Dodgy dodgy feet!

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FfionWinnie

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So my new horse.

When I bought her:

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Now minus 100kgs in 3 months:

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Feet are improving, she was very footy and now isn't (but is still shod).

Planning to take the shoes off in 6 weeks time, I have templated them for boots when they were off yesterday but was a bit shocked with this:

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Farrier is not too worried about the separation or the under run sole abscess (said the two go hand in hand!) but wouldn't commit as to whether they will improve. He says her feet are terribly flat, which they are.

Has anyone got a foot like that successfully barefoot? Her other front is equally bad but her hinds aren't so bad.
 
Yes :) And I'm only 3 months down the line and the improvements are almost unbelievable! The day my boys shoes came off, I turned him out, he started off which his usual shuffly walk and then went mad! I think it was the first time in a very long time his feet didnt hurt him. If yu look on here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1446763252255529/?fref=ts

There are PDF files from the early days. I havent uploaded the recent one, but his feet are bigger, wider and infection free. Bailey spent 3 days at horsepital following a kick on the knee, but they kept him in due to the chronic thrush infection in his feet. I had a bit of a fight about keeping the shoes off and was worried to death about it. He had boots on for turn out for a few weeks and is still hacking out in them, but only because the lanes out of the yard are a mixture of stones and gravel. Anywhere else and we would be ok without boots now.

I kept the tiny shoes that came off my 600kg horse and if I remember I'll take some photos tomorrow of the tiny shoes against his feet. They are already much bigger and rounder.
 
Eeek that's very stretched, laminitis history growing out. However you need to find yourself someone who is more proactive on sorting it out and YES of course it can be resolved with the right care.
 
Thanks for the replies.

The shoes she came in were two sizes too small. Her feet are still small considering the size of her so maybe I shouldn't rush out and buy renegades which is what I want to buy!

I think he was meaning it would depend on what I do about it whether it can improve. She certainly won't be getting fat with me.
 
Mine was fat as well, although not as big as yours when she came to you. I had to get Cavello Sports in, technically, a size too small, as Baileys feet were incredibly long and narrow and they were the ONLY boots that even came close! I've found them incredibly forgiving. No rubs or sores despite 12 hours a day turn out in them as well as riding. I did notice on Wednesday that he has a pink bit on one heel, and I think thats because hes now outgrown them. He had pads in them and I've taken them out hoping I'll get a little bit longer out of them while his feet continue to change. I am a big fan of Cavellos though. We W, T, C on any sort of terrain without an issue. They are roughly £75 inc pads on ebay and seem to be selling second hand for £40/50, so it wont have cost me very much if I need to sell them an buy a bigger pair.

It was diet and a change of grazing that made the most difference to my boy.
 
It's not really about the size of feet but whether the lateral cartilages at the back (in the heel bulbs) are strong and dense enough so the horse can land on them comfortably. There is a lot of wall at the front that should go so personally I would not buy boots right now or only some 2nd hands (thinking Old Macs G2) or inexpensive ones (Cavallos) that you can then sell on when they don't fit anymore.
It looks like there might be some thrush in the central sulcus, if you have purple spray or iodine you could put some in there.
I hope your farrier is ready to gently roll the toe (perhaps from the top only as horse seems sensitive to diet) and not touch the frog and sole when you'll be going barefoot as it could otherwise make barefoot unsuccessful.
 
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I had cavallos for my last horse and they were completely useless for the amount of hacking and speed we go at. Rubbed her fetlocks raw :(. Graduated to easy boot epics with her which were ok but I found them really hard to get on and off. I just want something I can get on and off easily as I know she will need them all the time to start with. She had good feet and had never been shod and only needed them occasionally. Will see what's available second hand. I won't be using that farrier once her shoes are off. Thanks folks.
 
Palindrome said:
It's not really about the size of feet
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But it can be :lol: In my case the feet were tiny because they were so contracted. The contraction meant a serious long term thrush infection set in, and the contraction got worse. At its worse the central suculus was so deep and narrow I could slide the hoof pic in a fair few inches. The state of the feet caused caudal heel pain, also known as navicular syndrome, so the horse effectively tip toed along and the heels contracted more.

My vet wanted very wide bar shoes to pull the heels apart. I'm pretty sure it would have crippled him because, as you rightly say, its all about the internal structures, and his were terrible! They are looking good now though and its been worth the stress and worry!
 
