Going barefoot at long last

[Topaz Tiger]

I've talked on here a few times about my event horse and her various minor front limb lameness.
This culminated in a year ago her being diagnosed with flat pedal bones, but I was told that it was good news she wouldn't need wedges, as the foot itself could be altered to create the right angle. Great news I thought, no worry about using wedges etc.
1 year later, and her heels are starting to collapse and the bars at the heels are starting to turn under..... So 2 1/2 weeks ago, when she lost a shoe in the mud, my farrier and I took the decision to take her shoes off.... She was having a bit of time off anyway, so it seemed a good time to do it.
So skip forward to today, I'm able to start walking her 15 mins a day, because of a minor injury she's recovering from, she seems comfortable so far, there is a bit of chipping starting. I'm keeping a close watch on her feet, the white line, looks better, tighter already, as of last night she's off the Top Spec balancer and on to forageplus supplement, mainly because she licks out the others buckets so much.
I've bought some hoof boots, but not used them yet, I'm hoping that as I'll be picking up the work gradually, her feet will be able to keep up, I realise now that if I can stimulate the digital cushion, then that should start to correct her pedal bone angle.
My intention was always to reshoe her for the event season, she competes at Novice/1* but she seems lighter, more springy when she's walking on the roads and no longer goes ouch, when I turn her sharply on a hard surface....
This is a steep learning curve, I'm looking on the Rockley site, applied to join their pro boards forum, but would be interested to hear any more advice, experiences etc....
Thanks guys, and for the people who tried to tell me this a year ago.... Yup.... You were right....

 

[cptrayes]

Well done , I think your strategy will preserve your mare and her career. I evented Novice with no problems. If I lost marks anywhere it was in the dressage where you can't keep up the power in the corners on some grass conditions.

But shoe for the season/off for the winter should also work well if you want to stud up.

Good luck. You have a wonderful farrier to support you like he is. Get him to give you an old rasp you can't do any damage with and take the chips off yourself so they don't tear any more foot with them. Don't get despondent if she goes a little footie in a few weeks time, it's normal. I would describe it almost as if things 'wake up' inside the feet.

Take photos, you'll be astonished by the changes and we can all share your hoof porn

 

[spookypony]

Congratulations on the first steps towards becoming a certified Hoof Hippy! Have you joined the Phoenix forum? http://phoenixhorse.myfastforum.org You may have lots of ups and downs in the next year, but there's a big support network out there!

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Thanks guys, have taken some photos this morning, and will look out for the footyness in a few weeks time, farrier coming Monday, so will ask about an old rasp.

 

[j1ffy]

Good luck with it all! It sounds like you're being realistic about the work involved to read up on barefoot, well done on taking the plunge. Phoenix is definitely a good resource with some very helpful people on there, it's been a big help to bounce ideas on there with the challenging task of going barefoot with my TB in Hong Kong.

Keep us posted on how you get on

 

[Leg_end]

Well done for taking the plunge

Just as an FYI you can only get into the Rockley forum if you are a rehab owner but come over to Phoenix as lots of us are there too

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Ah didn't realise that.... Explains why I haven't been accepted then.... Have joined Phoenix today....

 

[ester]

Frank had flat pedal bones too (and consequently flat soles) his feet have come on leaps and bounds since the bar shoes came off and although we haven't re xrayed (as not required) am sure his much improved digital cushion has pushed them back into the right place (altering where the hoof wall was didn't seem to).

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Thats really good to hear ester, thats what I'm hoping for.....
Been reading about all the problems people have with footyness, hoof boots, diet and what a long hard journey it is and I'm finding it all a bit Maybe I was being naive, but I just thought I'd take her shoes off, theres be a bit of a transition period, a bit of soreness, pos maybe a foot abscess or two, but then we'd be fine, we might find stony tracks a bit hard for a while, but otherwise we'd manage.... Is everyone laughing hysterically at this point...?

 

[spookypony]

I'm not laughing hysterically. My pony had neglected feet before I got him and is metabolically challenged, but we never had serious trouble. For diet, feed fibre and a good mineral supplement, and for hoof boots, I think that really gets tricky if you're expecting serious performance from them (as in, high speeds over bad terrain, as in Endurance). Since you can't use them for Eventing, if you do need them, you just need them to hold up to hacking, probably. We've not had abscesses, and on stony tracks, I just let him choose the pace if he's not booted. Some people have a much harder time, of course, but not everyone does!

 

[ester]

From about the 8 week point for a about 3 months after we did have to use the hoof boots quite a bit as he went a bit sore - due to his flat feet!. But we have had a pretty smooth transition in that his has consistently got better rather than worse - apart from one trim where we took a little more off (haven't done that again ).

We have easyboot gloves and I was quite adept at putting them on and off as required during a ride (as I wanted him bare if we were off road/on grass) - can't remember the last time we needed them though.

 

[Topaz Tiger]

I was recommended some equine fusion performance boots, with some pads to put in if needed. I know someone who's just come back from Rockley, she was talking about enough road work to self trim and I know they try not to use hoof boots, but I guess they're not under any pressure with the amount of work they're trying to do...

 

[avthechav]

Hi TT, I am 8 weeks in to barefoot rehab for my horse who had random bouts of lameness over the last year. It's a learning curve for sure but lots of people on here and phoenix are very supportive. Also keep taking regular photos and vids cos it really is a boost when you look back and compare how much the feet have changed so quickly! Good luck

 

[ester]

rockley have it set up for there to be enough stimulation without causing soreness because of the peagravel, once they go home they are up to the road work but the rest of us have to start a bit more slowly - we started 10 mins road work and worked up from there (he was lame so took it like a slow rehab). Using boots enabled me to give his feet enough stimulation to make changes without having him sore so they certainly have their place. There are some more boot threads/one specific to the fusions on the phoenix forum. You might not need them though.

