Barefoot help

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LCDB

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Sorry i know there are literally hundreds of thread about this and I think I have read nearly everyone but I just like to know that I'm doning the right thing by my horses.
I have recently decided to try my horses barefoot, one currently has not shoes (as explained in a previous thread I have done) and is doing ok. But I want to make sure that I am doing everything I can to help my horses and keep them in the best possible way.

I'm starting with reviewing their diet, they are both ISH of a similar build/ weight and are out 24/7 (although looking at the rain might be coming in at night) both on ad lib hay, about 650g of Dodson & Horrell Build & Glow, they are strip grazed at the moment but will soon be on a barefield for the winter.

Does this diet sound ok for a barefoot horse, is there anything different I can feed to help.

What is the best thing I can use to help get rid of thrush?

Also if a horse was landing toe first, how is this corrected?

Sorry for all the questions, but any help is greatly appriciated
 
Hi! The biggest thing you need to remember is listen to your horses. If they are foot sore or growing poor quality horn, or are very flat footed, there is a reason for it, and 9 times out of 10 it is diet related.

I'm not sure exactly what is in Build and Glow, and it doesn't look too alarming at first glance but I believe there are simpler and much better ways of supplying your horses with what they need.

A common basic barefoot diet tends to be based on two things..

Alan and Page fast fibre - as a source of fibre and a base for other things.
Micronised linseed - for omega 3 and 6. Great for coats, hooves, digestion and joints.

To that people either add a bespoke mineral supplement (determined by forage analysis), a selection of minerals on a trial and error basis - Magnesium, Zinc and copper, being 3 common ones, or a pre-mixed supplement like pro -hoof or similar.

For the thrush, you need to adopt a stringent hoof care regime - pick out twice a day everyday and treat them with something like Milton Sterilising fluid - diluted one part to 3 parts water - squirt on with a spray bottle and scrub into all crevices with a brush.

toe first landing will be corected as the horse gets more comfortable on it's heel... can also be schooled out to a certain degree.

Don't apologise for asking questions. it is a bit of a minefield!
 
meant to say, you might have to look very objectively at their grazing arrangement as some are more sensitive to the grass than others and there is only so much you can do by adressing their diet in other areas... also add lib hay might need to be add lib soaked hay but see how you go :)
 
my gelding was always bare foot till last march when he had fronts on, just last week we had to add back ones on as he went to footy.


Its very flinty and stony round here, it has nothing to do with diet etc.
 
Leviathan said:
my gelding was always bare foot till last march when he had fronts on, just last week we had to add back ones on as he went to footy.


Its very flinty and stony round here, it has nothing to do with diet etc.
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Yes Lev, but was he on a strict lo sugar regime, balanced mineal regime?
It may not be possible to turn out on grass and expect horses to cope, no matter the ground, I mean is he asked to do a lot of work on flint, most horses only do a bit of work on tracks, most are on tarmac roads or in a surfaced arena. If he was OK for years, the ground has not changed, but the mangement has. Not being antagonistic, just think there must be people who keep horses in the same area, and who cope.
One farrier tells me it is impossible to keep barefoot horse in West of Scotland, due to rain, but it is not due to rain, it is due to tracks being sharp gravel on a hard surface. I manage fine as long as I feed for feet and keep off sharp gravel on tracks. I stable overnight if ground is saturated and I want to ride on stoney trax.
I save £500 per year on shoeing, and would rather get off and walk over bad bits, Horse can pick his way up the sides if he wants.
If that does not work I would rather use boots, asking my horse to wear crampons is not the way to go.
P.S people look at my boy and say... ooh err he has no shoes. Something wrong. Well what is wrong, I have seen people riding horses unshod, with chips all round, and I cringe, but they are not lame.
My farrier keeps looking at my boy's feet Iask him to check them] and asks about his diet. He knows I don't comment on all ponies and horse at this small yard: the unshod ones have poor feet, and the shod ones don't need to be!!!!!
My instructor also remarks on how healthy he is, especially feet which look remarkable, even after nearly two years without crampons.
They actually look better than they perform, but if I had better facilites and management I am sure they would be self trimming and I could go anywhere.
Horse has always has a good farrier, but I really think he has less stress on his joints, and should have a longer working life.
 
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LCDB said:
What is the best thing I can use to help get rid of thrush?

Also if a horse was landing toe first, how is this corrected?
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the first sentence above may be the cause of the second.
Thrush can be painful in the back part of the foot. It if is painful the horse won't land on the back of the foot because it hurts him. Get rid of the thrush and he may have a better heel first landing.

As CB fan says really scrub daily and preferably twice a day. Not only the groves on each side of the frog but especially the central sulchus as this is where it is likely to be sore. You need to clean thoroughly right down to the bottom of the central sulchus. If it is tight use cotton buds to get in there and be careful as he may find it sore. Then poke sudocreme down into the bottom of the sulchus and lather the whole frog with sudocreme. After 10 days or a couple of weeks hopefully you will see some improvement.
 
