Foot Experts Advice Please

[LizzieWizzie]

Link below to pics of my 25yr old TB mares feet, new shoes (hope it works!). Your immediate thoughts/ opinions on feet/shoeing would be very welcomed please...

Fronts shod today, backs 1 week ago.

http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/LizzieWizzie22/slideshow/

 

[The Boy]

Link below to pics of my 25yr old TB mares feet, new shoes (hope it works!). Your immediate thoughts/ opinions on feet/shoeing would be very welcomed please...

Fronts shod today, backs 1 week ago.

http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/LizzieWizzie22/slideshow/

Hi, would suggest moving this to the Vet/Hoof section if its not already in there. There will be lots of questions as to why she has been shod this way, problems, lameness, so might be worth adding some more details...

 

[LizzieWizzie]

Hi... Thanks... I have posted this in vet/hoof also... I refrained for. Adding more information so as not to sway opinion... Will answer any questions

 

[The Boy]

Aah, thought you might have not included details for that reason
Hope you get some useful replies

Hi... Thanks... I have posted this in vet/hoof also... I refrained for. Adding more information so as not to sway opinion... Will answer any questions

 

[Tern]

Typical TB feet on first look.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Even though you have taken some of the photos from above, rather than putting the camera pretty much on the ground, to get non-distorted photos, you can still get a good impression of what's going on.

My immediate thoughts are that the horse needs a proper BF rehab. If I was you I'd either be researching how to do this at home or even better get her to Rockley Farm.

Just because she's an elderly TB, doesn't mean that she has to have hooves that bad.

What are her frogs like under the wedges?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Typical TB feet on first look.

Consider yourself slapped with a wet fish! Grrrrrrrr!

TB's can have wonderful hooves, they are not doomed to having crappy hooves and that blimming phrase makes people think that the problem is genetic - it isn't.

 

[Tern]

Consider yourself slapped with a wet fish! Grrrrrrrr!

TB's can have wonderful hooves, they are not doomed to having crappy hooves and that blimming phrase makes people think that the problem is genetic - it isn't.

Did not mean it like that! It is common for the TB to have very boxy feet - yes not all of them do, lots have very 'normal' good feet that you can just shove a hunter shoe on and away you go but others like this mare's are the more special type.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Typical TB feet on first look.

lol, sry, is that irony?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

These are deformed hooves though... she could have much, much better hooves than these with the right support.

ETA - http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=+wedges

There are some interesting cases in the link of horses that have come out of wedges.

PS Tern, I hope I didn't upset you - the fish comment was in jest, but I sometimes forget that tone doesn't come across well in forum posts.

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

These are deformed hooves though... she could have much, much better hooves than these with the right support.

ETA - http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=+wedges

There are some interesting cases in the link of horses that have come out of wedges.

PS Tern, I hope I didn't upset you - the fish comment was in jest, but I sometimes forget that tone doesn't come across well in forum posts.

This mare has always had good feet in our eyes, but we are of course not experts, this horse broke her pelvis 10 yrs ago, and although she isn't jumped anymore shows no outward signs of problems. Last year she damaged her check ligament and had the summer off, she has come back into work and is not lame at all, but occassionally drop a leg whilst hacking, the vet recommended raised heels to take the pressure off.... we have a new farrier and since he has been putting these wedges on they keep pulling off and ripping her hooves apart ( old farrier had her in lightweight shoes)
Physio came the other day and said she has no lameness and is very flexible and recommended raised wedge heart bar (graduated frog support frog shoe by jim blurton... farrier seems to think there is no going back from there so to leave it for a last resort!
Her hind feet are shod normally, but i have never seen her feet look so bad.
My friend obviously wants to do best by her mare and us not being experts thought we would ask here....
Would you be so kind as to look at the actual shoeing and tell us if you think hes doing a good job or not, forgetting if you agree about wedges or in fact shoeing, can you tell by these photos if we have a good farrier or not? Hinds were done an week ago and fronts done yesterday. It's obviously very important this mare has the correct foot support.
She hunts lightly in the winter.
Her frogs are fine underneath, and she seems happy in the raised heels, is she any better than shod normally I am not sure?

