FAO people that own thoroughbreds

Tiarella

Tiarella

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Hi :) I am hoping to buy a TB subject to vetting. She is an ex p2p horse, only raced a few times and has now been retrained and currently a great all rounder doing be100's, newcomers sj and hunting, flat work is also very sweet.

I have never owned a TB before, always had native types.

I wanted to know what sort of rugs fit them well, she has quite high withers so really want rugs that do not get heavy and sit weirdly around the neck/wither area.

Also, what types of saddle do you find most suitable for them? She is lacking a bit of back muscle at the moment. Will be buying a jumping saddle to start with.

I am hoping to make a slow progression to barefoot with her as at the moment she has flat feet, but in pretty decent condition. Just very little heel. What supplements do you use for hooves? She will be fed a 'barefoot diet' from day one, if I do have her, but will need something conditioning so was going to use winergy condition (love the stuff!)

Any other hints or tips greatly appreciated!
 
My late TB was a NH type. She mainly had Horseware rugs (Amigos and Rhino wugs), but she also had a Masta half neck as that style worked really well with her conformation and a Shires standard neck rug. She fitted my anglo's Jeffries Elite jumping saddle (17.5 in wide). She was barefoot and had a very simple diet of ad lib hay (when required), oats, micronised linseed, unmolassed sugar beet, honeychop straw chaff and Pro Hoof supplement (from pro earth).
 
We have a TB & to be honest we've had no trouble with rug fitting at all. As for a jumping saddle to fit a high withered horse we bought a Harry Dabbs which fitted well but there will be others that will fit.

We haven't gone down the barefoot route as we've always found that TBs are flat footed & are always on their heels & don't seem to grow much hoof. We've had one of our TBs for 12 years & he still has very little heel so don't expect your's will start to grow hoof there. This is a TB trait & won't change. Our farrier sets the shoe back to support the heel & we've found that suits our horses well.
 
My TB mare wears premier equine rugs with separate neck cover and they fit her very well.

She has a john whitaker jumping saddle.

Not sure about barefoot though I'm sure it is v doable, I have noted a remarkable difference in the last two months from feeding my mare farriers formula. Her soles are much drier and harder. Farrier has remarked on it.

Fiona
 
To agree with toby on shoeing, mare is shod with quarter clips in front and we find this makes it easier to give enough heel support.

Fiona
 
I find that the horseware (Rhino, Rambo, Amigo) rugs fit really well on all of my tb's but also the shires, saxon and swish rugs. The ones I don't find fit so well are Masta, Weatherbeeta, Fal. I love the half neck rugs with mine as we get less mane damage.

Saddle wish I've had success with the Barnsby Whitaker, Harry Dabbs and also the Henri de Rivel Fletcher has fitted mine well.

I have a bit of a mixture on shoes/barefoot at the moment. I have two barefoot completely (one is a couple of months along into the transition and doing incredibly well) The other three just have fronts on. Don't feed any supplement just a carefully managed diet.
 
Thanks everyone for your help :) I'm totally new with TB's having owned natives and worked with warmbloods for many years.

I would ideally like her barefoot, but it wouldn't worry me if she had to be shod. I will start a thread in hoof section if I do buy her for more hints and tips.
 
My TB in Amigo.
Barnsby and albion saddles have fitted well (high withered horse).
I would not dream of doing barefoot though despite having great feet. Just too prone to crumbling compared to my non TB horses. I think that's asking for trouble! Save your hoof feed supplements for shoes instead.
Other things to watch for with TBs/ex racers - separation issues, feeding/forage. Plenty of grass and regular small feeds. Don't let the weight drop off. Over rug rather than under. My TB never seeemed to get hot and it helps keep weight on if they are nice and warm (without sweating of course).
Every nick and scrape will blow up and then a week later, it goes. Overreaction City! But rarely as bad as they first seem.
I love a TB for their stamina. Just never get tired or laboured. Wonderful.
 
No reason why a tb can't go barefoot. I'm in the middle of transitioning my little ISH who is 7 / 8 tb. He arrived with awful feet, now halfway through growing himself fab new feet. You need to be super-vigilant re no sugar, starch or molasses. I use pro hoof supplement, amazing stuff.
 
Having read a few other replies, I wanted to add that after her retirement from racing, up until she was moved to a Welsh hillside in her older years, mine was unrugged and grew a huge, fluffy winter coat.

