Barefoot people Q

[TrasaM]

I've recently started to ride a friend's IDxWB mare. She is currently shod and I was told that the one time she had the back shoes removed that she couldn't cope and that her soles are very thin. She's gone lame today on her front left and the hoof and coronet are warm. Will have to wait and see if this is an abscess or trauma.

I noticed when I picked her feet out that the soles are very crumbly and the frog in relation to the foot size is small. The other two horses I ride are both barefoot so their frogs are quite wide in comparison.

so question..

Should the sole be this soft and easy to scrape.

If her sole is thin can anything be done about it. Is it genetic or dietary ?

Has anyone with a horse with feet like this managed to get them barefoot successfully.

She's a big girl 17hh and conformation wise there are no obvious problems. I've recently bought some Pro Hoof and she is now getting this in her feed.
Guidance gratefully received. Thank you

 

[amandaco2]

Pictures and full diet details needed

 

[TrasaM]

Can't post pics sorry.
Feed.. Hay at the moment as grass sparse or is submerged under mud.
She is getting a once daily feed as well but I don't do her feeds so can't remember exactly what she's on. I think they get Alfalf A low sugar plus fast fibre and a small quantity of chopped carrot.

 

[Oberon]

I've recently started to ride a friend's IDxWB mare. She is currently shod and I was told that the one time she had the back shoes removed that she couldn't cope and that her soles are very thin. She's gone lame today on her front left and the hoof and coronet are warm. Will have to wait and see if this is an abscess or trauma.

I noticed when I picked her feet out that the soles are very crumbly and the frog in relation to the foot size is small. The other two horses I ride are both barefoot so their frogs are quite wide in comparison.

so question..

Should the sole be this soft and easy to scrape.

If her sole is thin can anything be done about it. Is it genetic or dietary ?

Has anyone with a horse with feet like this managed to get them barefoot successfully.

She's a big girl 17hh and conformation wise there are no obvious problems. I've recently bought some Pro Hoof and she is now getting this in her feed.
Guidance gratefully received. Thank you

Crumbly, white, chalky sole is tissue that would normally exfoliate smooth if the sole was in contact with the ground - like dry skin on your feet.

A THIN sole is a different matter. Thin soles are indicative of such things as lack of stimulation (such as when the hooves are lifted away from the ground by a shoe), dietary/metabolic issues, an excitable hoof practitioner who pares the tissue away too much.

My barefoot Arab gets enough stimulation and his soles are never touched by tools - but his Cushings means he gets thin spots to his soles....that is a metabolic issue that I manage with medication and diet.

With the horse in question - the crumbly sole and smaller frog are common traits of a shod hoof and may/may not be factors in the current lameness.

The best you can do while the horse is to remain shod is to try and keep the bucket feed's sugar and starch under 10%. The Pro Hoof will provide balanced minerals which also help.

 

[TrasaM]

Thank you Oberon. I don't think there are any known metabolic issues with her so hopefully the thin sensitive soles will improve with diet. We should know after tomorrow whether she's got an abscess or not. Poor girl was feeling so sorry for herself today and seemed to realise all my scrubbing, poking and washing was for her benefit.