FfionWinnie said:
I had cavallos for my last horse and they were completely useless for the amount of hacking and speed we go at. Rubbed her fetlocks raw :(. Graduated to easy boot epics with her which were ok but I found them really hard to get on and off. I just want something I can get on and off easily as I know she will need them all the time to start with. She had good feet and had never been shod and only needed them occasionally. Will see what's available second hand. I won't be using that farrier once her shoes are off. Thanks folks.
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I didn't get on with the Cavallos either but they have a new one on the market (Cavallo Treks) and people are giving them good reviews. Some people use large human socks underneath, seems like a good idea since you can just pop them into the washer. I have never tried the epics but they get very good reviews, I used to have some Old Macs G2 and found them really good and could canter and pop a small jump in them. They are a bit bulky but reliable and the pastern wraps worked well (the outside of the wrap got rubbed a bit but not the horse).
Good luck and I expect the back of the hoof will open up quite a bit :)


FrankieCob, well done :). Mine has improved tremendously going barefoot too.
 
I am so glad you said you wouldn't be using that farrier because holy crap :o Look at how he has carved the frog and sole fps! Do NOT let him use a knife when they come off.

Sincerely think you need a decent trimmer to those - if you don't have one look at the UKNHCP list see if there is one near you. Hows the diet? Decent mineral supp?

One thing I learnt was don't get hung up on the boots you want - the horse chooses! I thought the mac g2s were clumpy and awful and ordered cavallos - the horse refused to take more than 3 steps and had walked out confidently in the old macs so guess what I had to reorder!
 
FfionWinnie said:
I had cavallos for my last horse and they were completely useless for the amount of hacking and speed we go at. Rubbed her fetlocks raw :(. Graduated to easy boot epics with her which were ok but I found them really hard to get on and off. I just want something I can get on and off easily as I know she will need them all the time to start with. She had good feet and had never been shod and only needed them occasionally. Will see what's available second hand. I won't be using that farrier once her shoes are off. Thanks folks.
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my appy gets on fab with cavellos, have just brought him some treks and he is getting on just as good with those but our TB gets rubbed raw by them in just walk so I got him som equine fusion jogging shoes and we can all types of work in them and they don't rub as all. Though I will say that they do not have as much grip as the cavellos but i am not sure if i can get studs for them like the cavellos.

Three months down the line with our tb going bf and he doesn't wear the anymore, or will only if he really needed to. He is rock crunching 99% of the time.
 
FfionWinnie said:
I had cavallos for my last horse and they were completely useless for the amount of hacking and speed we go at. Rubbed her fetlocks raw :(. Graduated to easy boot epics with her which were ok but I found them really hard to get on and off. I just want something I can get on and off easily as I know she will need them all the time to start with. She had good feet and had never been shod and only needed them occasionally. Will see what's available second hand. I won't be using that farrier once her shoes are off. Thanks folks.
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personally the only boots I rate for hacking extensively and speed are the gloves, renegades and epics (with the new glove sole for better grip).
The gloves are a non starter for those feet and renegades something to aim for. If you fit the epics with the "up buckles" I think they will make getting them on and off very easy as they open out wider. Mine are really easy to get on and off. They also have the advantage that you can pad them which you may need and they are a little more accomodating for when the foot shape and size changes. Once you get the adjustment on the "up buckle" cables then the wires can stay at the same adjustment and opening and closing the "up buckle" is a lot easier that faffing around with the horrible standard "down buckle".
 
paddy555 said:
personally the only boots I rate for hacking extensively and speed are the gloves, renegades and epics (with the new glove sole for better grip).
The gloves are a non starter for those feet and renegades something to aim for. If you fit the epics with the "up buckles" I think they will make getting them on and off very easy as they open out wider. Mine are really easy to get on and off. They also have the advantage that you can pad them which you may need and they are a little more accomodating for when the foot shape and size changes. Once you get the adjustment on the "up buckle" cables then the wires can stay at the same adjustment and opening and closing the "up buckle" is a lot easier that faffing around with the horrible standard "down buckle".
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Is the up buckle a new thing or did you alter the boots, I've had a google but don't see anything different to the ones I have. Mine have the down thing and its a nightmare. Other than that they have been perfect for what needed(!)

I found the cavallos too clumpy and she tripped a few times with them on as well as the rubbing.

I have emailed the pic to the hoof boutique asking if renegades are a possibility.

I've got a great new place to ride which is accessed to by smooth tarmac and then is all soft ground so it may not be as bad as I am thinking when they do come off but I just felt I should have some boots ready to put on if needed.

I'm probably going to get a bf trimmer to take the shoes off. I'd rather the foot was just left alone once they come off as that's what I've done with the five others I've got successfully barefoot.
 
http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/P/easyboot_easyup_buckle_set_easy_up_buckle_kit-(516).aspx

this is the best pic of the up buckle. Equine podiatry supplies do them a bit cheaper. Basically they are an "extra" you buy to change the standard down fastening. On the easycare site go to "accessories and scroll down to epic and they are one of the accessories.
It is a long winded way and I have no idea why they don't do them as standard however they are brilliant and change the epics from not very user friendly to great boots especially as you have lots of adjustment on the cables and you can choose which position you want. For eg one side can be tighter than the other if needed.