Melodysnow.jpg


I also used to help with some TB's that were being brought back into work having been let down after racing. All of them had had their shoes pulled before turning away and they were brought back into work (hacking on the roads to start with and then work in a school too) still unshod without issues. This was before I'd ever heard the term barefoot used instead of unshod, and before I'd ever heard anyone utter the phrase 'typical TB feet'. It was more 'they're sound and striding out well, so crack on'. Now once sold to their new owners, I'm sure that many would have been shod as studs would have been required for their new jobs. Looking back their diet wasn't far off what we would now call barefoot friendly, so whether that helped or not is up for debate.
 
I have 2 Tbs (one retired, one in work) and in terms of saddles and rugs they are different.

Number 1 suits Weatherbeetas however the Horsewares and Mark Todds are too tight on his shoulders
Luckily number 2 suits Horsewares and Mark Todds so he inherited these.
I also have a FAL which is good on both.
Premier Equine didn't fit at all being so deep they went past their hocks

Number one grows a coat like a yak and prefers under rugging rather than over and number 2 feels the cold and drops weight if I don't rug adequately.

Saddles I had a Black Country and a Kieffer for the first however they didn't fit number 2 at all and he has a Lavinia Mitchell Saddle.

Both are barefoot and that was what saved their feet and changed flat underrun feet to something quite respectable. I am ruthless about no added sugar in any of their feeds and currently they get Agrobs Musli, Copra and linseed however have also fed Alfalfa pellets and unmolassed sugarbeet in the past with no problems. However the key for mine is lots of good quality forage, as much hay or haylage as they will eat.


Supplement wise look at Forageplus, Equinatural, Healthy horse or Progressive Earth on Ebay. These are all balancers that are foot friendly so you wouldn't need to feed any other mulitvit or balancer.
 
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Another with a barefoot tb in full work currently just started competing and doing a few hunter trials, his feet are super, he lives out as much as possible, wears Amigo rugs plus a few others for spares, he does love his food and does well on plenty of grass/ hay/ haylage and grass nuts, will add something in the winter for condition probably linseed.
They do not need to be complicated, they will cost more to keep than a native and can be a bit accident prone but if you find the right one it will do everything you want and more.
 
Weatherbeeta and Amigos have always been good fits on my TBs. I find although deeper fit that Premier Equine are/get too heavy. Rambo, FAL and Shires also fit well on my current TB who has a decent shoulder and wither.

I found Kent and Masters High Wither fitted him best out of the different brands and styles we tried but previous TBs were most comfortable in Saddle Company saddles.

Current TB is barefoot and fed grass nuts, linseed, rice bran and graze on chaff along with Progressive Earth Pro Balance, joint supp (Aviform Supplease Gold (it's like night and day when he's on this supp)) and salt. Adlib forage and now that the goodness is out of the grass there is adlib hay in the field, lives out as much as possible and try to only feed low sugar/starch feeds, no added molasses and no mixes/nuts. I've fed whole soaked oats before but I avoid cereals in premixed feeds and if I need a cube (snack ball on box rest usually) I use Spiller High Fibre cubes.

I bought him with "typical" TB feet that are flat, thin, long toe and underrun heels. It's been a long slog, hindered by vets, farriers and trimmers, but we've got there! I still use boots over stoney going.

If you're new to barefoot I'd recommend reading as much as you can and getting as educated as you can because people will no doubt have something to say about it...
 
I had an ex-NH TB - she wore Rambo rugs (nice and light) and I had to take care not to over-rug her (she never had more than a medium even in mid winter). I did have PE rugs - and although nice rugs, they were too heavy for her and made her sore in her wither area. I didn't (don't!) jump, so had a dressage saddle (Ideal Jessica). She was unshod with no real issues - she did get a couple of absesses when it was really muddy. I couldn't feed her anything other than grass and hay/haylage - sent her loopy - but she was perfect weight on that. She was amazing - so much energy, so loyal and a great attitude to work. Lived out all summer, in at night during the winter (more to take her off the mud than anything else - she wasn't a fan of mud - being a princess!).

Hope it all works out for you.
 
J is a Tb
He wears mark todd stable rugs and a priemier equine and amigo and mark todd outdoor rugs .he can't wear fixed neck rugs .
Saddles he has a patriot made for Stirlingshire saddlery by Ideal for jumping they suit him well.
For dressage he has a made to measure Albion Platinum royale which firs him beautifully.
 
Hope the horse is everything you hope it to be.

I've just bought my first TB a 4yr otttb she is barefoot and farrier came yesterday and said she has fab front feet, yes flat soles but they are rock hard. Backs have a little white line separation but otherwise fiin

I've tried my amigo on her and they are a little loss on the shoulder, but she needs to fill out.