I have found Silverfeet to be very effective on thrush, even in situations where I couldn't scrub the hooves out with Milton or similar. It doesn't cost a huge amount, so might be worth trying.
 
thank you everyone for your input I'm feeling a bit more positive about the whole thing now, but it is definately a minefield out there with regards to barefoot.

I have a tarmac drive and large gravel area so walked him around there yesterday and all seem fine, good excerise for him and me. I'm hoping when I have got him out competing again I can then go through the process with my mare.

Sorry stupid question alert but where do I get Milton seterilising fluid from?
 
LCDB said:
I have a tarmac drive and large gravel area so walked him around there yesterday and all seem fine, good excerise for him and me.
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Brilliant for conditioning his feet! keep it up! Also... if he is stabled on rubber matting it might be worth you removing the mats around his doorway / the front of his stable as you will find his feet condition themselves quite nicely on the concrete floor ;)

I recently had to put my boy's rubber mats back in as he managed to cap his hocks he is a big horse and decided to sleep on the very edge of his nice deep bed rather than in the middle of it ;)

As already said, you will find Milton (or the supermarket's own brand) in the baby section ;)
 
Miss L Toe said:
Yes Lev, but was he on a strict lo sugar regime, balanced mineal regime?
It may not be possible to turn out on grass and expect horses to cope, no matter the ground, I mean is he asked to do a lot of work on flint, most horses only do a bit of work on tracks, most are on tarmac roads or in a surfaced arena. If he was OK for years, the ground has not changed, but the mangement has. Not being antagonistic, just think there must be people who keep horses in the same area, and who cope.
One farrier tells me it is impossible to keep barefoot horse in West of Scotland, due to rain, but it is not due to rain, it is due to tracks being sharp gravel on a hard surface. I manage fine as long as I feed for feet and keep off sharp gravel on tracks. I stable overnight if ground is saturated and I want to ride on stoney trax.
I save £500 per year on shoeing, and would rather get off and walk over bad bits, Horse can pick his way up the sides if he wants.
If that does not work I would rather use boots, asking my horse to wear crampons is not the way to go.
P.S people look at my boy and say... ooh err he has no shoes. Something wrong. Well what is wrong, I have seen people riding horses unshod, with chips all round, and I cringe, but they are not lame.
My farrier keeps looking at my boy's feet Iask him to check them] and asks about his diet. He knows I don't comment on all ponies and horse at this small yard: the unshod ones have poor feet, and the shod ones don't need to be!!!!!
My instructor also remarks on how healthy he is, especially feet which look remarkable, even after nearly two years without crampons.
They actually look better than they perform, but if I had better facilites and management I am sure they would be self trimming and I could go anywhere.
Horse has always has a good farrier, but I really think he has less stress on his joints, and should have a longer working life.
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He is NOT allowed sugar he is a quater horse duracell ,who ANY mixes send him into orbit and gets urticaria with maize so NO mixes what so ever any time in his life now and future. His diet has been the same for his full 11 years.
His management has NOT changed in any shape or form.

he just cannot cope he has had shoes on 1 week and is a different horse tho his diet remains the same.

So he will be shod all round in the future.

In the past he wore old Macs. Now he has to continue where his mum left jumping sponsored rides and u cant jump in hoof boots and i wont.

There are VERY FEW total barefoots in this area
 
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Leviathan said:
Her is NOT allowed sugar he is a quarter horse who ANY mixes send him into orbit. His diet has been the same for his full 11 years.
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The fact that any sugar sends him sky high suggests that he may have EPSM (I believe QH is one breed prone to this?), Cushings or Insulin Resistance. The Cushings in particular would be likely to come on with age and if you haven't already done it then I would seriously consider testing him because of its other health implications than footiness on stones.
 
he does not have EPSM he does not have cushings nor laminitis


He is just a very sharp very willing gelding who never needs extra protein in his diet.

he does best on a balanced low cal diet always has since he left his mothers milk.
He has come more comfortable now having hind shoes on.

So thank you but I bred this gelding I know him inside and out.

My vet and farrier have his best under their wing.
As I said he will remain shod all round now
 
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jools1234 said:
Oberon what is a 'mooncup'?
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silenced.gif
 
Leviathan said:
As I said he will remain shod all round now
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so why are you posting on a thread requesting barefoot help :confused:

OP hope it goes well for you and the horses, mine has been bf since march (so quite new to this) but has been doing really well. You just need some decent patience :D
 
cptrayes said:
Has he been tested?

Do you know how prevalent a false negative is for the Cushings test?
So why did you bother posting on a thread from someone asking for information how to keep her horse barefoot?
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Thankyou for your concern but;
The vet is satisfied with his health, Not everyone panics into getting cushings test every time or any reason their horse is off colour or sharp.

