Back shoes - should I or shouldn't I?

[bex1984]

Murphy is only shod in front - he was unshod when I bought him, I had fronts put on about 2 yrs ago because he didn't like walking down the stoney track to the school at the yard I was on back then.

For the past few months I've been noticing that he seems to be feeling stoney ground and I'm wondering if I should get his back feet shod.

The thing is, he does the ocasional off road hack and has to walk over about 20 metres of stoney ground to get to the school/fields...and that's it.

He's not hobbling/footsore, just a bit...reluctant...but then he is a very lazy pony.

I'm not sure what to do?

I don't want to spend the money if he doesn't need it, and presumably if I have them put on it will affect his back feet so I might not just be able to have him unshod at the back again if it makes no difference...I just don't know!!

Farrier says it's up to me!!

any advice gratefully received

 

[AmyMay]

If he's feeling the ground - shoes on.

 

[bex1984]

I think he is, it's hard to tell because he is quite lazy anyway and I've always had to kick him on a lot on the walk round to the school/fields for a ride - but then I took him on an off road hack a few weeks ago with my friend (and his best friend) and I had to kick him on to keep up with his mate on some of the tracks, which makes me think it's more than just laziness really

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

I would speak to your farrier about it and see what he says.

 

[bex1984]

[ QUOTE ]
I would speak to your farrier about it and see what he says.

[/ QUOTE ]

he says it's up to me! he's happy that there's no major need for back shoes (back feet are fine, normal amount for growth as ever) so it's just if I'm personally feeling a difference...which I think i am, but it's very subtle, hence why I'm confused

 

[jumpthemoon]

Have some shoes on and see if it makes a difference. If not you can have them off next time he's shod and he will soon get used to it again.

He's got good sturdy feet so it shouldn't be a problem if it doesn't make any difference...

 

[WhiteHorseWendy]

If the farrier isn't advising that the horse should have shoes on then what he's really saying is the horse doesn't really need them but he'll take your money if you like

 

[Faro]

Hi Bex,

I get the impression from your post that in an ideal world you would like to be able to keep his back feet bare if at all possible.

Personally, I wouldn't rush to put shoes back on unless absolutely necessary. (Although I'm not anti shoes, they are necessary in many situations.) In barefoot or partly shod horses, changes in the diet/situation etc. can be reflected through the feet - for example I've got one barefoot horse who ALWAYS gets slightly footy for 2 - 3 weeks after he's first turned out into the spring paddock each year - when the grass is at its lushest. Some people refer to this footiness as low grade laminitis (LGL) - DON'T PANIC! The same changes will also be happening (if they're going to happen at all to that particular horse) to a shod horse, but the shoes will mask any symptoms of footiness.

So, before you hastily put back shoes back on, think back about any changes in grazing, diet, supplements etc. which your horse may have had over the last few months. If any thing like that links to the footiness, then you can start thinking about a plan to resolve the footiness through dietary changes.

Also, the pony's constant laziness is a bit of a concern to me. You, yourself say "I had to kick him on to keep up with his mate on some of the tracks, which makes me think it's more than just laziness really". Sorry, Bex, I don't mean to be alarmist here, but I'm wondering if there's possibly an underlying issue - such as in his back - which again could link in to his increasing footiness. Have you thought of possibly getting a chiro/physio etc. to check it out for you?

Good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[bex1984]

Thanks, I am reluctant to put back shoes in if he really doesn't need them...kind of 'if it aint broke don't fix it'.

He is certainly on a different diet to a few months ago - ACTUALLY....you've just made me think about just how different it is

Until about March/April he was on competition cubes, chaff, vits and mins, and in at night on soaked hay. Now he's out on restricted grazing 24/7 with no feed (because he gains weight so easily)....hmmm that's food for thought...I wonder if the lack of vits and mins etc has made a difference?! hmmm....

He kept up with his little mate with no problems on the roads, in the fields, through the woods, it was just the stoney tracks where he was sort of picking his way a little.

He is a lazy pony by nature - always has been

He has had back, tack, teeth checked in the time I've had him and has no problems, he's just a very laid back chap, it's just the way he is

 

[abracadabra]

was cahtting to my new farrier yesterday about my 4 year old, id prefer not to have him shod and farrier confirmed that his feet were good and would handle it, but recommended boa boots for the occasional stony track ride if he was feeling it

 

[OrangeEmpire]

You could dab a bit of eucalyptus (sp) oil on his soles every week. This helps harden them.

I've been doing this on my barefoot mare for the past few weeks as the constant change from rock hard to soaking wet ground was making her a bit footy. The improvement is marked.

you can buy it from health shops such as holland and barretts or Boots. Just put a couple of drops neat (as in undiluted, not in a mathmatically correct grid!) onto each sole and smear round making sure the toe is covered. I always do it when she'll be standing in for a while so that it gets a chance to soak in and not immediately before a ride.

 

[eggs]

I have just had hind shoes put on my five year old for this first time this afternoon.

Although he has very good feet, he kept going quite lame when we were backing him. After extensive vet intervention they could find nothing wrong but suggested putting front shoes on him (he was 2.5!) as the x-rays showed he had thin soles. My blacksmith thought they were mad but he was sound the next day. Now if he loses a shoe he goes lame on the school surface almost immediately.

We noticed last week that although he was not lame behind he seemed slightly hesitant about putting his hind feet down when working in the school and so decided to try him with hinds. My four year olds are not shod as they don't have his problem and ideally I would not want him shod either.