....and is nice and gloopy too. I guess that as he uses his frogs more and the blood supply increases the thrush will become under control? It's just such a balance isn't it?

Victoria, that's great news that you are moving fowards, I really like what you said about your horse for life. After the MRI the consultant told me that with meds my horse should be fine, and then added for at least a year, 6 months if I was unlucky 2 years if I saw at lucky). Although my vet thinks that he was being pessimistic it just isn't good enough for me.....I would either like to give him a chance to be sound long term or to deal with issues now.

Will look forward to hearing of your progress both of you!
 
Random bouts of mild intermittent lameness over past year. Not work related or related to any common variable! Ended up MRI ing, by them time he had his appointment he was actually sound again. MRI showed inflammation of both nav bones and the start of wear to ddft in problem foot. So consultant recommended steroid injections into bursa and Tilden and this should work for a year give or take....my vet said he was being pessimistic but supported my decision to go barefoot to see if that helps with foot balance rather than go down remedial shoeing route. I'm just so paranoid about everything now, is he footy? Is he hurting through nav pain? Etcetcetc, horse worry will kill me one day!
 
Ahh victoria and avthechav I so sympathise! I worry all the time, is my horse footsore or is it his collateral ligaments?? When I pushed my vet for a prognosis he said remedial shoeing should make him sound for about 2 years! Like you, this was not a good enough outlook to damage my boys feet even more. I am constantly worried I am causing more strain to his ligaments but I just soldier on because I truly believe the concept will get him right in the end. It makes sense. Good luck eveyone with your journeys.

Wow, those feet show great improvement. Just 5 weeks amazing. The side view do look better, shorter toe and more substantial digital cushion already. Great work. The frogs are pure sex! lol
 
Jessie glad that there are a lot of us signed up to the paranoia club! And pppphhhhahhhh you made me spit out my tea and digestives....frogs are pure sex hahahahaha
 
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