Great Feet with not much growth

[fornema]

My boy has fantastic feet and is barefoot, good shape and angles etc. Stomps over rocky ground no issue (not that we do that regularly). However, he really isn’t growing much foot and wearing the outside of his feet at a greater rate which isn’t ideal and I wish to sort this to ensure he keeps good foot balance. Farrier was pretty insistent cannot remain barefoot and should be shod on a 6 week period.

I would prefer to keep barefoot, so boots are a consideration but actually wouldn’t solve the problem as we don’t do too much on Road nor is his workload heavy, though not keen having been a barefoot or shod person always.

My thought is to get a second opinion on the barefoot aspect, but likewise insisting that feet that are not growing a huge amount of foot unless throwing shoes would require a fresh set 6 weeks is throwing up a red flag in my mind, having never had a horse with even with pretty crap feet requiring every 6 weeks over the years unless they were problematic feet. Nor would there be enough growth to renail, put it this way he had a fresh set on when I first bought him and at 12 weeks just about had enough to do something with.

What would you do in this situation? Happily will shoe him as he’s only just embarking on his ridden career until he muscles up correctly which should then allow the wear to be a little more correct.

Likewise any good supplements (outside the usual biotin etc) greatly appreciated.

 

[ycbm]

Is he sore? It doesn't sound like it.

On what basis is anyone suggesting that he isn't growing enough foot?

If you could learn to rasp the excess from the inside once a week then he could stay barefoot. I would, though, want to be very sure that he isn't simply trying to grow the feet he needs. Would you be able to show us some pictures? More road work could actually be a good idea, to see if he will balance them for himself with the wear on a flat hard surface.
.

 

[Gloi]

I have had a lot of success with Hoof Armour for helping hooves resist wear. Make sure you are feeding a good mineral supplement and sufficient protein to encourage growth.

 

[rabatsa]

My equines feet grow at different rates depending on the time of year. They slow down for winter and speed up for summer.

 

[SEL]

My equines feet grow at different rates depending on the time of year. They slow down for winter and speed up for summer.

Mine too. Is your horse sore OP? If not perhaps they are growing just the right amount of hoof and you're doing sufficient work to stop needing much of a trim

 

[Reacher]

If horse is not sore / is rock crunching and farrier is trying to force you down the shod route I’d ditch the farrier. Being cynical he sounds like he either has never come across working BF horses or he makes more money shoeing.

I feed forage plus hoof and skin and my 2 grown plenty feet - I rasp every week or two. (The welsh grows a lot of hoof and I get sick of rasping it!)

The hoof armour is a good call and/ or hoof boots.

 

[tda]

Mine too. Is your horse sore OP? If not perhaps they are growing just the right amount of hoof and you're doing sufficient work to stop needing much of a trim

This

 

[Jambarissa]

Your horse will adapt given time. If he starts to get sore do some rides in boots until his feet are where they need to be but it sounds like he's coping just fine at the moment.

 

[SpeedyPony]

I've had horses shod because they aren't growing hoof quickly enough, but my farrier is happy to trim/leave alone if they're doing what they need to do, so I would be curious about a second opinion if I had a farrier I was unsure of.
I would be a little cautious though, as the only sign my old boy gives of being footsore is being excessively well behaved, rather than regularly offering the next gait. If you're not 100% sure on your horses pain/discomfort signals I would be inclined to trial a set of fronts (or boots) and see if he has a change in demeanour.
I would also say that 6 weeks is the maximum length of time I'd want a set of shoes on, if they're not growing enough to nail on the next set by six weeks (while shod) I'd be looking at their diet.
I feed mine a basic multivit/min (selenavite) and seaweed (biotin) for hoof health.

 

[fornema]

Mine too. Is your horse sore OP? If not perhaps they are growing just the right amount of hoof and you're doing sufficient work to stop needing much of a trim

Not at all sore, has the hardest feet of anything I’ve had, just not growing enough foot and wearing slightly unevenly to which farrier was unwilling to really do any real rebalancing because of the lack of growth

 

[ycbm]

Not at all sore, has the hardest feet of anything I’ve had, just not growing enough foot and wearing slightly unevenly to which farrier was unwilling to really do any real rebalancing because of the lack of growth

If he isn't sore then he's probably growing enough foot.

How is your farrier defining this? They look short? Barefoot feet normally do look short to a farrier who isn't a fan of barefoot feet.

Are you able to show us any photos?
.

 

[fornema]

I've had horses shod because they aren't growing hoof quickly enough, but my farrier is happy to trim/leave alone if they're doing what they need to do, so I would be curious about a second opinion if I had a farrier I was unsure of.
I would be a little cautious though, as the only sign my old boy gives of being footsore is being excessively well behaved, rather than regularly offering the next gait. If you're not 100% sure on your horses pain/discomfort signals I would be inclined to trial a set of fronts (or boots) and see if he has a change in demeanour.
I would also say that 6 weeks is the maximum length of time I'd want a set of shoes on, if they're not growing enough to nail on the next set by six weeks (while shod) I'd be looking at their diet.
I feed mine a basic multivit/min (selenavite) and seaweed (biotin) for hoof health.

Fronts are actually better than backs but by no means streets ahead, meaning he’s either going to be shod or booted all round as it’s the backs I raised. I’m certain thankfully no issue with being footsore.