He is a normal gelding who just does not need much omph.

he is more footy bare foot as out rides with this rain are more stony now AND he is competing more now his mum isnt.


Sheesh I see enough posts of "I need more omph "on here, funny thing is I don't see people making blood test for cushings remarks .




FWIW He was ridden the first time today since the shoes and he was fine. In fact better than he was so
OP This gelding went the opposite to yours Barefoot to shoes. My other horse went the other way shoes to barefoot.

Good nutrition - good farrier are two for the main keys. Keep close eye once they are barefoot at the beginning for any signs of cracks , change of stride or footyness.
 
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I'm curious as to how he has been ok on his feet for the last 11 years but now isn't? (11 years being a long time!)

No, but plenty would go and get a cushings/EPSM test if their horse went footy after being previously fine? I note that you do not say he has been tested for either. Not sure what lack of oomph leading to cushings testing is about? :confused:

given that he has only been shod a week and ridden once I'm also not sure how you can know how he is going to get on.
 
Leviathan said:
Thankyou for your concern but;
The vet is satisfied with his health, Not everyone panics into getting cushings test every time or any reason their horse is off colour or sharp.
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My suggestion was you test for Cushings because your horse can't work without shoes, not because it was off colour or sharp.

You vet says your horse is healthy? Leviathan I can show you a picture of a horse looking just as healthy as your photos taken days before the horse was shot because of total kidney failure. This had been going on for a year undiagnosed while I tried to find a vet who believed me that the horse was not well, his symptoms were so slight.

You actually have no idea why your horse was footie, and don't care, you've just gone straight for shoes. So it beats me why you have posted on this thread, it really does :confused:
 
This is what gets me cptrayes, it's easier to shoe than find out why he's gone like this after 11 years?I would be worried and asking why not mask the problem with shoes, after all he's still sore just covered up at the mo
 
cptrayes said:
You vet says your horse is healthy? Leviathan I can show you a picture of a horse looking just as healthy as your photos taken days before the horse was shot because of total kidney failure. This had been going on for a year undiagnosed while I tried to find a vet who believed me that the horse was not well, his symptoms were so slight.
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Just to illustrate your point, CPT, this is Obi looking great.

obinuzzlefriend.jpg


His ACTH when that pic was taken was 172 (despite 2mg a day Prascend)

My deciding reason to test for Cushings?
He lost some sole depth in both front hooves.....

Horses can hide a lot under a shiny coat :(
 
cptrayes said:
My suggestion was you test for Cushings because your horse can't work without shoes, not because it was off colour or sharp.

You actually have no idea why your horse was footie, and don't care, you've just gone straight for shoes. So it beats me why you have posted on this thread, it really does :confused:
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Firstly Are you saying everyone who's horse can't go barefoot because they are footy have to take a cushings test??

I have not gone straight for shoes you have no idea what I did prior to going the shoe route!!! And why don't you know??? Because I never posted what I did before or how and what things I did.

The reason why I did not post is because frankly , if one goes into to much detail about ones horse on here, there are too many judgmental wanna bee professionals. For me If I post a questions on why my horses is footy I would expect an answer. But if I make a statement to what I did or am going to do its because I know what the problem and have done what I need to do with the vet so don't need advice..

I know why my gelding has gone footy I just did not post ALL the facts because I did not think I need too.

As for posting maybe its because I have done shoes to barefoot on one horse, anyway cptrays, I am not here to waste time explain why I posted or why and what I did prior for going barefoot to shoes.


I trust my vet over any member here. They know my horse inside and out. My horse is in good hands she has no reason (after what we did last month) other than the ones she found on her examination to suspect anything else.


Sorry OP the post was hijacked again. Good luck with the barefoot hope it goes well my other horse is fine now after the initial getting used to stage.
 
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Leviathan said:
I trust my vet over any member here. They know my horse inside and out. My horse is in good hands she has no reason (after what we did last month) other than the ones she found on her examination to suspect anything else.
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Not suggesting your horse has Cushings....

BUT just to say that my horse has a couple of minor health issues back in 2010 (hoof abscess, osteomylitis, salivary gland infection, cellulitis).

I know now that I should have suspected Cushings back then.

But my magazine advisor, equine specialist vet at the time (god rest his soul) didn't mention that as a possibility - not even in April this year when I finally had him tested. New vet thought I was testing for the sheer hell of it......and ate humble pie when his ACTH came back at over 200.....

I wish my vet had put two and two together back in 2010. Perhaps if I'd had him tested and got him on meds then....I wouldn't be struggling to control it now :(.

It's nice to have faith in professionals.....but never follow them off a cliff :).
 
Leviathan said:
As for posting maybe its because I have done shoes to barefoot on one horse,
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but you didn't post anything about that horse.. just the one you have put shoes on which doesn't really help the OP and which is why I couldn't understand why you posted about that.
 
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