Barefoot hoof help...

[sherry90]

So my gelding has been barefoot most of his 6 years.
He had a short stint in shoes in 2018 after he was x-rayed due to a stubborn abscess and they noted low heels and thin soles and to shoe him to support this. They also noted slight reverse rotation in the hinds but this has improved and noted on 2019 xrays.
Had the shoes back off over winter 2018 as he had a few months off after backing, fronts on early spring 2019 and then went lame with what transpired to be low grade lami due to his weight and so shoes came off for xrays and he’s been bare since.
We hack quite a lot to keep his weight down and most of this is quite stony, flinty going in parts, particularly the driveway on the yard - think big chunky stones/hardcore. He has got hoof boots in front. He still has low heels and although I think his soles have thickened somewhat, if he stands on a large stone he does feel it and isn’t ‘rock crunching’ all the time. Yesterday we hacked (no boots, my fault!) and he stood on a stone, taking two lame steps after, then fine. It worries me that he’s going to bruise himself as, although he’s not footy over gravel or lots of stones, the odd stone he really does feel. I’m severely tempted to shoe him, even just in front to start with but equally don’t want to ruin his feet now - they have really built up a good digital cushion (still lacking heel!)
The hinds are a bigger issue, no heel there at all really and he does wear these laterally due to his conformation. Again, he can be a little ‘ouch’ on these on the odd larger stone but good frog and surface area, just no heel to speak of.
Happy to send pics via PM but would really appreciate advice.
Farrier has been happy to keep him bare to date and I have asked him to take a look and give his opinion, I just think the more hacking we do, the likelihood of him picking up a good stone bruise becomes more likely ?

Boots are an option behind but due to his movement I do wonder if I’ll spend more time off him than on worrying about them twisting or flying off.

 

[Gloi]

If you boot all round he will be protected from stones even more than if he is shod. You should be able to find some that don't twist, they are improving all the time.

 

[ycbm]

Some horses just do have very low heels, and in the early days of barefoot the US trainers used to teach it as an objective. It's not necessarily an issue.

It sounds like you should try boots all round, and I would give a recommendation for Renegades for avoiding twisting.

.

 

[sherry90]

Thanks both. I’m more minded to try boots because his feet do look so much better. Heel height will always be an issue I feel but I don’t think shoes help and possibly make things worse so keen to avoid if possible. Just seems so much easier to get a set of shoes on him but I will persevere. He stomped up the stony drive tonight, it’s just when the weight of a rider is applied and I suppose his movement differs with a rider, that he can feel a stone moreso than without.
Will get the farrier to have a look at them on Wednesday and see what he thinks but he’s always been pro keeping him barefoot if I can and he knows I boot to hack so may just suggest hind ones too!

 

[sherry90]

Some horses just do have very low heels, and in the early days of barefoot the US trainers used to teach it as an objective. It's not necessarily an issue.

It sounds like you should try boots all round, and I would give a recommendation for Renegades for avoiding twisting.

.

Just had a look at these, thank you. Unfortunately not sure they’ll be quite right he’s a size 8 in scoots in front (Must try these on the hinds!) and the renegades seem to be for a much more rounder foot?

 

[HelenBack]

I boot mine all round and it works great for us. Obviously it depends on hoof shape but I've used both Easyboot Trails and Cavallos and have had no problems with them twisting or coming off, although I have to admit I haven't been through deep mud in them. They're more clumpy than Renegades but they're quick and easy to put on and take off.

My horse could probably go without boots behind but booting gives me peace of mind about stones and gravel and so on so and this means I can relax and enjoy my rides more so I definitely recommend you give it a go if it will make you worry less.

 

[sherry90]

I boot mine all round and it works great for us. Obviously it depends on hoof shape but I've used both Easyboot Trails and Cavallos and have had no problems with them twisting or coming off, although I have to admit I haven't been through deep mud in them. They're more clumpy than Renegades but they're quick and easy to put on and take off.

My horse could probably go without boots behind but booting gives me peace of mind about stones and gravel and so on so and this means I can relax and enjoy my rides more so I definitely recommend you give it a go if it will make you worry less.

We don’t do huge of ‘off roading’ and not particularly muddy which is good. The scoots have never twisted (except when I applied some hoof balm before putting them on - why I did this I’ll never know! So it made them slippy so lesson learned)

We do have a few bridle paths and fields where we do like a canter, it’s here that I’m worried about losing one really...will measure the hinds and see what options we have!

