Barefoot pony wearing hoof wall down further than sole?

thatsmygirl

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I tried before to take a pony that I have barefoot. He's retired and only shod in front, backs self trim. I'm not convinced his diet was the best as iv learnt quite a bit since than but he was v sore and couldn't cope and I re shod him. as he's not in work I would like to try again to justify keeping him on livery in retirment. Thing is when the farrier re shod him he said that he had worn his Walls completly down past his soles hence why he was so sore. Even in shoes he seems to grow no foot at all under his shoes. Any advise so I could try again?
Also how do u cope with winter? I'm worried sick with my other lad about frozen rutty ground and turnout? How do people cope in winter
 
Sounds like an ideal barefoot diet. Is that what he was on before when he was barefoot?

I'd certainly give hoof boots a go.
 
Thanks tigertails I will do that now. Oberon I always hope you will pop. He just said that the hoof wall was short and he was weight bearing on his soles, hence being sore but tbh as u know I'm not happy with the way my farrier trims hence why I use a trimmer as well but as he's not in work I thought I would wait until shoes need to come off and take them off myself. Thoughts? His backs are rock hard and never get touched but why the lack off growth on the fronts? There is never anything under the shoe
 
If you look at your barefoot horse's hoofprint you will see they do bear some weight on their soles. Along with the wall, frog and heels. The idea that they should only bear weight on the wall is no longer viable. I would worry about using a professional who doesn't understand how the hoof is meant to function.
 
Yes he did trim to hard when the shoes were taken off, frogs sliced down both sides and soles pared then rasped. Hence why I would like to try and do him myself this time. So I surpose he didn't get the best start but why has he never got any growth under his shoes?
Other big lad doing well mind hence as well why I would like to start another.
Any thoughts on my winter worries?
 
Id take the shoes off, roll the edges and leave well alone!!! Mine was overtrimmed and i left her 12 weeks before letting anyone else near her - who was the heavily supervised!

Um frozen/rutty ground hasnt caused me any problems so not really sure what to say to that. Dont spend hours worrying, horses are enough of a job without creating headaches for yourself!
 
I was like that for about my first year of ownership - then I noticed my first wrinkle :eek: ;)

I do my absolute best in everything I can for them, ie the best trimmer, forage analysed, hours of research done into each feed, saddle, bit etc. However I accept that those are decisions I take, what ever else happens is just stuff I have to deal with :)

My best tip for winter is to have somewhere the horses can stand for an hr or so to dry their feet out. Ive got rubber matting they can come onto with their feed, feet are picked out and packed with Red Horse Field Paste every 2/3 days and thats it :)
 
Red horse field paste? Oh I feel google getting going in a bit. Never heard off it.
I stable by night and only have 1 field so was thinking off spliting in half for winter. This might sound mad but keep half for wet use and half for frozen use so they should never get turned out hopefully in rutted poached field that way. Or that's the idea.
 
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