Not sure about saddles yet, I have saddle fitter coming tomorrow
 
Ted wears a mixture of Premier Equine and Mark Todd rugs. I find they fit him really well and I like the versatility of being able to put rug liners in them. He has a Solution dressage saddle and a Solution jumping saddle which have been fantastic as he has been growing and muscling up as they are easily adjusted as he changes shape. Even with high and long withers they fit him perfectly and don't restrict his movement. I feed him Simple Systems (Top Nosh, unmollassed Alfalfa, grass nuts and Total Eclipse) and he does really well on it. He is shod and can suffer from abscesses and corns in the winter and his soles are quite thin and soft. I have been feeding him Equimins Hoof Mender powder for a while now and it seems to have made a difference to the quality of his feet. Even my farrier has commented on it!

Love a TB, don't think I'd have anything else now!

Good luck with your new horse!
 
Thanks everyone :) really hope she passes vetting. I have tried her a few times and her owners even let me take her cubbing to try her out. Really sweet mare and hopefully this time next week I will be putting pics up!
 
I have 4 barefoot thoroughbreds - I believe the typical tb foot thing is a myth, feet are created by lots of external factors, get them right and Tbs can have great feet too. Mine are all in work Inc one who went eventing this year and another who at 17 had his shoes off at 14 and is sounder and fitter now than ever before.
I have used Winergy to aid weight gain, I find the Growth one is the best. I like it but a couple of mine found the alfalfa too much and it affected their feet negatively. Now I feed mostly grass nuts with KeyPlus rice bran and linseed. Works a treat.
Barefoot or not I'd feed a good no iron balancer - look into Equivita balancers. Especially the one with yea saac and Mycosorb. I certainly believe it has helped keep my 4 in good nick!
I always swore by Amigo rugs but now buy Swish as the fit, cut and quality is superb. Never found a rug that fits all of mine but these do, love the cut around the shoulder, perfect on a Tb!
Saddles are very individual. I love my Equipes and find they fit everything! Have had an Albion that was a great fit in the horse but not for me. My other favourite is my old foam panel Barnsby, never had it not fit!
Good luck!
 
I find the best rugs for my current TB (3 year old) are Amigo and Shires. Mark todd are good as well but they used to rub my old TB around the shoulders and look like a dress on my youngster.
Saddle wise I found my keiffer Malmo dressage saddle fitted my old TB really well as it had a cut back pommel to allow loads of room for his withers. Jumping wise I use a kentaur eventer on both of mine which is okay if padded with a sheepskin half pad but maybe a little low on the withers if I am being completely honest. Once my youngster has muscled up a bit I will have to look into getting him something else. Apparently Bates are supposed to be a good fit on TB's.

ETA - my youngster is barefoot and he will be staying that way until he is going xc and eventing. He manages really well with stones and rough ground. I just add limestone flour to his feed which I find helps a lot. My old TB was a wimp and couldn't cope without shoes (or with shoes most of the time!).
 
Unfortunately the mare didn't pass vetting due to a corn on right fore that was picked up after ridden exercise and trotted up second time.

Is this common in TB's? I did want to take shoes off but vet advised X-rays, remedial shoeing etc due to being flat footed.

Very upset :(
 
Tiarella said:
Unfortunately the mare didn't pass vetting due to a corn on right fore that was picked up after ridden exercise and trotted up second time.

Is this common in TB's? I did want to take shoes off but vet advised X-rays, remedial shoeing etc due to being flat footed.

Very upset :(
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Oh no, I agree, have her re-vetted in a few weeks.
 
I must admit I've never had to deal with a corn and vet advised that I shouldn't buy the horse because of the corn and the shape of her feet and think it'll be reoccurring.
 
Tiarella said:
I wanted to go barefoot with her :)

Just read this blog and her feet are no where near like this!!
http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/4-week-teak.html?m=1
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My ex-racer didn't have the worst feet in the world by any means, but they are drastically better after 18 months of consistent farriery. Admittedly we're not barefoot, she is shod all round, but I think attention by a skilled farrier/ trimmer can really improve their feet over time. I wouldn't count your prospective purchase out on just that.
 
I've got two barefoot TBs (one went to Rockley, one didn't) and had to cope with the after effects of being shod from a young age and while you can improve their feet I'm not sure I would take on a horse with existing issues.

Yes feet can improve over time but if the vet is already talking about x rays and remedial shoeing then barefoot or shod it could take a long time to get to where you need to be and there are a lot of horses out there without issues.
 
My new horse arrived with remedial shoes on, shod religiously with them for over a year. He had collapsed, under-run heels and flat feet. Back ones came off first, then fronts a few weeks later. This is one of his back feet, 5 - 6 weeks after shoes off. Not quite side on, but you can see the new growth angle.
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