 

[Mongoose11]

I'm really, really not an expert but my honest first thought was...new farrier!

 

[exracehorse]

I'm really, really not an expert but my honest first thought was...new farrier!

me too! - I think you said there was toe dragging in your previous post on hoof care. Also, giving away on rear end. I have the same with my TB, toe dragging is bone spavins and slight arthritis in hocks and fetlock in his instance. He will also drop from behind, almost like he has trod on a banana skin or gone down a slight hole in the road. He also has slipping/sticky stiffles but, is better on power walking out on hacks and I avoid deep sand school etc. 24 turnout helps a lot. I have gone from full shoes to barefoot (for two years) and then back to shoes. The toe dragging with shoes and without didnt make any difference, nor the slipping from behind. He also tripped a lot with shoes on front. We had him x rayed for navicuar but was given all clear. He was better barefoot with hoof boots on. I did have to return to shoes as the was toe dragging one particular right rear to the degree that he was going into the white line. He has only just returned from vet hospital as he put a hoof nail through the sole of his foot last week!

 

[LadyRascasse]

Its hard to judge your farriers work when the hooves look such bad quality (sorry just my opinion) I personally think the wedges are too high but again that is my opinion, I am not a professional just a horse owner who has had tb's for a while. How long have you had this farrier?

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

Its hard to judge your farriers work when the hooves look such bad quality (sorry just my opinion) I personally think the wedges are too high but again that is my opinion, I am not a professional just a horse owner who has had tb's for a while. How long have you had this farrier?

She's had this farrier for 3 sets of shoes I think, maybe 4........

 

[LizzieWizzie]

Apologies everyone, connection issues! Thank you for all your comments...

This is her 4th set with this farrier. She had six months barefoot last summer after the check ligament issue, was sound but unridden obviously. Brought back into work slowly with no lameness, although began to drop her fronts, particularly downhills. Vet diagnosed arthritic pain and possible navicular issues and suggested raised heels to alleviate pressure and redistribute weight away from areas of pain. She was then in lightweight graduated shoes (different farrier) rather than graduated pads. (Am not as keen on pads and concerned about thrush, although this hasn't been an issue as yet.) The previous farrier kept her toes quite short and she held the shoes well. Her heels showed little sign of collapse and her hoofs were healthy looking with no visible cracking.

We changed farrier due to other issues, there was no apparent problem with shoeing. New farrier has expressed concerns that graduated shoes/pads may collapse heels and after first set of graduated pads suggested and tried a therapeutic frog support pad, but I felt her stride shortened and became quite choppy, particularly down hills where her fronts also were giving way more...

She also couldn't seem to hang on to the (very expensive) pads and had one front re-fit three times, farrier was struggling to get nails to take purchase anywhere due to the poor quality of her hoof...

Her fronts were due last week when her hinds were done, but the graduated pads had not arrived and by this week her toes were very long, and her feet very splayed, dry and cracked. Farrier advised that a lot of horses were suffering with dry cracked hooves at the moment, but I have never seen her feet look this bad

Am concerned that it is the wedges that are causing her heels to collapse and that we are causing another issue trying to find a solution to our initial problems! The wedges are also forcing her pasterns into a straighter, more upright angle and I don't want this to cause secondary issues... The wedges do seem quite high.

Am happy to try any solution, barefoot is a consideration - she does need keeping in light work to keep her brain happy and her body supple, without shoes she is very sore and reluctant to leave the comfort of the paddock...

She loses weight and will get depressed quickly, so really want to find a balance between comfort and happiness for her in her vintage years!

 

[exracehorse]

I took my TB barefoot and done a blog. for some reason it starts at the end so, scrol down to the bottom and go to 'first' page. It may help.

http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/Communit...tegories/Topic/?topic-id=54920&start-page=290

 

[Scarlett]

Those are very sick feet, there's really no need for them to look like that.

I can't answer on whether it's a good shoeing job or not but if my horse needed shod like that I'd be taking a big step back and looking at the bigger picture.

