Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
Well that's my boy back to fully barefoot as of Monday this week. Been barefoot for years but a combination of factors made his feet terrible this year.
I tried and tried and couldn't make him comfy
he wasn't happy in the field, wasn't happy in his stable, wasn't happy walking to both, so got a new farrier out who had never clapped eyes on him for a look and a hoof test.
Opinion was that he had had too harsh a trim, this coupled with the WLD had just left him with nothing. No LgL, no Lami just a bit of thrush in the off hind as well. This was about ten weeks ago. So I was given the options of leaving him as he was, unhappy, sore and not my usual pony and just let his feet grow or popping a set of front shoes on him. Wasnt really a choice as he had been left to grow since May with no noticable difference.
So back to our normal feed, a set of front shoes and pretty much left to it with hacking and the odd school to keep him ticking over. Well the shoes came off and farrier was very very happy, WLD is gone, thrush in the off hind has gone and he has good growth. The best bit was watching him stomp over the rough bit of the yard as If the shoes were still on ( as he was pretty much back to normal 24/48hrs after the shoes went back on) and I went for a hack today for about 15k and he bounced the whole way round and still galloped off up the field when we got back, he is 24 mind now
He also won a wee race against my friends 16.3hh warmblood who is 14 in a race up the gallop field
So I'm happy I have my active, bouncy, happy veteran pony back, yes I had to go back to a set of shoes but I'm glad to be back Barefoot and also I have learnt if it ain't broke don't fix it, no matter what people tell you, oh and also to be there when your farrier/trimmer trims your horse even if they are over two hours late.
Onwards and upwards now it's not all gloom and doom if the shoes have to go back on for a Short period of time, they can come back off again, it's not failure just thought I'd post this for those who might have had a similar experience as I was at my wits end with it all.
I tried and tried and couldn't make him comfy
he wasn't happy in the field, wasn't happy in his stable, wasn't happy walking to both, so got a new farrier out who had never clapped eyes on him for a look and a hoof test.Opinion was that he had had too harsh a trim, this coupled with the WLD had just left him with nothing. No LgL, no Lami just a bit of thrush in the off hind as well. This was about ten weeks ago. So I was given the options of leaving him as he was, unhappy, sore and not my usual pony and just let his feet grow or popping a set of front shoes on him. Wasnt really a choice as he had been left to grow since May with no noticable difference.
So back to our normal feed, a set of front shoes and pretty much left to it with hacking and the odd school to keep him ticking over. Well the shoes came off and farrier was very very happy, WLD is gone, thrush in the off hind has gone and he has good growth. The best bit was watching him stomp over the rough bit of the yard as If the shoes were still on ( as he was pretty much back to normal 24/48hrs after the shoes went back on) and I went for a hack today for about 15k and he bounced the whole way round and still galloped off up the field when we got back, he is 24 mind now
He also won a wee race against my friends 16.3hh warmblood who is 14 in a race up the gallop field So I'm happy I have my active, bouncy, happy veteran pony back, yes I had to go back to a set of shoes but I'm glad to be back Barefoot and also I have learnt if it ain't broke don't fix it, no matter what people tell you, oh and also to be there when your farrier/trimmer trims your horse even if they are over two hours late.
Onwards and upwards now
it's not all gloom and doom if the shoes have to go back on for a Short period of time, they can come back off again, it's not failure just thought I'd post this for those who might have had a similar experience as I was at my wits end with it all.