Going barefoot

Wundahorse

Wundahorse

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Maidstone,Kent
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Hi all
Not been on the forum for some time but it's good to be back.
Our WB has been diagnosed with lower ringbone on his front coffin joint and hock spavins. After a year of treatment with Tildren x 3 and insurance maxed he is still unsound in front. I have retired him and removed hind shoes 12 weeks ago. He has coped well with this to the extent I plan to remove his front shoes on Thursday.
As he is retired and can no longer see the benefit of keeping his shoes on, is my plan in his best interests.
He is happy and comfortable as a field ornament.
He is on fast fibre,Alfa A and pony nuts.
 
Wundahorse said:
Hi all
Not been on the forum for some time but it's good to be back.
Our WB has been diagnosed with lower ringbone on his front coffin joint and hock spavins. After a year of treatment with Tildren x 3 and insurance maxed he is still unsound in front. I have retired him and removed hind shoes 12 weeks ago. He has coped well with this to the extent I plan to remove his front shoes on Thursday.
As he is retired and can no longer see the benefit of keeping his shoes on, is my plan in his best interests.
He is happy and comfortable as a field ornament.
He is on fast fibre,Alfa A and pony nuts.
Click to expand...

Hi!

My shire had low ringbone and sidebone, as well as a variety of other health problems. When he came to me he'd been out of work for some time and was barefoot. The vet advised me to keep him in light work to help with all the arthritis-type problems, but the farrier advised against shoeing him. He went absolutely fine - bit clunky in his joints so you couldn't have said he was sound, but his feet coped very well. Mind you, he hardly worked at all - maybe 30-45 mins 3-4 times a week if that!!
 
I have two unshod horses and in the past (grazing too good now so not needed) have used a diet similar to what your horse has now and it was fine. I found changing from the molassed chaff I was using to the alfalfa chaff improved the hoof quality. I would not shoe a retired horse. I agree with the last poster about keeping an arthritic horse in light work being best. I wonder if your horse would be sounder without shoes because unshod there is less concussion on the joints.
 
Hi all
Farrier was up today and removed Stans front shoes making him totally barefoot now. He seems comfortable so far and despite the ringbone,he has good feet.
Fingers crossed. I will assess how he is and maybe do some light work.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences and supporting my barefoot decision.
 
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