Barefoot trial giving my horse cracks, should I shoe again?

[sophiebailey]

Had bailey barefoot for the past couple of months an he seemed to be doing really well. Yesterday I noticed his right fore was starting to crack a little (cracks are les than 1cm long) and a small chunk had fallen off right at the back near the heel. Also, his hooves have 'ridges' on them, like if you run your fingernail across them it's not smooth there's lots of ridges.

Should I be contemplating having front shoes back on?? Will obvs talk to my farrier but he doesn't work weekends so have to wait till tomorrow. Just wondered what others who've gone barefoot think?

Thanks

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Is he sound and coping well on a variety of surfaces without the shoes?

If he is coping well then I wouldn't reshoe but his diet needs addressing. You will need to bear in mind that the new diet will only help the new growth, so it will be 9 months approx to grow out a new hoof capsule with better horn.

 

[Gloi]

Have you got any pictures?

 

[fjordhorsefan]

Are you using some sort of hoof dressing? Our guys all get Kevin bacon hoof dressing on, and no one has cracked feet. These are barefoot and shod horses.

 

[amandap]

Perhaps it's worth having a think about what causes cracks. I have found, white line/lamina issues, unbalanced hooves, poor horn quality and hoof wall getting too long can all be factors. A mustang roll properly applied to the base of the hoof wall can help along with not letting the wall over grow by more frequent trimming or more work.

ps. I am speaking of deep cracks not fine cracks/lines.
The question is... what sort of cracks and is the horse sound or the same?

 

[sophiebailey]

Excuse bad quality of pics, was on my own and don't have any hard standing!!

^the chunk that's missing

^the ridges

^the crack, where my finger is.

He's an arthritic so is as sound as he usually is, but was nodding a little in trot yesterday which isn't usual. He has NAF hoof moist on most days.

Thanks for replies so far

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I was expecting far worse!

The chip and the crack do look like excess length chipping off. The vertical lines are probably due to the really dry weather. You need to feed for horn quality, you can't paint it on IYSWIM.

Is he footsore on the lame leg, or is it his arthritis playing up? I would have thought that the lower concussion due to being unshod would be good for his joints.

 

[amandap]

The first photo I call a chip and can happen at the quarters (and anywhere round the wall) if they are a bit long, not a worry in my owner opinion. The repeated ridges are usually dietary but can be balance. More likely dietary if repeated. How long have the shoes been off? The new growth at the top of the hoof is what will grow down over time.
I wouldn't worry too much about the crack either unless it starts to go up the wall. Is the wall long in that area or is there some flare there? Some diet adjustments might help. Less sugars is the main one in repeated ripples.

The black, fine, surface multiple cracks (going down the wall) I believe are due to wet then dry conditions. I wouldn't put anything on them as fungus etc. can get trapped under and then flourish. They should grow out but aren't a much of a concern.

That's my twopenneth. lol

ps.Better clarify. By ridges I mean the ripples (dips and ridges) going round the wall otherwise know as growth rings or stress rings.

 

[Gloi]

Those chip and cracks aren't anything to worry about. As has been said, a low sugar diet and a good mineral supplement and you should get strong hooves. The wall is probably a little long in that area and with the ground being hard it's easy to get the excess wall chipping off, a bit of a mustang roll would help.