Going back to shoes?

[unicorndreams]

My TB mare has been BF for 18mths and for the first year did really well. She was hacking out fully BF after 6mths and front boots were only occasionally needed. This winter however has been a nightmare with one deep seated sub solar abscess leaving her foot sore for ages until the sole toughened up and then she got hit with a smaller one in the other hind foot. I am just about at the end of my patience with it all as she has been on/off lame all winter.
So I am a whisker away from putting shoes back on (if I can get her sound enough for the farrier to attend!) and my question is do I go back to the original farrier (and eat humble pie cos he told me BF would never work) or do I seek a new one? He shod her for 3yrs and I never had a problem with his work, he was reliable, shoes stayed on, no lameness issues and he was quick to alert me to her collapsed hind heels that resulted in us going BF. That said, he was not supportive of the BF option as he wanted to put bar shoes on - this seems to be the defacto farrier solution to collapsed heels so I am not dissing him for that but I wonder if the way she was shod could have contributed to the heel issue or if its just something that happens after horses have been in shoes for a long time?

 

[YasandCrystal]

I would just like to say that all shod horses should have a few months break from shoes every year. Farriers should advise it and owners should know this also. If you were happy with his shoeing then I would return to this farrier - it's not a competition and he should be professional about your decision either way and not gloating.

 

[Orangehorse]

I have done this, with horse in and out of shoes. The first time I changed farrier, as I thought that the previous farrier had contributed to his problems. The current one is OK and although not as good for barefoot as a trimmer, is sympathetic. (I must telephone him and say that my horse won't be shod for a while - ever again?????? - just to let him know what is going on. He suggested taking his shoes off in January to give his feet a rest).

All horses should have a break from shoes, whether a short break or a longer one, so whatever you decide you have done your horse a favour. If you feel that your horse needs shoes so you can continue to ride it, then that is absolutely fine.

If the farrier starts saying "I told you so" all you have to say is that the break has been good for the horse.

Massive over simplification here, but years ago the hunters had their shoes off in summer, the polo ponies and show horses in winter. It was the working horses that didn't get a break from shoes, and it was these sorts that suffered from foot related problems a lot more than the leisure horses.

 

[cptrayes]

It isn't always easy, and it really annoys me when people who have horses, livery conditions and forage that make it easy for them, describe others as 'faffing about' and other nasty terms when they are doing their best for one of the more difficult horses, like yours.

I assume you've made all the possible feed changes, and are already on Pro Hoof or Forage Plus. In which case, your best bet might well be to shoe for most of the year.

But as the others have said, do try for a three month break if you can, especially as you have a horse whose feet have previously not dealt well with being shod.

 

[unicorndreams]

Thanks for the words of support folks, her feet look so lovely naked that it seems a shame to hammer nails back through them :-( but lovely is not the same as functional and she has struggled much more this winter than she did earlier in the transition.
She is fed copra, oats, linseed and equuivita balancer which has the same ratios as FP but uses sulphates instead of bioplexes, I also add extra copper and zinc bioplex for their bio-availability. She has ad-lib haylage and pretty much no grass at the mo though she was fine last summer out on grass.
Her twisty action on her hinds makes booting them a challenge - even renegade vipers twist and rub. Knowing what I now know, I would definitely give her a regular break from shoes.
The EP thinks the problem is higher up but I am sure the vets first suggestion will be to put shoes on (that is their stock response) so I may as well eliminate this first myself.

 

[Jsye]

It isn't always easy, and it really annoys me when people who have horses, livery conditions and forage that make it easy for them, describe others as 'faffing about' and other nasty terms when they are doing their best for one of the more difficult horses, like yours.

I assume you've made all the possible feed changes, and are already on Pro Hoof or Forage Plus. In which case, your best bet might well be to shoe for most of the year.

But as the others have said, do try for a three month break if you can, especially as you have a horse whose feet have previously not dealt well with being shod.

This makes me feel better about having shoes put back on my boy. My yard and surroundings aren't ideal for a barefoot transition - I tried for about 7/8 months and gave up and went back to shoes a few weeks ago. I don't have the luxury of unlimited turnout and all the tracks near my yard are stoney/sharp gravel so my lad is booted everywhere. The yard itself is cobbled in parts so he used to hobble over those just going to the field.

I think at the end of the day it's whats best for your horse in the conditions you are presented with.

 

[cptrayes]

Thanks for the words of support folks, her feet look so lovely naked that it seems a shame to hammer nails back through them :-( but lovely is not the same as functional and she has struggled much more this winter than she did earlier in the transition.
She is fed copra, oats, linseed and equuivita balancer which has the same ratios as FP but uses sulphates instead of bioplexes, I also add extra copper and zinc bioplex for their bio-availability. She has ad-lib haylage and pretty much no grass at the mo though she was fine last summer out on grass.
Her twisty action on her hinds makes booting them a challenge - even renegade vipers twist and rub. Knowing what I now know, I would definitely give her a regular break from shoes.
The EP thinks the problem is higher up but I am sure the vets first suggestion will be to put shoes on (that is their stock response) so I may as well eliminate this first myself.

