Bad hooves, any ideas please?

FanyDuChamp

FanyDuChamp

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Captain always had very bad, split and cracked hooves. We sorted them out and for 18 months had no problems. Now we have the problem again, he has split and cracked front hooves despite using cornecruscine. Farrier has recommended taking his shoes off, as he does not do much road work. My farrier believes his problems stem from starting to kick the door at feeding time, I think he has learned this from another horse. We have tried to train him out of this but at 14 and a stubborn g*t to go with it, he is very determined.
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So has anyone any suggestions? Please let me know as I really want to get his hooves back to a decent state.
Thanks
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So if he didnt kick the door his feet would likely be fine?
I would try and sort the door kicking tbh. We had a door kicker, YO secured tyre sections to the bottom of the door to act as a cushion.
We also got a door guard, so we could leave the door open but he couldnt get out......nothing to kick either!
 
Try getting hold of some hessian sacks and stuffing them with straw, fix them to the door and he will not get a satisfying banging noise. Alternatively I think there is a device on the market which squirts water when the horse bangs the door but I can't remember the make. I have a cob with attitude who always likes to bang the door, usually a glare from me suffices but it is difficult!
 
If you have the time for it, yes by all means strip his shoes off and let his feet sort themselves out untill they're reshaped and toughened up.

However if you do do this there will be about 4 weeks of no riding at least as he'll be very sore till his feet harden up!

Best bet is go with your farrier's opinion, as that is why he's there after all.
 
Thanks guys, will look for the stuff to stop him banging.

I hadn't thought about him not being able to be ridden for a month if his shoes come off. Still as Binky01 said it is best to go with the farrier's opinion, he is the expert.

Does anyone know of other supplements or oils etc. that can be painted on?

Thanks again , anyone else have any suggestions?
 
Remember as good as all these creams and lotions are...good feet are made from what goes in the horse. Anything with keratin in it is a bonus to put on feet to strengthen but if you're horse isn't getting the correct diet to support healthy feet growth then it's money down the drain really buying all of that.

Talk to a feed specialist or similar to plan the best feed plan out to benefit his feet. There's various fantastic supplements and feeds to encourage better quality. You'll be amazed how much diet affects it!
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[edited - though remember feed changes are gradual and not overnight miracles, short term changes will take at least 6 weeks before the body will even begin to process the new feed and it will have to be a permenant long term feed plan]

All the best.
 
Keratex is well regarded as a fantastic strengthener if you're looking for an additional supplement to apply on his hooves though! Swear by the stuff.
 
Thanks, at present he is on: Apple mollichaff, A&P Calm and Condition, beet, cornecruscine, coligone, msm, and relax me. Will giving him keratin react ok with those? Something like happy hoof chop? or as a supplement in its self? Anyone know which is the best way to feed it?

Sorry to bombard with questions!
 
The feed companies always have helplines open and are always happy to help you
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Ring up a company like Top Spec, or D&H, Spillers, etc and just ask for their best advice x
 
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supplements I have had excellent results with naf profeet. visible difference.

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Ditto! has worked wonder on my warmbloods feet - you just have to give it time to show though!!
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If the problem is kicking the door, I would deal with this issue rather than just taking the horses shoes off, as I can't see how this will really help.
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Farrier has recommended taking his shoes off, as he does not do much road work.

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In order to keep the feet in good condition you will need to do road work.

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However if you do do this there will be about 4 weeks of no riding at least as he'll be very sore till his feet harden up!

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Sorry I don't want to be rude, but this is untrue, you need to work your horse barefoot. At some point in the future your horse will get feeling back into his feet and will become footsore, but unless you continue to ride they will never become comfortable being barefoot.

If you are going down the barefoot route, you need to get some good advise from someone who knows what they are doing. I have 3 horses that are now barefoot and have worked with Lucinda McAlpine and Nigel Gatesman her farrier, who is a barefoot specialist as well.

Good websites are http://www.performancebarefoot.co.uk/ and try Lucinda McAlpine she has over 40 horses barefoot her website is http://www.lucindamcalpine.com/
 
I took shoes off all of mine and carried on working just the same with all of them. To be fair, none of them had bad feet, I wasn't taking the shoes off for any particular remedial reason other than I don't like shoes! Mine all go in boots now though when they are going hacking on the stony forest tracks, so you might well be able to take shoes off and start working in boots immediately (look at the EasyCare website for more info). Even if you put shoes back on, a bit of a rest is always good for their feet.
 
My pony has just gone barefoot; I bought some hoof boots for the fronts as he is footy on stony ground; they are fab!!
Diet is very important too, a lot of horses will be sore barefoot due to having a high sugar/cereal diet.

Cut out the Apple chaff and replace with a low sugar one, use sugar free beet too. Seaweed is meant to be excellent for hooves as well as coat.
 
His feet are bad because he bangs the door? Pleeeeeease!!!!!!! How nuts is that? He bangs them a damned sight harder on the floor when you trot him up the road, doesn't he?

If your farrier supports barefoot he's a great farrier - do what he says!
 
Have to agree with cptrayes, what rubbish, bad feet don't come from kicking doors. I have 4 barefoot horses, one of whom is a door kicker and he has great feet. Good feet come from inside i.e. what is being fed and correct trimming. Road work is good for barefoot hooves as it means the hooves are getting a chance to work correctly. Please look at some of the barefoot sites, you will be amazed. Doesn't work for all, but putting more shoes on bad feet will not solve the problem. Good luck.
 
can and will highly recommend Kevin Bacon Hoof Dressing....has done wonders for my horses feet theyre fantastic now...no thrown shoes for months and months and months

highly reduced cracking as well
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not extortionately expensive either
 
And don;t use greasy gunks! hooves are designed to breathe and all you shuold put on them is water!

There is a moisture gradient in the hoof - it's there as a fluid damper and it works very well. If you use greasy gunks it just hinders it from working as designed. They won't fix cracks anyway - may even make them worse by trapping dirt.

Only way to fix cracks is to grow them out. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't.
 
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His feet are bad because he bangs the door? Pleeeeeease!!!!!!! How nuts is that? He bangs them a damned sight harder on the floor when you trot him up the road, doesn't he?

If your farrier supports barefoot he's a great farrier - do what he says!

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Farrier says it is down to banging the door, not me! It is not the bottom of his hoof that is the problem, it is the top of the walls and he sure as hell does not bang them on the road! My farrier feels Cappy has damaged his hoof walls with the banging and that combined with all the wet we had last summer has made them weak. We both feel he needs time to grow it out. I believe in him, as he is an excellent farrier.
 
If he can damage his hoof on a wooden door, it's his hooves that are the problem, not the banging on the door.
I also believe in your farrier - do what he says, get the shoes off.
 
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can and will highly recommend Kevin Bacon Hoof Dressing....has done wonders for my horses feet theyre fantastic now...no thrown shoes for months and months and months

highly reduced cracking as well
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not extortionately expensive either

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this is what my (ex) farrier recommends to everyone.

p.s. hi pixxie! *waves*
 
I do agree that good hooves come from what you feed, but as I posted before, my Cob is a door banger and had bruises on the front wall of his front hooves to prove it. We found that the hessian and straw not only lessened the impact of his hoof on the door but it didn't make as much noise so didn't raise the level of attention he required. He still does it but only if he thinks you're taking too long to turn him out.
 
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