barefoot pony - hoof hardeners

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pixie

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New pony is barefoot (though apparently may have had fronts). I'm just hacking him around the farm at the moment and would be doing minimal roadwork when we do venture further.
Farrier came today to give him a trim. He recommended applying formaldehyde every 10 days to harden up his hooves. Thoughts on this or any alternate recommendations please :)
 
I'm sure the 'proper' barefoot people will give you more in-depth advice but I've found that the diet is more important than topical applications. Roadwork actually seems to help as well - when ours are in full work and getting out on the roads regularly they keep their feet in good shape all by themselves. :)
 
pixie said:
New pony is barefoot (though apparently may have had fronts). I'm just hacking him around the farm at the moment and would be doing minimal roadwork when we do venture further.
Farrier came today to give him a trim. He recommended applying formaldehyde every 10 days to harden up his hooves. Thoughts on this or any alternate recommendations please :)
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:eek: Personally, formaldehyde is not something I would let withing 10 foot of my horses' feet!

The best way to robust hooves is an appropriate diet.
 
He is being strip grazed on our worst bit of grazing at the moment - the rest of the fields are too lush. he's a little welshie, so I'm worried about laminitis. Are paddock likit type things good? Is there a type that don't contain molasses?
 
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The barefoot diet is lo/no sugars: hi fibre forage plus minerals should do a pony.
No hardeners, just keep trimmed/check 6-8 weeks and try to hack out on tarmac. Tracks are better than fields, less is more, green grass is not good.
 
Yeah, it is farm tracks, not grass that I'm riding him on. Minimal roadwork - I'm not venturing too far with him yet as I'm still breastfeeding my son on demand, so need to be able to get back the house quickly! ;) Sometimes he'll be fine for 2 hours, other times he is crying for me within 20 minutes.
 
pixie said:
Yeah, it is farm tracks, not grass that I'm riding him on. Minimal roadwork - I'm not venturing too far with him yet as I'm still breastfeeding my son on demand, so need to be able to get back the house quickly! ;) Sometimes he'll be fine for 2 hours, other times he is crying for me within 20 minutes.
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You can buy a basket type saddle to pop baby in, but then you need to walk alongside, no what I meant was don't put pony in a field if you have a track available for grazing.
 
celia said:
I'm sure the 'proper' barefoot people will give you more in-depth advice but I've found that the diet is more important than topical applications. Roadwork actually seems to help as well - when ours are in full work and getting out on the roads regularly they keep their feet in good shape all by themselves. :)
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notworthy.gif
Perfectly put
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Agree with everyone on here. The only way to get good hard feet is lots or work and a good diet with minimal sugar. My pony is in a bareish paddock, gets a small feed of fast fibre with a multi vitamin in. I try and get her out and about on various different surfaces and only time will make them harder.

I have tried Keratex hoof hardener in the past, and it helped her while she built the extra strong hooves herself, but there is no short cut for work and diet xx
 
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