Barefoot footiness today - Farrier came yesterday

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My boy (3.5 year old 17hh Cleveland bay) had his feet done yesterday - mainly tidying up rough edges but also had his toes on his fronts rolled (as usual) but maybe a bit more than usual? Farrier also redressed balance a little. Feet are looking absolutely fabulous although he's still a little flat footed which I am trying to adress with diet.

This morning on bringing him in from the field he seemed a bit 'ouchy' walking over the stoney yard and on lunging / longreining him was short in front - neither leg worse than the other both with a slight jerk to the stride. Clearly not too happy :( No noticable digital pulse and no heat in hooves. I'm hoping it is 'just' a case of farrier having been a bit overzealous with the 'trim' and he'll be better in a day or two? But very frustrated all the same...

He's now out 24/7 on unfertilised (this year) decent but not stupidly rich grass. has a handfull of Graze-on gold blend and pegasus cubes twice daily to carry his supps - glucosamine, Seaweed, Mint and Magnesium. Anything else I could be feeding / doing? I was going to order some hoof boots but until now has shown little sign of needing them.

I'm having trouble getting him to go forward in the school and I'm so worried there could be an underlying reason but everyone thinks I'm mad when I mention it and put it down to him being a baby.
 
Just leave him to unwind for a few days, could be anything [trimming or sugar in grass] but I think it will sort itself out, he is still very young for a big horse.
With young horses using new muscles, it is most important to check them every day for strains and abnormalities, make sure you feel for a digital pulse, this is a good indicator of foot and leg problems, also heat in hoof wall, and bruising or necrosis in foot sole.
It might help to stable him every day and turn out at night, feed stalky / soaked hay, [ it might not make any difference]
PS I don't lunge a young horse as the joints are not mature, you can do more long reining and grid work, also loose jumping, obviously when he has got over this setback.
Why is he getting glucosamine [I give mine a bit when he is stabled because I feel he is a bit weak behind, but I would not feed it to many young horses]
 
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Did your farrier take any sole callous away? They often take it at the toe to "balance" the foot, and it should rarely ever be touched. If he has rasped foot inside the white line then that would be why your boy is sore :(
 
Hi and Thanks for the replies.

Mrs D, If you read my post you will notice I DO check for digital pulses and heat in hooves. Neither were present.

I am FULLY aware of the strain that lunging can put on young joints, hense why only about 3 minutes of a 20 minute session is spent on a circle at a walk and trot. The rest of the time we are using the whole school. I personally don't agree with jumping horses so young but each to their own.

He is still young, which is why I am taking things easy with him this year. He is in the process of being backed and ridden away - I just want to get him out hacking gently and then he will be turned away from October to March to give him a break and let him mature.

He is on glucosamine as a preventative measure. His half sister had OCD and he had a bog spavin come up when he was 18 months old. and YES he has been Xrayed to make sure he hasn't got the problems that his sister had. He is a big lad and I just want to do my best to look after his joints.

Up until the last two weeks he was in during the day and out at night as there wasn't enough grass to satisfy him. He has since changed fields to one with everso slightly more grass (stalky rather than richer) hense keeping him out 24/7. I have done this a) to make my life a bit easier in terms of workload and b) help my purse a little. Selfish I know :( He gets through in excess of half a bale of hay a day when in which at £5 a bale costs an absolute fortune to feed 365 days a year. That, and we are fast running out of hay and I want to save it for when he needs it. I.e when the grass is all burnt off again in a few weeks time.

cptrayes, he didn't remove any calous and he didn't rasp inside the white line... just the underside of the hoof wall which he hasn't really done before... I guess a bit more of his sole is in contact with the ground than usual.

Anyway, he seemed sprightly enough when I bought him in this morning... I'll take another proper look at him tomorrow / friday.
 
horsemadmum1 said:
Hi

Have you mentioned this to your farrier? Might be an idea to discuss with him.
Click to expand...

I know what you're getting at and I will chat it through with him if the problem persists or next time I see him but as he can't put back on what he's taken off, short of shoeing him- which I don't believe will solve the problem, I'm not sure what he can do?
 
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