Critique for my horses hooves...

[Barehooves]

Hi these are my horses hooves, she has been bare since May 2009 (previously being shod for 8 years!). She had very contracted heals and her hinds twisted really bad.

Any critique welcome as always looking to improve although these hooves currently ride out over seriously rough terrain and varied terrrain too (we do endurance).

Near Fore

Off Fore

Near hind

Off hind

Thanks!

 

[Barehooves]

Anyone?

 

[tallyho!]

I think they are fab! Especially the backs. The backs on my horse are like this and we went barefoot July this year so I am encouraged !

The fronts look good too although I notice another similarity - please correct me if I'm wrong, there is a slight 'squaring' where I assume the natural breakover is on the front sides at about 8 o'clock (off fore, 3rd pic down, frog is 12 o'clock). Who trims yours out of interest? i use ep.

 

[horsey mad matt]

they look pretty good to me, my boy goes barefoot over the winter and his don't look half as good as that, i'm jealous!!! they maybe be a little dry so try some hoff oil but otherwise pretty good!!!

 

[rhino]

Sorry, I am no expert on shape or balance, but the hooves look in fabulous strong condition

Think some of the regulars have been 'scared off' by some recent barefoot posts so don't take the lack of replies personally!

What breed/type/height of horse is it?

 

[Jennyharvey]

they look pretty good to me, my boy goes barefoot over the winter and his don't look half as good as that, i'm jealous!!! they maybe be a little dry so try some hoff oil but otherwise pretty good!!!

I wouldnt bother with hoof oil actually. Horses are very capable of regulating the moisture content themselves, and the oil will actually interfer with this because the oil inhibits the hoofs mechanism of moisture control. Dry hooves are actually better anyway. If they are too moisturised, they become weaker. I think this poster may be refering to the sole looking dry. This is actually exfoliating sole and is perfectly normal. More work on sandy or stoney ground should help exfoliate this away but its nothing to worry about. The feet look very nice. Whoever is trimming is doing a good job.

 

[horsey mad matt]

I wouldnt bother with hoof oil actually. Horses are very capable of regulating the moisture content themselves, and the oil will actually interfer with this because the oil inhibits the hoofs mechanism of moisture control. Dry hooves are actually better anyway. If they are too moisturised, they become weaker. I think this poster may be refering to the sole looking dry. This is actually exfoliating sole and is perfectly normal. More work on sandy or stoney ground should help exfoliate this away but its nothing to worry about. The feet look very nice. Whoever is trimming is doing a good job.

you learn something new everyday thanks for that!!!!

 

[Clava]

Lovely hooves

Near hind frog looks a little tatty (could just be shedding), it might benefit from a thrush treatment. My TB's hind frogs were transformed after using White Lightning and really filled out (stopped being tatty) and previously I didn't believe they were thrushy at all.

 

[Barehooves]

Sorry, I am no expert on shape or balance, but the hooves look in fabulous strong condition

Think some of the regulars have been 'scared off' by some recent barefoot posts so don't take the lack of replies personally!

What breed/type/height of horse is it?

Thanks for all your replies it's nice to know others think they look good too! (I'm so pleased with them).

My horse is a 15hh standardbred mare, she's 14 years old, we took up endurance in 2009 (same time we went barefoot) and have been doing really well x

 

[Barehooves]

I think they are fab! Especially the backs. The backs on my horse are like this and we went barefoot July this year so I am encouraged !

The fronts look good too although I notice another similarity - please correct me if I'm wrong, there is a slight 'squaring' where I assume the natural breakover is on the front sides at about 8 o'clock (off fore, 3rd pic down, frog is 12 o'clock). Who trims yours out of interest? i use ep.

Yes I think she does wear the toes slightly for breakover, she grows toe quickly and I find if I keep them trimmed she lands a much better heal first than if the toes get long. I use a barefoot trimmer

 

[MissMistletoe]

Nice hooves, a real credit to you and your trimmer

 

[Barehooves]

Nice hooves, a real credit to you and your trimmer

Ah, thank you

 

[cptrayes]

Your horses feet show very clearly, to me, something that we have been talking about on this forum recently. She has grown the feet that she needs to suit her own legs. You can see that the near fore, in particular, is higher on one side than the other, but from the sole view it appears an even height. The hinds look similar. She's grown feet that match the fact that her body is not perfectly symmetrical (whose is!?!) and her soundness shows how much they suit her.


Well done, don't change a thing!

 

[JenHunt]

Your horses feet show very clearly, to me, something that we have been talking about on this forum recently. She has grown the feet that she needs to suit her own legs. You can see that the near fore, in particular, is higher on one side than the other, but from the sole view it appears an even height. The hinds look similar. She's grown feet that match the fact that her body is not perfectly symmetrical (whose is!?!) and her soundness shows how much they suit her.


Well done, don't change a thing!

^^^ exactly this!

 

[Kallibear]

these hooves currently ride out over seriously rough terrain and varied terrrain too

that's the most improtant thing: if she's comfortable doing that kind of work, it doesn't matter what her feet LOOK like.

Lovely looking feet. A bit suint to suit the horse above, bit of flare at the sides ( not as issue unless they get too long) and otherwise perfect.

She does have very squint feet behind and I suspect she would eventually go lame if forces to have 'nice symetrical' feet.

 

[Barehooves]

Your horses feet show very clearly, to me, something that we have been talking about on this forum recently. She has grown the feet that she needs to suit her own legs. You can see that the near fore, in particular, is higher on one side than the other, but from the sole view it appears an even height. The hinds look similar. She's grown feet that match the fact that her body is not perfectly symmetrical (whose is!?!) and her soundness shows how much they suit her.


Well done, don't change a thing!

Thank you my trimmer is very good and let's her grow the hoof she needs, she is a gaited horse which I think contributes to the shape of her feet.

It's very nice to know they're looking good x

 

[Andalucian]

Very nice, enjoy them. p.s. I'm a barefoot trimmer!