Already on the diet route with not a lot of change (perhaps the spring weather may alter this as he was only bought this time last year) and on both of those supplements, hence the question as I have enough knowledge of the foot/diet to support but things change in terms of eg available supplements, but always willing to learn more on that front.

 

[McGrools]

‘Fantastic feet and not at all sore’. Enjoy him and stop worrying. You are very lucky. His feet will grow at the rate they need to.
I’ve had plenty Welsh ponies that barely ever need a trim, they just self maintain fabulous feet. X

 

[fornema]

If he isn't sore then he's probably growing enough foot.

How is your farrier defining this? They look short? Barefoot feet normally do look short to a farrier who isn't a fan of barefoot feet.

Are you able to show us any photos?
.

See this was my thought, he’s defining this by being unwilling to alter the balance on his hinds. They are short by shod horse terms, but nothing dramatic, hence the second opinion question. He grew out the full foot in circa 7/8 months, so definitely growing well, but not fast.

Currently on holiday without the horses, so will see what I can find.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Do some reading up on what a healthy barefoot should look like. Pete Ramey's Hoof Rehab pages are a good start, and there is lots of other material available. Also check out Cavallo's Barefoot Trim video, which explains what should and should not be there. If the frogs are healthy and situated in the correct position, the heels are well developed and bearing weight, and the wall is not wearing beyond the white line, then I would not worry unduly. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[sbloom]

It might be that there's balance and movement stuff going on, hence wearing the outside of the feet - that there are slight issues further up causing a base narrow stance and/or over adduction at one point of the stride (swinging the leg inwards). And this can be going on even when given a clean bill of health from vets and bodyworkers. Feet affect the body and vice versa. If you search "posture", possibly "complementary movement patterns" you'll find a load of posts.

 

[Fransurrey]

Some just produce the horn they need. No more, no less. I have a retired pony who barely leaves the field, but had her first trim in over 6 months, yesterday. They still weren't long enough to even need nippers! I recently changed farrier from one who was leaving my cob's (shod) feet so long it was becoming a welfare issue, so can well believe yours is judging by shod standards. I'm in the 'if he isn't sore, he has enough foot' camp. If you do go down the shoeing route, though, 6 weeks is actually the longest I would go. My cob was shod every 5 weeks!

 

[Tarragon]

When I tried to see if a farrier would add my barefoot pony to his books, he said that as there was nothing to "trim" he couldn't and wouldn't help. What he wanted was to come every six weeks and see six week's worth of growth that he can then use to judge how the the foot is being worn and how to best balance. This is the opposite of a barefoot trimmer who would suggest keeping on top of rasping so that the hoof is kept balanced.
A barefoot horse in work can really self-trim to a large extent, and will just need balancing if they load unevenly.

 

[Nasicus]

Can you get some photos for us? Front, sides and soles?

 

[SEL]

I have a native pony with very quirky feet - the internal bone structure on x-ray explained a lot about what we were seeing externally.

Because of how she wore her hinds I need to shoe otherwise she was uncomfortable even unridden. There's nothing diet or trimming can do here - just poor genetics.

Her fronts are just as quirky but she is happily barefoot and wears them to "tin can" shape rather than a normal hoof shape. If a farrier tried to force a pretty shape on those she would be crippled, but she hacks for miles so long as she's allowed to self trim to the odd shape her body needs (ridiculously high heels). My farrier will sometimes take off a small bit of her heels if I haven't managed to do enough roadwork for her to wear them down but that must be around 2-3 times a year and usually Spring.

Your horse shouldn't need to have much "surplus" hoof to trim off or rasp down any flare which is what is confusing me by your farrier's response. Can he not just use his rasp to reduce the flare and see how he goes?

 

[ihatework]

If he is sound as a pound I really wouldn’t rush to shoe.

That said it would be worth getting an experienced eye over how he is moving, uneven wear might not be an issue for now, and there is a valid argument he will grow the feet he needs, BUT I would caution that if the unbalanced foot is a symptom of an unbalanced body, this might bite you in the backside down the line.

 

[Landcruiser]

OP, if your horse grew a new foot in 7-8 months he's growing plenty. He's obviously weighting the hinds unevenly which my old boy has always done - he's always been very close behind since I bought him (aged about 10) and worn down the outsides/grown longer insides - but remained sound and active and forward until into his 20s when he retired with unilateral hock arthritis. I just kept the insides and toes trimmed and if his outer heels seemed too close to the floor for our rocky tracks I booted him for longer faster rides. Sometimes over the years he grew buttresses inside, which are not to be confused with flare, and are needed structures. Photos would be very useful, as others have said.

I would imagine that increasing strength and fitness combined with bodywork may help your horse even up.

 

[Sanversera]

I find the hooves grow less in winter.

 

[Cragrat]

I have had a lot of success with Hoof Armour for helping hooves resist wear. Make sure you are feeding a good mineral supplement and sufficient protein to encourage growth.

I second this. Repeated (even weekly at first) very thin applications on to dry hooves (yeah I know ) .

I also agree with those saying that if he's sound, he's probably just keeping them where he needs them. There possibly is a balance issue, but we can't judge that without photos/videos.

If he isn't sore, don't be pushed into shoeing :/