Cusings & Barefoot Question

N

Northern Hare

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2012
Messages
2,296
Visit site
Ok, here's the background..... My horse is a 25 yo TBxWB. He's had Cushings for around three years - and is given Prascend (1.25 tabs/day). Since being diagnosed he has been on a low sugar diet. He doesn't have great foot conformation - the forefeet are not a pair and in the past he has had weak / thin soles.

I've had him for 16 years now and in the past (pre Cushings) whenever he's lost a front shoe, he behaved almost as though he had broken his leg - and wouldn't/couldn't walk on anything but the flattest/softest surface.

I had the vet and farrier to him recently because I felt he was "not right" in front - and obviously was worried about laminitis. However, thankfully it was not laminitis but the vet felt that as his foot conformation was poor again (lack of / under-run heels), that he'd benefit with heart bar shoes in front. Also, out of nowhere he'd developed mild seedy toe on the hinds, and the vet recommended removing his hinds so we could treat that - and which is clearing up nicely now.

The farrier then put the heart bar shoes on, and he has worn overreach boots whilst out in the field, but he has already lost both fronts - farrier due back tomorrow.

In amongst all this, and now that he has no shoes on at all, I've come to realise that he's no longer footsore without shoes and can walk in from the fields over a stony yard without breaking step - I'm wondering if that's because he's been on a low-sugar diet for 3+ years now. Where he's at livery, with the exception of a tiny bit of rough surface (2 metres) we can get out hacking onto the farm where the going is always excellent - and there's no road work. I've ridden him out a couple of times without shoes and amazingly for me he's been on great form.

I'm starting to wonder if he'd be better without shoes - but I'm concerned what effect that will have on his heels - will going barefoot make them worse or will it help the foot improve? As you can probably tell, I've not got any experience of barefoot and in the past have always been in the "my horse would never go barefoot" camp - but he has really surprised me!

Any advice would be gratefully received!
 
Having no shoes on will probably improve his heels no end. It may take some active participation on your part - getting him out walking (with boots and pads if necessary) on some smooth tarmac to get him landing heel first and stimulating the back of his foot.
 
From my experience treating the Cushings an improving the diet will be what has made the improvement for his footiness, as this is what has happened to my oldie. Her Cushings made her feet sensitive (a precursor for lami maybe?), so once we started treatment she is much more confident over different terrains.

Heartbars will do sod all to improve his heels as they will remove all stimulation, well again this is what happened to my horse (heartbar wedges for 6 months, didn't get her sound and then caused a whopper of an abscess). Once we removed shoes, her feet have come on leaps and bounds, ok they are still not perfect and I'm not sure her heels will ever totally recover from the damage 20+ years of shoeing did to them, but we're now sound at least!

If he's managing without then I'd be tempted to at least try barefoot to try and get a healthier foot growing in, this is my plan with my oldie we're currently 7 months in and she's doing more now than she was in the past two years :).
 
For the most part I would say that going barefoot is the only thing that truely improves heels, it certainly won't make them worse.

In addition I have also said that one of the occasions I would put shoes back on is if I had a metabolic issue and couldn't get the feet comfy.

But that said, it seems like your chap might well cope, loads of boot options for riding if needed and if it goes wrong shoes can always go back on. In addition with the cushings without shoes you will get much better/earlier warnings that his feet aren't happy.

One thing to note as yours already has them off is that they do often step out of shoes fairly well but get a bit sore about 6 weeks as the hoof wakes up a bit so be careful not to do too much before the feet might not be ready, this is where the boots can come in.

Oh and look back on AlexHydes posts and pics to see the changes they can make out of shoes, bloody clever really!

do you have a farrier who is happy to do minimal if any trimming to start?
 
Thanks very much for your replies and advice - it's very much appreciated!

The farrier is coming tomorrow so I will have a chat with him - one of my concerns is that in pulling both front shoes off, his feet are not in a brilliant state now with a few bits where the hoof wall has broken below the nail holes.

Thanks again - I will let you know how we get on!
 
To be honest if he's happy and sound I'd be tempted to see how he goes without them. As you say him being on a low sugar diet for several years will probably have helped his feet out and over time if he is landing heel first and engaging the back of his foot correctly then barefoot should help his heel out enormously (Don't expect massive changes overnight more slow and steady progress). Would advise if you do leave them off to request minimal trimming, esp whilst nailholes are growing out and over-enthusiastic trimming (esp at this early stage) can be a reason for soreness. Obviously at his age his comfort has to come first and horses with metabolic issues can be the most challenging to keep "right" (although your sounds like he's quite stable atm... mine in the other hand is a constant PITA... too little Prascend and we have sky high ACTH and increased lami risk but too much and we go on hunger strike and have generally odd behaviour, the joys!) but if he's happy at the moment and isn't going to be required to do a lot of work on very challenging surfaces then it is most definitely worth trying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top