 

[HelenBack]

We don’t do huge of ‘off roading’ and not particularly muddy which is good. The scoots have never twisted (except when I applied some hoof balm before putting them on - why I did this I’ll never know! So it made them slippy so lesson learned)

We do have a few bridle paths and fields where we do like a canter, it’s here that I’m worried about losing one really...will measure the hinds and see what options we have!

I think you'll be fine for those sorts of conditions and might find that Scoots work well if you've got on well with them in front. I think they do the Scoots in a slim don't they, which might be a better shape for the hinds.

I keep looking at Scoots actually as I like the idea of something a bit less bulky for his hind feet. I keep hearing stories about people losing them though, which puts me off! I don't know if the ones that fit above the hairline are more likely to stay on or if it's just that people aren't fitting their Scoots right but I think I'd be annoyed if I had to get off and go hunting for lost boots all the time!

 

[Wheels]

If you're looking at boots it is worth trying the fit kits - I got a mixed fit kit from hoof boutique and tried a few different types and sizes and chose the ones that fit the best, that was the renegade vipers for us. one size scoots were too big and the next size down too small. Worth trying a couple of different shells

 

[Gloi]

I keep looking at Scoots actually as I like the idea of something a bit less bulky for his hind feet. I keep hearing stories about people losing them though, which puts me off! I don't know if the ones that fit above the hairline are more likely to stay on or if it's just that people aren't fitting their Scoots right but I think I'd be annoyed if I had to get off and go hunting for lost boots all the time!

If you are worried about losing Scoots get the mud straps to go with them. Since using them I have never had a boot come off.

 

[HelenBack]

If you are worried about losing Scoots get the mud straps to go with them. Since using them I have never had a boot come off.

That's a helpful suggestion, thank you. Do you find the boots okay in greasy mud in winter and have you been through water with them at all? We have some rivers around here and the ground can be quite slippery at times when it's a really wet winter like this last one. That might be asking too much of any boot though, in which case it would be go without boots or stick to the lanes.

 

[Gloi]

That's a helpful suggestion, thank you. Do you find the boots okay in greasy mud in winter and have you been through water with them at all? We have some rivers around here and the ground can be quite slippery at times when it's a really wet winter like this last one. That might be asking too much of any boot though, in which case it would be go without boots or stick to the lanes.

I go through rivers no problem and pretty deep mud no problems.I go through water a lot without problems.
They are a bit slippy when you have thin mud on short grass but no more than barefoot on those surfaces. Before I used the mud straps I had a boot come off a time or two with treading on the other boot in mud, but not since having mud straps on.

 

[sherry90]

Update: farrier has seen him today. He had a good trim, despite only being done 3 weeks ago his feet are growing like stink. It’s either spring grass or vaccinations in my opinion that always result in him having some flare and less tight white line at around 3 months growth - which ties in with either events occurring around 3 months ago, coincident I think not.
Farrier says he doesn’t need shoes, boots will be fine for hacking and keep him bare the rest. He will see us again in 5 weeks or less if we get the same amount of growth!

Won’t hack without boots again and might measure him up for hinds just to be on the safe side.

 

[Landcruiser]

OP, your horse sounds like mine. He wears his hind heels right down, particularly the outside heels. If I feel it's becoming an issue and he needs to grow them a bit (probably in my head as he's never gone lame or abcessed them), or if we are doing big distances on rocky surfaces I boot. His hinds are quite narrow. I use Cavallo Trek for everyday hacking and Renegade Vipers for competing/performance (TREC).
I put overreach boots on over the Vipers to stop him bashing them together. The Cavallos wear on the insides where he catches them together but they still last pretty well, and they are relatively cheap. You can actually switch them between the feet so once the insides are too worn, switch them so you have a whole new inside to wear out - my lad wears them to rags in the end, but takes years to finish a pair because he rarely wears them.

 

[Gloi]

OP, your horse sounds like mine. He wears his hind heels right down, particularly the outside heels. If I feel it's becoming an issue and he needs to grow them a bit (probably in my head as he's never gone lame or abcessed them), or if we are doing big distances on rocky surfaces I boot. .

I had a pony like that at one time too, that wore down his outside back heels due to his action and would become footsore with too much roadwork bare. As Landcruiser said you can use boots and swap them between feet so they wear evenly.