Does this sound right to you?

[Cedars]

20month old (no shoes obv), not needed anything done by farrier for 3 visits, i.e. between 12 and 18 weeks? Nothing at all?

Trust my farrier but worried shes not growing!!

 

[Cuppatea]

living out or in? Some horses naturally wear their toes down while outside while others dont and they grow long. We have a couple out that hardly ever need a trim, thay are growing their hooves but because of the different terrains they have, they keep them down.

 

[Cedars]

In box at night, turned out during day, either on grass/sticky clay mud, or hardcore stone type stuff. thanks for your reply (I'm a massive worrier about her!!) xx

 

[laura7981]

I would yes, that's fine. Especially over winter when hoof growth slows down slightly. I've just had my 3 done today, 1 full set, 1 just fronts and 1 barefoot.... They havnt been done since October and the farrier said they still could have went a few weeks yet. No loose shoes and feet certainly not overgrown. During the warmer months I find I have to get mine done every 7 weeks as their feet grow much faster. I suppose it depends on the horse but I'd be inclined to trust your farrier on this one

 

[Cedars]

She was being done every 6 weeks during the summer, normally just a shape up and file down of the scraggy bits, it has slowed down over winter you're right.

I trust my farrier but I've not been there the last two times and my OH is bloody useless about asking him the questions I want answered!! Lol!

 

[ameeyal]

I have a 3 year old that lives out, the blacksmith has only ever done his feet twice as they wear them selves down, Dont complain about it just think off the money you are saving

 

[Allie5]

Hmmm not sure. My boy is 19 months old and he has gone from 4 weeks between trims to 6 weeks. However he needed very regular trims for a slight toe in. Farrier says a little slower growth in winter is normal. What breed/type is she? Routine? Feed? IMHO 12-18 weeks is too long to not need anything at all done. But then again I'm not a farrier.

 

[Always Blue]

think of wild horses...they never have a farrier to trim their feet! they naturally wear them down...dont worry

 

[Cedars]

Shes basically gypsy cob, mum was tb x but dad was obv full up gypsy cob. She's alot of chunk, hair everywhere, big feathers.

No extra feed. xxx

 

[Twinkle Twinkle]

My filly only needed the slightest trim and that was 18 weeks.

 

[lazybee]

think of wild horses...they never have a farrier to trim their feet! they naturally wear them down...dont worry

They don't have a big lunk of a human sitting on their backs though do they. There's nothing natural about riding, stables, equestrian sport or anything else we do to them.

 

[Cedars]

Ye Im not sat on her atm though!! And shes pretty similar to natural horses in that shes not shod, has no artifical feed....

 

[Ellies_mum2]

Yes it is perfectly fine. Bella is now 2 and 1/2 and last year she only had her feet done 3 times all year Every time the farrier came out to the other horses on the yard I asked about her feet and he kept saying 'nope don't need doing' ( man of few words ) She has recently had her first trim of the year so will be keeping a check on how they are growing and how often they need doing this year.

She is on similar ground to your youngster but goes out for walks along the road and round the village which helps keep them down

 

[Feathered]

Hi had this with my lad at the same age. He was booked in for December which got put back due to the snow, farrier came in jan and his feet still hadn't grown so he came back 3 weeks later and they'd had a noticeable growth spurt. Farrier put it down to the cold.

 

[Sanolly]

I have two unshod natives who live out and I can honestly say that I can't even remember when they were last done!

 

[Honey08]

Our four had pretty long feet last year due to our previous blacksmith letting them get that way. My mare went to stud last year, and I had her shoes removed while she was there (all summer). Her feet were the worst of the lot. I then found a new, better farrier, who did some great work with them, and got them back into shape. When my mare returned, I expected her feet to need sorting out, but nature had taken its course, and her feet, after a summer walking around hard fields, were perfectly shaped.

Our youngsters have never needed much doing until they were shod.

Have a good look at her feet. You must be able to see for yourself if they are too long or overly cracked...

 

[Cedars]

I can see that they dont need doing = my concern is that shes not growing enough, not that they need doing, my farrier is awesome, he would do them if they needed it.

Thanks all xx