To get them on you just open the boot out, slip them on and then close the up buckle. It is very easy. To remove just put a hoof pick in the top of the up buckle, pull down and that's it.

A pain having to buy an "extra" and to change the fastening but so well worth it.

I hated the standard down buckles. I could never get the hoof pick in to open them, I found them very hard to close and they "flipped" trotting over stones.

Lovely horse. I am sure you will get the feet sorted.
 
Wagtail said:
Just wondering why your farrier has trimmed so much of her sole?
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That seems to be what farriers do - possibly as habit for seating a shoe? - and after asking mine at least twice not to do it with no effect on a horse with thin soles I no longer use him, do a lot myself and get a trimmer a few times a year.
 
JillA said:
That seems to be what farriers do - possibly as habit for seating a shoe? - and after asking mine at least twice not to do it with no effect on a horse with thin soles I no longer use him, do a lot myself and get a trimmer a few times a year.
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My farrier never touches the sole. He just trims the walls, bars and the frogs. But I have had a few in the past that would trim the sole as a regular part of shoeing. As far as I could tell it was purely to make it look neater.
 
I don't think I can add anything except I like nosing at hoof pics, am sure they will be able to improve :) I wouldn't be forking out for renegades unless second hand just yet though ;).

Have you sold your little paint girl?
 
paddy555 said:
http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/P/easyboot_easyup_buckle_set_easy_up_buckle_kit-(516).aspx

this is the best pic of the up buckle. Equine podiatry supplies do them a bit cheaper. Basically they are an "extra" you buy to change the standard down fastening. On the easycare site go to "accessories and scroll down to epic and they are one of the accessories.
It is a long winded way and I have no idea why they don't do them as standard however they are brilliant and change the epics from not very user friendly to great boots especially as you have lots of adjustment on the cables and you can choose which position you want. For eg one side can be tighter than the other if needed.

To get them on you just open the boot out, slip them on and then close the up buckle. It is very easy. To remove just put a hoof pick in the top of the up buckle, pull down and that's it.

A pain having to buy an "extra" and to change the fastening but so well worth it.

I hated the standard down buckles. I could never get the hoof pick in to open them, I found them very hard to close and they "flipped" trotting over stones.

Lovely horse. I am sure you will get the feet sorted.
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Thanks, I definitely will get these buckles if i get easy boots.

I've got til the next shoeing so I am looking for second hand in the meantime.
 
ester said:
I don't think I can add anything except I like nosing at hoof pics, am sure they will be able to improve :) I wouldn't be forking out for renegades unless second hand just yet though ;).

Have you sold your little paint girl?
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Yes definitely looking for second hand but may not work with renegades as I know you can get pads in them but only "factory fitted". Paddi's solution to the easy boot issue sounds good tho. I haven't got any issues with my existing easyboots other than they are hard to get on and off.

Not sold her but someone viewing tomorrow so fingers crossed!
 
Fingers crossed. I use easyboot gloves and v. much like them but obv they wouldn't suit your mares current situation! If you could adapt what you have to fit well enough while her hoof wall grows down would prob be cheapest solution!
 
Good luck on your bearfoot journey with her she looks like a lovely pony. Changing the subject slightly can i ask how you got her weight down so successfully? I've just taken on a new fatty and need to help him shed some pounds.
 
Lipza767 said:
Good luck on your bearfoot journey with her she looks like a lovely pony. Changing the subject slightly can i ask how you got her weight down so successfully? I've just taken on a new fatty and need to help him shed some pounds.
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Just fed her hay and worked her increasingly hard. She has a mineral lick too. I've just started feeding her bucket feeds as she is getting too thin now!
 
ester said:
Fingers crossed. I use easyboot gloves and v. much like them but obv they wouldn't suit your mares current situation! If you could adapt what you have to fit well enough while her hoof wall grows down would prob be cheapest solution!
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I don't think they will fit but must try the cut outs tomorrow and see. That would be very handy if they did!

Folk never turned up to view other horse. Messed me around half the day yesterday.
 
When we first got our pony he was the same, terrile streched white line from previous laminitis, its just right at the the end of growing out now, finally!
Where there is still a little of the stretched white line left , he gets grit stuck i it if he goes on the roads, can't wait for it to grow out, maybe you won't need boots when that stretchng has grown out.
 
charlie_george said:
When we first got our pony he was the same, terrile streched white line from previous laminitis, its just right at the the end of growing out now, finally!
Where there is still a little of the stretched white line left , he gets grit stuck i it if he goes on the roads, can't wait for it to grow out, maybe you won't need boots when that stretchng has grown out.
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Interesting, apart from the grit have you had any other issues? Its the flatness I am most worried about, but all of mine had flat feet and now don't, so hoping she will be the same!
 
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