Barefoot advice please - chipped hooves

[LHIS]

My gelding is barefoot and always has been, he has lovely strong feet and our barefoot trimmer does a wonderful job on him. Last weekend a fellow livery left the field gate open and he and another escaped and had a hooley around the very stony yard for a good 20 mins before they were caught. He's done some damage to his feet, but I don't know if it's superficial or not.
He's taken about 8mm chunks off either side of his front right, and chunks of the sole around the frog on all 4. He's not lame, no heat in any of the feet, so no obvious cause for concern. But his lovely feet are not so lovely anymore and I'm quite upset about it.
I want to know how long it make take for them to return to their former glory, and most importantly what I can do (if anything) to promote healthy hoof regrowth. I'm thinking supplements wise, or any special hard feed I can give him to help? He doesn't get any hard feed (good doer cob) but if there is something that might help I'd be interested to try it.
I haven't got any photos but I will try and get some tomorrow.

 

[paddy555]

if he has taken chunks of sole I would think it is simply exfoliating sole that has come off so not to worry. It would have broken off at some stage anyway. As for the chips on the sides ie the wall then get hold of a rasp if you can and round the wall (as if you were using an emery board) if you don't have a rasp use a sanding block (less than a fiver at B & Q) and just round the wall to smooth the edges. They may not look at pretty but I doubt it is anything else especially if he is sound.

 

[ycbm]

I would be questioning whether your trimmer was leaving too much foot on if he has caused that much damage and is still sound a week later. I'd be interested to see your photos.

 

[LHIS]

I would be questioning whether your trimmer was leaving too much foot on if he has caused that much damage and is still sound a week later. I'd be interested to see your photos.

The chipped sides of the front right have left about 2mm before white line. I'll try and get some photos later today. I'm keeping a really close eye but he is currently sound, although not in work because I don't want to tempt fate, have decided to give him a couple of weeks off as to not put any unnecessary strain on the hooves, especially front right.

 

[Ceriann]

The ground has been v hard due to dry weather so some chipping is to be expected - both of mine that are barefoot have small chips (they are coming up to trimming date too). One of mine chipped hers terribly last autumn due to mites - she was stamping a lot. Happened in a matter of days - treated the mites but took a while for the feet to improve. Could he be stamping?

 

[LHIS]

The ground has been v hard due to dry weather so some chipping is to be expected - both of mine that are barefoot have small chips (they are coming up to trimming date too). One of mine chipped hers terribly last autumn due to mites - she was stamping a lot. Happened in a matter of days - treated the mites but took a while for the feet to improve. Could he be stamping?

No stamping - damages caused by him escaping from field (gate left open!) and him and friends have a hooley around stony yard before apprehended! Will keep an eye though as he's feathery (though not in full feathers due to a little haircut!)

 

[LHIS]

 

[LHIS]

Ooh thats a big photo!
So - top left you can see how much has come off the sides, and the damaged to the sole, its usually nice and even. Other three photos are self explanatory - the splitting is new and must have happened today. I have the hoof trimmer coming Sunday morning to sort him out. Still sound. Keeping him in tonight to try and minimise any further splitting before Sunday, though he will have to go out tomorrow during the day.

 

[ycbm]

I think they have broken off because they were too long. You'd need to view them in person to be sure, though.

 

[LHIS]

I think they have broken off because they were too long. You'd need to view them in person to be sure, though.

They've broken because of the chip to the side, he's never had issues with splitting hooves before, he is 5 weeks since his last trim and is due another (now sunday) within the next 2-3 weeks. His feet are always this length and we haven't had issues before.
With our imminent move I'll be going to another hoof trimmer so it'll be interesting to see what he thinks about the length.

 

[paddy555]

I think your feet have chipped as they needed trimming. If one doesn't trim the feet then when they get too long the horse simply starts to trim his own feet. I had a horse that couldn't ever be trimmed. This is exactly what he did when his feet were too long and needed trimming. I rode him on stones to trim them and then on sand to rasp them.

 

[LHIS]

He has his feet trimmed every 8 weeks, perhaps they have had a growth spurt. None of the others have splayed out like this, but none of the others were chipped from the escapee incident.

 

[paddy555]

He has his feet trimmed every 8 weeks, perhaps they have had a growth spurt. None of the others have splayed out like this, but none of the others were chipped from the escapee incident.

ATM ours wouldn't go 8 weeks without trimming, at other times of the year maybe but ours are growing like mad ATM. Some just need more trimming than others or more riding to keep them self trimmed. Also I have found some chip more easily than others. One of my white hoofed horses would chip on stones if his feet were too long yet it would take a lot more for some of the black hoofed ones to chip. Every horse is different. I am sure the trimmer will make them look pretty again.