Another Barefoot Question......

[Parkranger]

Sorry to harp on about this but alot of guys have got more experience than me on this!

So, his shoes have been off for 3 weeks. Obviously while the nail holes are growing out they're getting a little split, but on the whole pretty good.

I'm using Cornucrescine brand hoof hardener on the inside and hoof moist/hardener (alternative days) on the outside....

He's on Equihoof supplement and we're avoiding gravel (apart from on the way to the field which is unavoidable)

Will I ever be able to ride him on gravelish tracks again or am I destined for a life of grass riding? alot of the hacks near me (banstead downs/park downs) all require us to ride for a short while on gravelly tracks......he's totally sound on the roads now.

thanks x

 

[allijudd]

rowan is unshod and we ride on gravelly surfaces....but i do check his feet afterwards as he has a tendency to retain peices of stone in his feet but he never goes lame or footsore....

 

[Parkranger]

did he used to go footsore at first though?

 

[Scarlett]

I have one that has been barefoot for about a year - IDx - and he can go on any surface inc gravel and stoney bits without any hassle, he's never been footsore at all... my Highland had his shoes off about 3 months ago and is still a little footsore on gravel/stones but not as much as he was - my farrier believes this will eventually go....

 

[Evil_Cookie]

Hi...
I have a tb mare, she's been barefoot four months or so now. She can deal with small gravel and road surfaces, and is improving every day on large protruding stones. She has pigeon toes and had poor hoof conformation. Her feet are beautiful now. I don't put anything on them , just a disenfectant every now and again. The best way to get your horse comfortable on gravel is to do a little bit everyday, just a few steps at first until he finds it comfortable, it may take a while but it will be worth it. We have to walk over large stones on the way into the yard, my mare used to struggle but now she's almost fine everytime. I've found increasing our roadwork has helped her feet the most.

oops I've rambled on haven't I...

EC

 

[Parkranger]

I thought that Roadwork may be the key....and to be honest I want to get him fit with lots of hill walking so perhaps thats the key!

Thanks x

 

[brightmount]

The key is to work within the "spectrum of usability", which is a score sheet used by Equine Podiatrists, and as time goes by, with conditioning work, the horse's score gradually improves. Each level represents the sort of work you can comfortably expect to do, and by trying to do too much too soon during the barefoot transition phase, could mean the horse gets footsore and progress will stop or go backwards. I've nothing against farriers, but you may not get the same support and guidance that you get from EPs.

So unfortunately it's a question of being patient while nature and nurture do their job on the feet. Some horses move up the scale quickly, and others take a lot longer.

Road work has its place but after 3 weeks it's unlikely your horse will be ready for it yet. When he is comfortable on most surfaces it can be particularly useful for correcting underrun heels.

It isn't a good idea to go mad with Keratex - the hoof wall should flex, and the sole needs to exfoliate. EPs generally recommend no hoof dressing at all, but just to keep an eye on such fungal infections as thrush and white line disease (which are easier to treat without shoes in the way).

My horse was on the scrap heap when we started barefoot 9 months ago. The new hoof has now reached ground level and she has "rock crunchers"! It wasn't instant, but it was worth the investment.

 

[dieseldog]

Can you lead him across the gravelly bits until you get back on grass?

 

[Parkranger]

Yes, he hobbles a bit and it obviously hurts him.....he always heads straight for the grass when coming in from the field though.

That's a great idea when out hacking - just need to plan routes very carefully so I know there's room for me to lead him after the last nightmare!

 

[brightmount]

You can hack over any surface if you invest in a set of Old Mac boots. They are indispensable in the early stages of going barefoot. They aren't difficult to put on and take off. You can canter in them as long as you buy the right size. It really would be worth it, your horse will thank you.

 

[pagancluf]

I thought about buying some of them - they have changed name to eqi-boots and are £100 a set and come in 8 diff sizes as I was planning to move to spain and dnk if good farrier avail so thought would try my boys barefoot and see how they went, still interested as endurance riders use them and can ride in them when lost a shoe (frequent occurence! my farrier thinks I am stalking him!!!) Does anyone use them on here??

 

[JaneSteventon]

Hello. Mine barefoot for a year now. Where fine in summer when thier feet are dry and hard, but their feet are starting to soften in the mud (they live out) and one is not happy at all on stones, but the other is. I am happy to work round this by avoiding stones as much as poss and leading / using boa boots when unavoidable. Have friends who have had barefoot horses for years who say some horses are never completly happy on stones. Funny though both mine are fine on the stones on the beach, but one just dosent like stony tracks which are grass/mud with a few stones scattered about.

 

[guisbrogal]

Ellie has been barefoot at the back now for nearly three months. She is ID xTB and her feet are lovely. No broken bits on them at all.

She took to barefoot really well and we had no footsoreness at all, although I try very hard to find her grassy bits to work on.

I used Keratex on her feet for the first month and now I use Hoof and Sole a couple of times a week. We ride three or four times a week for about an hour or two each time and on quite stoney tracks, she is absolutley fine. I am waiting to see how she copes during the winter though as she lives out 24/7.