Chipped hooves after taking backs off - help

[Sakuragirl20]

My horses hooves on back have now become really worn and chipped. Seems like you can see the underneath of the hoof to me

I was wondering if they look normal

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4 weeks after being taken off

 

[Barton Bounty]

Ouchh they look sore! Were they taken off and filed back? Or just taken off?

 

[Gloi]

These look pretty normal to me for hooves that have just had shoes taken off. They always break back to the nail holes. Keep those loose chunks rasped back and a roll on the edges. More solid hoof will grow down once you pass the hoof that has been damaged by the nails.

 

[Equi]

Just have the farrier on speed dial and keep them well rasped. Try not to let them get too dry as they will crack or too wet as they will rot.

 

[ycbm]

Not unusual at all. Is he sore? The second and third photos actually look good, and probably indicate that his feet were too long. Barefoot feet can look very short.

The first photo shows rotted white line which was hidden by the shoe (this is common) , and they could do with being soaked in disinfectant. My choice at this stage would be peroxide daily.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Thats normal they always break up when shoes come off I just took my horses fronts off and half of the hoof wall has gone, but once they get a quick rasp they will look much better don't worry.

 

[Red-1]

I would ask your farrier for an old rasp and keep the edges rounded off. Hopefully, they would actually demo and help you get it right. If you don't feel confident to do that, or if the farrier can't come and show you promptly, a Rider's Rasp is a good intermediate stage. Really easy to use, difficult to make a Horlicks of. I would only worry if the horse is sore.

I would keep them clean though. It may be worth starting with a Cleantrax soak to ensure it is all cleaned out. It is a faff but seems to clean it all up in one go. I would rasp it well back before the Cleantrax though, so it can get to where it needs to. After that, I rate Hoof Doctor, seems to keep infection at bay. I think it gently hardens the sole too, without making it brittle like Keratex does.

 

[Sakuragirl20]

I have bought some hoof clay. He doesn’t seem sore. He did file them when he took his backs off, trying to see if he’ll come out to rasp them.

I don’t know if I can deal with them looking like this though might put shoes back on

 

[Red-1]

I have bought some hoof clay. He doesn’t seem sore. He did file them when he took his backs off, trying to see if he’ll come out to rasp them.

I don’t know if I can deal with them looking like this though might put shoes back on

If you can learn to tidy them up yourself, they will be unrecognisable in as little as 6 weeks.

 

[Landcruiser]

I have bought some hoof clay. He doesn’t seem sore. He did file them when he took his backs off, trying to see if he’ll come out to rasp them.

I don’t know if I can deal with them looking like this though might put shoes back on

They won't look like that for long. It's just the nail holes (weak, compromised wall) growing down and chipping off. As others have said, a quick tidy with a rasp will work wonders. Look at lots of pics of barefoot and transitioning feet, you'll see how normal this stage is.

 

[Gloi]

I have bought some hoof clay. He doesn’t seem sore. He did file them when he took his backs off, trying to see if he’ll come out to rasp them.

I don’t know if I can deal with them looking like this though might put shoes back on

They will look a lot better in a few weeks. This is just the damage from the nails breaking off. Just give it a bit of time. You don't need to get the farrier out to rasp them at the moment, they are fine.if you can't cope with how they like ok just file off the broken edges yourself.

 

[SEL]

Wish I had some photos of my old draft horse - he would regularly self trim by taking huge chunks out. Used to really annoy my farrier who'd do his best to leave him with 4 nice, tidy feet.

He was never sore. The worst was after a bad winter when he'd struggled with an abscess. I thought he'd be hobbling he'd knocked so much off but it didn't bother him.

Yours will tidy up as the hoof grows down.

 

[Zoeypxo]

4 weeks is not a very long time at all
Mine has been barefoot 4 months now and her feet only recently look ok.
What is your horses diet like?
My farrier gave me an old rasp so any raggedy bits i can tidy myself inbetween trims, this has been extremely helpful. Worth asking your farrier if he has an old one going spare, if not id just buy one.

 

[Goldenstar]

They look very normal to me .
I would be giving them a bit of treatment peroxide yes I would well diluted iodine but there’s lots of things .
If you can get a old rasp,from your farrier you can take off any chips .
if he’s walking fine on them I would not worry .
Dont be tempted to go to long before the farrier sees him next even if he does very little .
I would not panic and put the shoes on if he is not sore they look worse at this time they will get better .
and losing the extra toe most horses have will do him good .

 

[FitzyFitz]

They always look like they've stepped on a landmine while the nail holes are growing out! Can always call the farrier to rasp it tidier, but I imagine by the next regular appointment he'll be transformed anyway.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Another to reassure they look OK! As others have said it's just the old nail holes growing down and chipping off. Have a look at a good vit and min supplement and make sure your feed is barefoot friendly (low in starch and sugar). My old farrier used to scoff at lotions and potions for dry cracked feet and told me just to hose them for a few mins in hot dry weather.