Barefoot Advice Please

Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted Chestnuts

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Eowyn pulled a shoe the other day when she got out during the wind and storms, honestly that mare needs a job or she creates holy hell, I couldnt find it so farrier came and popped another one on.

We also had a chat about Kia as his falling through the shoulder has gotten worse and hes actually motorbiking round corners on this rein and its annoying the hell out of me.

Eowyn is going back to fronts only. Farrier will work on deepening/improving her feet to give her more grip and to improve her balance :)

Kia is getting his fronts off, Farrier will be taking his heels back and trying to get him more balanced and get his feet more even without the shoes. He is currently remedial shod (has gotten less over the years due to the shoes helping but now its changed again so another approach is needed. His hinds have been unshod for 2 years now and are like rocks :)

This will be a struggle with Kia as his feet were ruined by a farrier, and my trust in letting a professional just do their own thing, regardless of my qualms or observations on something being wrong, (NEVER AGAIN) so I have my barefoot boots, I have bought nappies, gaffa tape and got a pack of 12 gamgees/fibregees from ebay for £10 so i can pad out his boots.:)

Farrier said if this doesnt correct him then it may be his age and changes in his navicular bone to which he will need xrays to see what needs done.:(

Its been getting progressively worse and I have been blaming it on my lack of schooling (weather) and his stubborness. But he is even doing it in the field at liberty and is TERRIBLE on the lunge.

So am I doing the right thing?? My head and heart tell me yes I am but the other little bit of me is going REMEMBER HIS PAIN THE LAST TIME!!! DONT DO IT!!! He was VERY lame the last tiem I tried even on soft ground and in his stable :( His hinds tho have been fantastic :)
 
Just put barefoot into the search there is masses of info on here. Get the book Feet First, by nic barker. Tells you everything you need to know too make the change properly.
 
And accept that he may well be tender until his solar depth increases - it is the stimulation of contact with the ground that will cause that sole to improve.

It may be an idea not to trim him for a few months - let the feet do what they want to do without interference.
 
unless we get a big freeze again he will be turned out on soft ground and the farrier (bless him) is going to try to make hims as comfy as possible.

I will search on here thank you :) Any transition stories/pics would be ace as I only have the bad experience to go with :)
 
That's the point Nik - the farrier can't "make him as comfortable as possible" - he can only do that for himself.

Less is more. Unless his hooves really need trimmed beucase of big flare or long walls then leave them alone. That will give him the best chance.

He may need some wall height left to be comfortable, leave his frogs and sole well alone, and let nature work for you.
 
brucea said:
That's the point Nik - the farrier can't "make him as comfortable as possible" - he can only do that for himself.

Less is more. Unless his hooves really need trimmed beucase of big flare or long walls then leave them alone. That will give him the best chance.

He may need some wall height left to be comfortable, leave his frogs and sole well alone, and let nature work for you.
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Ditto this ^^

Exactly what i would have said
 
Thanks for the above.

I will mention this tio the farrier about leaving the hoof as it is when the shoes come off for more height, should I ask him just to put a slight roll on the hoof to stop it flaring off but leave the height??
 
Just tidy it up so it does not get ragged - take away any flakes or loose bits.

But leave the frog and sole - if he takes out his knife then wrestle him to the ground and take it away from him. Even if the frog is raggedy, it's all cushioning material and should be left.

In a horse like this you may need to leave 2-3mm wall height to share the loading so it's not all on his soles. Thius is exactly what I have to do with my laminitic to keep him comfortable

Soem of the best functioning hooves are not symetrical or tidy, pretty is as pretty does.

Also think about your diet - make sure he has adequiate minerals - esp copper and zinc and magnesium. I feed a mineral supplement specifically for this area, and also additional magnesium.
 
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