Brand new to barefoot

I have a 19 year old ex-racer. He has been shod all his life and crippled if lost a shoe. But I was too scared his feet would simply fall apart without them!
but he has become more and more uncomfortable in his old age with a full set of shoes, so we decided what did we have to lose- the last straw came when he pulled off a shoe last day I was away- my friend brought him in and it took 25 minutes to do a 10 minute walk. then when farrier came to put it back on my poorboy was wincing as he had to do it so high with nails to try and get it back on.

but I decided to get an equine podiatrist out and I am so glad I did. My farrier is good with shoes, and the podiatrist was impressed with his work to keep shoes on my horse! but he never asks about diet or management or trots them up. shoes on, look pretty, job done.

she accesses movement and diet. We did then decide to take the shoes off that day- as he was already on a 'barefoot' friendly diet. But she also recommended a very good supplement- but it was aimed at reducing inflammation and improving gut health. he has never had colic and never scoped him,but he was a race horse so low grade ulcers are very likely and he always looks bloated. so she is helping to address the whole picture- as she said to me- I will barely touch his feet! we are trying to reduce all his inflammation from poor gut, arthritis and very low grade laminitus. everything is linked.

he has front hoof boots to get him to and from the field as it is nearly a 15 minute walk. they have a very thick pad in them too. but I take them off in the field as the ground is quite soft.

honestly 1 month in he is doing better than I thought. he was getting stiffer and sore with shoes on. but it wasn't just the shoes fault as such, but I think they can mask issues.
 
It does work, but I wouldn't recommend using photobucket for too long it is slowly imploding and people are losing photos. I'll go have a look now.
 
To those who want to force a cripple horse to hobble across a yard - this is cruelty. Shoe or boot or lay a soft track I don't care which. You have a duty to not just make the horse 'tough it out' - it can't tell you no. It is doing its best. A horse will walk when a little bit lame fairly happily so to be hobbling/shuffling it is really sore. This is what gives barefoot a bad name, if an animal welfare person came and saw someone making an obviously hobbling horse walk do you really think they'd say - oh yes.. continue!
Anyway - this diverges from the OP -As I say to OP - make her comfortable and go from there.
 
SusieT said:
To those who want to force a cripple horse to hobble across a yard - this is cruelty. Shoe or boot or lay a soft track I don't care which. You have a duty to not just make the horse 'tough it out' - it can't tell you no. It is doing its best. A horse will walk when a little bit lame fairly happily so to be hobbling/shuffling it is really sore. This is what gives barefoot a bad name, if an animal welfare person came and saw someone making an obviously hobbling horse walk do you really think they'd say - oh yes.. continue!
Anyway - this diverges from the OP -As I say to OP - make her comfortable and go from there.
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I completely agree with you.

But it bears no relationship whatsoever to what anyone on this thread has been talking about.
 
samleigh said:
Thank you all, so much, I have made notes & I will post some photo's later today :-)
I am confident she doesn't have any thrush at the moment but I will start a more religious routine of disinfecting.
She is comfortable on grass and the difference last night after 7 hrs turn out on grass was noticeable, the ground is nice and soft. I put bedding all over her stable last night & this morning, altho short walking, had her ears forward and walked much better to her field. I also cut her feed back and changed to a lower sugar chaff last night. But I will arrange boots ASAP for her & I have some 25mm foam to duct tape to her hooves should I need it.
She also for the 1st time last night let me pick her back hooves out with no drama, as she has been reluctant to put her weight on her fronts even stood on her bedding.
I acknowledge I need to get her moving, so tonight I thought while she's most comfortable, straight from the field, up the lane, 100m of tarmac at most, there and back to start with...???
And today I will mainly be researching and hopefully talking to a trimmer for advice and help!
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Good news... it takes time but it'll be worth it! I too think wait until you have some boots - The cavallo's seem to be comfortable enough for rehab/padding but I still think wait for a qualified trimmer to come out first and see the horse on the ground.

As for diet, definitely on the right track with low sugar/no sugar and if he is having plenty of turnout then hay cobs/grass chaff is enough. I keep mine interesting by adding herbs like dandelion root, a sprinkle of rosehips, devils claw root, chamomile and whatever else I can find. I add micronised linseed but only really a small cupful as its not for weight gain but for hoof health and coat shine. It has plenty of omega 3's which are anti-inflammatory too. Not everyone has trouble with alfalfa but I do so I avoid it.

All the best :)
 
SusieT said:
To those who want to force a cripple horse to hobble across a yard - this is cruelty. Shoe or boot or lay a soft track I don't care which. You have a duty to not just make the horse 'tough it out' - it can't tell you no. It is doing its best. A horse will walk when a little bit lame fairly happily so to be hobbling/shuffling it is really sore. This is what gives barefoot a bad name, if an animal welfare person came and saw someone making an obviously hobbling horse walk do you really think they'd say - oh yes.. continue!
Anyway - this diverges from the OP -As I say to OP - make her comfortable and go from there.
Click to expand...

I am struggling to find anyone who has suggested this? All the posts on this thread seem to be very constructive about how to make her more comfortable and positive tales about how the change to barefoot can sometimes help.
 
Quite, would you like to provide quotes for the people giving barefoot a bad name and suggesting this horse is forced to tough it out Susie because you seem to be reading a completely different thread to me.

OP I do actually disagree with tallyho on the basis that cavallos are cheap, forgiving in fit, easy to sell on and think you might need them sooner rather than later I'd get them regardless of trimmer coming. Generally I don't like them as boots but they do have their place and I keep a pair for emergencies.
 
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