FWIW I have 4 Tb's all in work and all barefoot. It started with one getting diagnosed with navicular due to her 'typical tb feet', my option was to start shoeing like that or go barefoot... so we went barefoot and never looked back.

 

[LizzieWizzie]

Those are very sick feet, there's really no need for them to look like that.

I can't answer on whether it's a good shoeing job or not but if my horse needed shod like that I'd be taking a big step back and looking at the bigger picture.

FWIW I have 4 Tb's all in work and all barefoot. It started with one getting diagnosed with navicular due to her 'typical tb feet', my option was to start shoeing like that or go barefoot... so we went barefoot and never looked back.

That's why I'm here researching the options... She was barefoot last year for six months but out of work. She does get very sore without shoes, am currently researching boots and pads so any experience or advice would be gratefully received, there are so many options out there it's hard to know where to begin, was quite interested in the equine fusion ultimate or the old mac g2...

I have also asked for any recommendations for a barefoot expert in the Devon area...?

 

[LizzieWizzie]

I took my TB barefoot and done a blog. for some reason it starts at the end so, scrol down to the bottom and go to 'first' page. It may help.

http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/Communit...tegories/Topic/?topic-id=54920&start-page=290

Thanks exracehorse... Will read with interest... Am all for her going barefoot permanently...

 

[meesha]

Don't know enough to comment on the feet but both my 2 have dry feet at moment even though excellent in general,shod one is done every five weeks as growing so much and for first time ever in 5 years pulled shoe and some foot off too. My farrier says weather not helping at moment.

 

[LizzieWizzie]

Don't know enough to comment on the feet but both my 2 have dry feet at moment even though excellent in general,shod one is done every five weeks as growing so much and for first time ever in 5 years pulled shoe and some foot off too. My farrier says weather not helping at moment.

Thanks Meesha, decidedly think weather having an adverse affect, have never seen her hooves as bad as they are at the minute... :-/

My farrier suggested painting lard onto her feet every day, says it's as good as the really expensive brands of hoof balm....

 

[flirtygerty]

Did not mean it like that! It is common for the TB to have very boxy feet - yes not all of them do, lots have very 'normal' good feet that you can just shove a hunter shoe on and away you go but others like this mare's are the more special type.

Faracat beat me to it, that was a very sweeping generalisation, my 20yr old TB has recently gone BF and has never had feet that bad, sorry OP, my trotter x has very boxy feet, remains sound though, get the diet right and the feet come right, I know that and I'm no expert

 

[LizzieWizzie]

I took my TB barefoot and done a blog. for some reason it starts at the end so, scrol down to the bottom and go to 'first' page. It may help.

http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/Communit...tegories/Topic/?topic-id=54920&start-page=290

Exracehorse did you have any issues with your TB losing weight or condition on his new diet whilst barefoot? I struggle to keep weight on my mare - bearing in mind also that she is 25 - and the barefoot diets that I have read so far seem to go against everything she needs to hold weight on... Especially grass!

 

[flirtygerty]

Try Tumeric and black pepper for the arthitis/pain, my WB mare is arthritic, had bute daily which didn't help, put her on Tumeric and she's now back hacking, she's 20yrs old by the way she gets a tumeric sarnie daily as she has no hard feed in the summer and it works, she hasn't needed bute for six months now

 

[LizzieWizzie]

Faracat beat me to it, that was a very sweeping generalisation, my 20yr old TB has recently gone BF and has never had feet that bad, sorry OP, my trotter x has very boxy feet, remains sound though, get the diet right and the feet come right, I know that and I'm no expert

Have never seen them this bad flirtygerty.... That's why I'm here... Any advice/experiences gratefully received...

 

[LizzieWizzie]

Try Tumeric and black pepper for the arthitis/pain, my WB mare is arthritic, had bute daily which didn't help, put her on Tumeric and she's now back hacking, she's 20yrs old by the way she gets a tumeric sarnie daily as she has no hard feed in the summer and it works, she hasn't needed bute for six months now

Have seen a lot about turmeric recently but more in relation to sweet itch... Have given her bute in the past but am not sure that it's made a vast difference so did not continue it. She is still on hard feed twice a day, including a conditioning mix to maintain her weight and still lean...