Barefoot People - Is this Bad? *pics*

itsonlyme

itsonlyme

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Molly was in heartbars (DDFT injury) up until about 3 weeks ago, when we went barefoot. I've just ridden her out on the stubble fields and she's come back with this (front right hoof)

Mollyfoot2.jpg


mollyfoot.jpg


She's not lame or anything. Is it bad? Should i do anything? I've emailed pics to our trimmer, but am stressing in the mean time.... :confused:
 
wow thats impressive. I dont know myself. I was expecting to see just small chips around the edge lol. Will be interested to see what others say.
 
It LOOKS bad at first glance, however, giving it a little more thought, I can see that the hoof is quite long and shows flaring. A healthy hoof wouldn't do that in reality so I can only assume some weak horn where the nail holes were probably needed to chip away due to the forces and you would expect that.

You should have seen mine when he first had his shoes off.

It looks like there is good depth of sole so I would hope your horse has lots of support and not lame. Expect more chipping for a while until the flare is either trimmed or worn down. The heels look fairly high still, and the top quarter inch of growth shows that the hoof is trying to grow a different angle than the one you see. In time, with attention to the heels, this will all go. It may be worth thinking about a mustang roll each trim to reduce the stress on the Walls and particularly that toe.
 
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Looks like the part of the wall that has already been weakened by the nails has come away - it'll grow in, don't worry, just make sure your feeding is up to scratch, and keep going.
 
Ahh, thank you :) Yes, it was were the nail holes were from her last set of shoes. I'll ask her trimmer about a mustang roll as i have absolutely no idea what that is! :D Very new to all this! Should i just carry on as normal then until her next trim? He's coming out to see my other 2 on the 22nd - will it be ok 'til then? Thanks again.
 
Your trimmer should have explained about how to transition a horse to barefoot. Its not just about taking the shoes off and getting on with it!
 
arghh... i REALLY wouldn't have ridden a newly barefoot horse on stubble fields, they are usually so so so stony that even with feet that are hardened they break off easily...

imagine taking your boots off and running across a field full of flints... I'm no fluffy bunny hugger by the way
 
ISHmad said:
Your trimmer should have explained about how to transition a horse to barefoot. Its not just about taking the shoes off and getting on with it!
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Obviously! :mad: We changed her diet 3 months beforehand, and he came to see her 7 weeks before he touched her. We discussed everything in great length - it's not an instant thing you know - i was never expecting her shoes to come off and for her feet to be perfect. She's been barefoot in the past, with no problems. She's not footy at all and the stubble field that we rode on was Barley. Our farm is about 300 acres and not one of the fields is stoney - no idea how they would get stoney tbh?? Maybe it's just ours...
 
I'm sure someone else will come on here with a better explanation, but my understanding of the mustang roll is that the last thing the trimmer does is 'chamfer' the edge of the hoof all the way round (holding the rasp or sanding block and 45deg to the wall) so that the horse isn't putting pressure down on the outer wall, thus reducing the chipping. I seem to remember that a barefoot horse should be putting the weight on the inner hoof wall not the outer.
 
As Luckyred says the mustang roll or roll/bevel is the last thing done to the bottom of the hoof. As well as reducing chips etc. it forms an essential roll in counteracting the outward forces when the hoof is loaded by the horses weight in stride. Hoof care professionals can alter the angle (increasing and decreasing strength of action by angle of bevel) of the roll if required to assist rehab if there are areas of flare etc. It also assists in a smooth non prizing brake over all round the hoof.

Chips and even big chips are not unusual in a newly barefoot horse, horn in shod horses is I believe less dense due to protection of the shoe. Strong harder/denser horn will grow down over time as the horses body responds to the greater wear and stimulation.
 
Ok what exactly should you feed a barefoot horse?? Just out of interest, my horses are all barefoot and fine on what they are fed but im wondering if they have the correct feed anyway!
 
dizzydancer said:
Ok what exactly should you feed a barefoot horse?? Just out of interest, my horses are all barefoot and fine on what they are fed but im wondering if they have the correct feed anyway!
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Low starch and sugar, high forage diet with balanced minerals. :) Same as any horse, it's just that diet problems sometimes become evident when a horse doesn't have the protection of shoes.
If you haven't any problems be eternally grateful. :D Much seems to depend on the particular grass and hay the horse is eating in my understanding.
 
As everyone has said - it LOOKS bad, but that flare obviously needed to come away, and has said before, the wall would have been a weak area due to the nail holes. I would carry on as you are and consult with your trimmer, rather than take advice from an open forum...although the forum is good for emotional support :) (or not, depends if you;re being controversial!!!)

The UKNHCP forum is a great place with lots of experiences barefooters on there, so you might get some really good support from there if you;re ever feeling low!!
 
Whilst it is perfectly normal for a newly barefoot hoof to crack off at the nail holes occasionally, it is not normal for a hoof to crack like that and expose the dead laminae. That suggests strongly to me that your horse's feet were not healthy about nine months to a year ago, which shows in the laminar separation. You have already addressed the diet and that is great, so it should not be a problem in future and if she is sound, just carry on with what you are doing.

To the poster who says stubble is stony, it's only stony if the area is stony before it was planted with wheat or corn! Stubble should be perfectly ok for a newly barefoot horse if the ground has a bit of give in it.
 
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