 

[nikkimariet]

I'm not laughing hysterically

All horses are different - some find it easy, some find it hard. I'm incredibly lucky that Fig had good feet in general, and thus has found barefoot an easy lifestyle to adapt to.

Good on you for listening to your horse and doing right by her. I look forward to updates (and pics!) xxx

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Hi avthechav, took photos today....

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Thanks nikkimariet, but it took a while, but I'm listening to her now rather than the vets, but TBF I did try to do it a year ago, but was persuaded otherwise... All credit to my farrier who agreed it was the right thing to do when plenty of people said otherwise.
Sorry ester wasn't trying to put hoof boots in a negative light, just trying to understand the processes involved....

 

[ester]

no no I know you weren't .

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

I took my last mare bf, she was great for a couple of weeks then went a bit footy I planned my rides so we went over difficult ground at the beginning and end. So put on boots to walk over stones took them off went for a nice ride on the grass tracks then put the boots back on to walk over the stones. It worked very well she walked over flat tarmac no problem from the beginning.

My new pony also has no shoes he is struggling a little over stones but his feet are really starting to grow. He has done little work so its a slow process for him too.

 

[Leg_end]

I've not had any huge problems and I've never used boots. Sensitivity on stones up to week 20 was an issue as his feet were very, very flat but he stomps over everything and anything now. He hasn't had his feet touched by human hand for 13 months and he works hard schooling, jumping, hacking around 10 miles in the winter and 25-30 in summer. I am planning to event next season so don't think you can't get the fitness levels required without booting, as long as you build up gradually the feet should cope. I think endurance riders have an issue as they are doing so much mileage over a short period so its harder to condition the feet to build in any leeway but event fitness without boots shouldn't be an issue at all.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I've had two barefoot for 18 months and 13 months and in that time only had one abscess between them after a stone bruise (3 days of poulticing and carried on as normal). They live on unrestricted decent grazing and one won't eat any sort of supplement or really anything useful like linseed etc the other is a fat native and doesn't get anything. Been a piece of cake for us really, don't do anything special and it seems to work fine. Good luck!

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Sounds promising guys, fingers crossed then.
Did anyone use keratex hoof hardener in the early stages?

 

[Leg_end]

Nope, just let nature take its course. If I remember rightly keratex has formaldehyde in it so would avoid TBH.

 

[Kelpie]

Good on you! Roadwork is definately your friend and it is fascinating to see the hoof self trim to where it wants to be. Also
religiously pick any little stones out of the white line area.

Don't assume though that you can't get the high level fitnessss without shoes .... I have one that does be100s who only gets shod when the ground gets hard (seems to suit him that way) and one that hunts barefoot, going out most weeks it seems to be quite an individual thing to figure out the best regime

 

[FfionWinnie]

No I didn't do anything like that. Never put anything on their feet actually.

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Hi, I have noticed the white line's tendencies to attract bits of grit, I dug one bit out, which left a small hole and now I have to watch it really closely as other bits seem to get in really easily.
Just as cptrayes said, she is 4 weeks into having her shoes off and has now become quite sensitive on uneven stony ground. I have tried some hoof boots, equine fusion, but I measured her feet when her shoes first came off and now the hoof boots look clumpy and too big, so am managing without for the time being. Thought about getting some Cavallo Simple boots in a smaller size, but I've seen that some think they're clumpy too.... Any suggestions guys?
BTW spoke to my vet and he's happy that she's barefoot for a while to counteract the effects of the shoes she's been wearing and will probably have to wear again when the event season starts.

 

[ester]

Don't worry too much about the grit, I used a fine knife/glasses screwdriver to flick them out with minimal impact on the rest of white line, and as the hoof grows down it became less and less of a problem.

I have easyboot gloves.. not that I use them atm. Their fit is quite specific but also that makes them not very clumpy. My trimmer had a 'fit kit' which you can also hire for £9.50 http://www.equinepodiatrysupplies.co.uk/Boots/?sortmethod=name&page=2 << I think the owner of that site also has a good rep for giving advice on boot types. I was expecting F to need a different size once his feet adapted (so they were 2nd hand off ebay) as many say that but actually his stayed the same size.

 

[Topaz Tiger]

Yes I've been using the end of a pen knife, even thought of taking it with me out on hacks, but thought perhaps that was getting a bit extreme.....
Yup £160 on hoof boots down the drain..... :-/
I'm hoping as she's very slowly coming back into work after a minor injury her feet will keep up with her work without hoof boots....

 

[ester]

well we've always had more hoof than we've needed! and yup bit extreme when you get back will be fine

 

[maccachic]

Hi, I have noticed the white line's tendencies to attract bits of grit, I dug one bit out, which left a small hole and now I have to watch it really closely as other bits seem to get in really easily.
Just as cptrayes said, she is 4 weeks into having her shoes off and has now become quite sensitive on uneven stony ground. I have tried some hoof boots, equine fusion, but I measured her feet when her shoes first came off and now the hoof boots look clumpy and too big, so am managing without for the time being. Thought about getting some Cavallo Simple boots in a smaller size, but I've seen that some think they're clumpy too.... Any suggestions guys?
BTW spoke to my vet and he's happy that she's barefoot for a while to counteract the effects of the shoes she's been wearing and will probably have to wear again when the event season starts.

With holes I soak some cotton wool in tea tree oil and poke in the hole, nail helps to get it in nice and tight, keeps grit out and tea tree is good at killing bugs.