Feet what to do

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FfionWinnie

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7 yr old big moving Welsh D. Owned her for 2.5 months. When I bought her she was approx 80kgs over weight with a cresty neck and very very footy.

She has lost approx 50kgs and is less footy.

Feet were very very flat and have improved to be marginally less flat.

My initial plan was to continue shoeing for three sets then take them off and transition to barefoot over the winter. I have 4 others all successfully barefoot but I haven't done one that's been shod all its life and has rubbish feet so I thought waiting til I was riding less would work better plus her feet are awful.

However. First set of shoes the farrier said she was wearing shoes two sizes too small and he changed them for bigger ones.

When I had her shod the second time, I thought her feet had grown a lot however what had actually happened was she had crashed the shoes backwards and her feet were overhanging the shoes and they hadn't really grown at all.

Farrier put double clips to try to prevent the shoe moving.

I'm pretty sure it hasn't worked and she has now gone lame. One shoe has visibly moved and is touching the frog but its the other fore she is lame on. Going to see the farrier tomorrow and I am so tempted to say take them off and I will get boots and pads. I'm sure she will not be comfortable without shoes for a long time but things seem to be going sharply down hill.

What would you do?

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She's trying to grow her hooves at a better angle, bless her cotton socks. I'd pull the shoes (no trimming when this is done) and boot and pad if she needs it.
 
It looks like she was cold shod? If she was hot shod it would seat the shoe (and clips) better. Toe clips would be better on the fronts unless she is tripping due to the long toes.

Would it be possible to get xrays to see what her feet are doing on the inside? It might be possible to bring the toe back quite a bit if you could see where the pedal bone actually is.

You can see the growth at the top of the foot is at a much better angle than the horn near the floor.

Do you have her on a high forage/low sugar diet already?

Good luck with her, I love to see how the feet can change over time.
 
I'd pull the shoes now. She's not sound in them anyway and she has some horrendous foot balance issues to sort. Hopefully, the diet you have her on will sort the severe event rings that she is still producing, but if that doesn't happen soon you may need to test for EMS and Cushings.

Good luck.
 
Thanks faracat. That's what I want to do so why am I procrastinating, I don't know.

Casey she was hot shod, the shoes have moved back in a matter of three weeks. I believe due to her action. She is not tripping. She has double clips because last time the shoe moved back about 2mm and the toe clip therefore was deeper into her foot.

Yes I have changed her diet, hence she has lost 50kgs.
 
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