Foot advice!

S14Tobin

S14Tobin

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Now I've moved to another yard, unless I ride in the school, I need to do a small amount of roadwork to go anywhere - not an issue, I actually love roadwork! Peds has always been barefoot, never shod in his life, and always done roadwork but with this cacky weather and him hairing around the fields 'getting to know' his friends, he's totally ******* his trotters! They look like someones taken chunks out with a knife, frankly - he's not due a trim for 4 weeks! So... do I look at shoeing? My farrier said point-blank he'd never shoe him (big feet) and he wouldn't need it as he has very hard feet. He was quite 'footy' even walking over the gravel to the school tonight - and after a long and wet ride at the weekend, his feet looked terribly 'fibre-y' and soft - not seen them like that before! So... suggestions please? He's a big lad, and the idea of shoeing him does rankle slightly after all these years doing so well barefoot but what's best for him? Honestly in winter months I would expect he'll only be ridden in the school, maybe out at weekends...
 
I was confused by your post until I realised, is there a typo? Did you mean:

My farrier said point-blank he'd never shoe him (big feet) and he wouldn't need it as he has very hard feet.

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LOL! That makes much more sense now
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Has your farrier seen him since he moved yards/started having these probs? It could be with the change of circumstances, that he would say otherwise now
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lol no, he was last trimmed a couple of days before he moved 3 weeks ago... I usually have him done every 8 weeks, although he's quite able to go for a good while longer - just me having 8 weeks on the brain :-) I tried to call him, he is due at my new yard on Friday, but experience tells me he 'won't have time'. Now, someone else's farrier is due up tomorrow, they've offered to ask him if he'll have a look - but not sure if this is a good plan or no?
 
Well to me it sounds (and this is just a guess on the facts you've mentioned) that your horse may well benefit on having some shoes for the rest of the summer. Whether or not you choose to wait for your own farrier or ask another depends on who you happy to use/if your usual farrier would be bothered/ who you are going to use in the future etc
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My farrier wouldn't mind me using someone else if it was in my horse's interest (although whenever possible I would wait for him, and only use a farrier who he approved of)
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Ho hum... would fronts only be a good idea? TBH he is good for farrier, but as he wouldn't even know what a shoe looks like, not sure how he would take to it! I Do make sure I 'knock' his hooves most times I pick out, so the tapping wouldnt be a totally alien concept - ok, Im nervous!!
 
Fronts only would be the place to start if you are having the problems you are necountering. That or can you buy him a pair of boots if you are wanting to keep him barefoot? Otherswise shoes on fronts and see how it goes and then take them off again when you cut back on the hacking.

My suggestion is chat to your farrier and see what his take is on it (after getting him to have a look at the feet) as he knows your horse
 
he needs his feet rounded in at the outer edge to remove the ragedy edge, then most of all you will find thathe prob has larg folded over bars which are hurting him, have them trimmed down to the sole, i can tell by you,r post that he is not being properly trimmed for work, he needs a working trim, not a flat shoeing trim, which leaves a sharp outer wall and toe. if you shoe him now how will you ever het is feet back to normal again. if you p m me i will send you pics of a big cobs feet i worked on this week, it will let you see what you,r horses feet should like.
 
Right, well 'new' farrier has been and trimmed him up - hardly any length to trim, but slightly long at the toe which would account for him beiung a bit trip-happy. He's coming back in 2 weeks after P has gotten used to his feet being balanced better / differently and popping shoes on (size 6 :-O) he did say even though there was hardly anything to trim off length-wise - or in general, his soles were pretty close to the ground, which would account for him being quite tender - also suggested with the amount of dope / anaesthetic he's had lately, it can effect their feet...! Will see how he goes for having a set fitted! Thanks for all your advice!
 
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