Interesting what your EP is saying. My experience is that back problems can cause under run heels on the hind feet, and I am pretty anti shoeing with wedges behind without first correcting the back. But foot sensitivity and abscesses? I really think that comes from the feet!

I also feed the sulphates, the bioplexes are so expensive!

 

[Rocky01]

This probably isn't going to be popular and I'm not anti shoes but isn't it possible he could have gotten those abcesses as much with shoes or without.

 

[cptrayes]

This probably isn't going to be popular and I'm not anti shoes but isn't it possible he could have gotten those abcesses as much with shoes or without.

I think that when the white line is constantly in the wet it can weaken, and then tiny gravel can push up into it. If there is a shoe over it, then this progressive pushing up of gravel does not happen.

While I agree, in the main, that barefoot horses get no more abscesses than shod ones, individual horses can have real difficulty coping with constant wet, and by gum we've had some of that this winter!!!

 

[Nudibranch]

If its any help the mare had two abscesses this winter and this is her 6th year barefoot. Vet and farrier both mentioned theyve seen loads of them recently, not just in bare feet. Presumably with the extreme wet. But oddly less thrush and mud fever!

 

[unicorndreams]

If its any help the mare had two abscesses this winter and this is her 6th year barefoot. Vet and farrier both mentioned theyve seen loads of them recently, not just in bare feet. Presumably with the extreme wet. But oddly less thrush and mud fever!

Poor Mel has had it all this winter - mud fever for the first time in the 4yrs I've owned her and thrush in the hind feet for the first time. We battled thrush in the fronts last winter as her heels were way too long and weak but this is now resolved. The back feet do look longer than they were last winter when i could work her comfortably without boots - lack of regular work has probably not helped overall.
Yes I hear plenty of others have struggled with abscesses this wet winter so I am hoping its just a blip but for now both Mel and i are going stir crazy not getting our regular long trail rides in so I need a 'quick fix' until the ground dries up!

 

[Goldenstar]

I put my TB In and out of shoes depending on what I am up to with him.
As long as he has periods where he's out of shoes I am happy.
I bought him to use him not manage his feet .
The only thing I would say is if you where doing well until recently perhaps hold fire a little longer and see if the improving weather solves your issue .

 

[Brightbay]

If its any help the mare had two abscesses this winter and this is her 6th year barefoot. Vet and farrier both mentioned theyve seen loads of them recently, not just in bare feet. Presumably with the extreme wet. But oddly less thrush and mud fever!

Interesting - exactly the same here - abscesses 8 weeks apart, one in each hind hoof - although there's no flare and a nasty quarter crack is still managing to close up and grow out. And no thrush, although it's something we've had a lot of trouble with in the past, and only a tiny flare up of mud rash - and this is despite horse standing in a bog 24/7. It has been a horrible winter for trying to manage horses who live out - I lie awake at night listening to the rain lashing on the windows and imagine my horse's feet dissolving Even on the hardstanding where we feed hay he's standing in pools of water.

OP I completely see where you're coming from. I have problems balancing need for exercise against horse's comfort - I know he needs miles to keep the hooves in trim, but he can't do the miles if he's standing on three legs I have considered the shoe option too, even for a few months, but I feel we're on the final blast of winter and if I can just hold out another few weeks, I'll be worrying about too much grass again...

 

[Fransurrey]

I don't suppose you've considered hoof boots? Seems a shame if you were doing well before the winter (and let's face it, we've had monsoon season, not winter, this year). If you included pads for when she has an abscess, you'd be able to walk her out sooner. I know a couple of horses who've suffered abscesses this year, both shod. I've taken to treating for thrush (fieldpaste) and putting hoofboots on straight after for a ride, as there was no other way of doing it. Even my mare was getting thrush and she's never suffered in the 5 years I've had her!

I don't normally need to boot the hinds on Henry, but have done so all winter, this year. His hinds have still come on a treat (shoes came off in October-ish) and I'm only booting the fronts, now.

 

[NooNoo59]

I have tried walking in hand down the road and mine was footy in boots and pads! got the EP coming again next week for more advice and going to email the vet now. I really think I am going to have to shoe as he is not coping but his feet look lovely but as you say they are not functional, all our roads have lots of grit, tracks are stony it is a nightmare!!

 

[unicorndreams]

Fransurrey - Boots are such a great option now and work brilliantly on her front feet but she has 'twisty' action with her hind feet which is tricky. Best I've found is the new renegade Vipers for her hind feet but even these twist by about 2cm! The heel captivator rubbed her due to the pressure caused by the twisting - so frustrating as I hate to give in
Brightbay - yes I keep thinking the same - its nearly the end of winter, do i hold off and make do for now or decide enough is enough?
NooNoo - yep our tracks are the same and the council is having a bit of a blitz putting road planings down on some of the bridlepaths

 

[Fransurrey]

I had problems with twisting boots on the hinds, due to sizing issues. Got the transitions when they came out last year. Problem solved! Just a thought.