Help! Barefoot horse, footsore, soles chalky

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stencilface

High upon a hillside
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Horse been barefoot for nearly a year, but only in work for 7 months. When I say work, rehabbing feet work 3x a week up to 40 mins. We had some footiness and wore boots for a bit but recently his feet have been fab. Somehow list the boots ATM, renegades too, boo :(

He was trimmed for the 2nd time 3 weeks ago, moved into a new field (that the sheep had been eating down for 3 weeks) a week ago, and I ran out of probalance 2 weeks ago, have just ordered some.

So now he is footy, worse on gravel but not sound on smooth Tarmac, his soles are chalky, easy to scrape with a hoof pick and I can feel a pulse on both fronts. Now I don't know if he always has that since being bf, as I've never checked, do bf horses have stronger pulses due to increased blood flow. So I'm thinking it's likely the grass, but it's really not that rich IMHO, and the sheep are still on it too. Could it be anything else?
 
I think the grass is the first suspect, you just cannot tell by looking and the recent swap to that field is a strong indicator. I expect if pulses are bounding and easy to feel it's another sign but if you haven't got a base line that's a guess. I would take action and see the response.
The chalky sole is just exfoliating sole.
 
You have run out of the insulation regulating effect of copper in the pro balance and given him newly topped (by sheep), sweet, grass at the same time. No surprise if he's footie, see how he is when you have the pro balance back.
 
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Would that have an effect that quickly? I always think of supplements as taking ages to have an effect. It has been ordered so hopefully will get me back on track, annoying that I've lost my boots! It's definitely his feet too as he's worse on our gravel track, considerably worse than he was a little while ago. That'll teach me for being slack with keeping up with ordering.

Thanks too amandap, I thought chalky sole was something that happened at the start when the foot is changing? But yes, must be the grass, I'll try and get him off it for a few hours a day. I honestly didn't think it was that bad given it's been sheep grazed, and to our shame has large areas of thistles in (to be topped once the sheep have gone this week hopefully) and it doesn't look lush at all and only 2 acres for 3 big horses. He's not exploded on it either which he's always prone to getting gassy on rich grass. The sheep have had access to all our grazing and move under the electric fencing (it's on tall posts!) so being with the sheep isn't new, but maybe that combined with the no balance is the crucial bit. Ho hum!
 
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I went back to edit about chalky sole often indicating the hoof changing but too late.
Back on the Pro hoof may be enough but I am paranoid about grass as mine is so lethal here.
 
If your grazing is high in iron or manganese, which an awful lot in the UK is, then losing the copper can have an immediate impact on insulin regulation if he does not have any stored in his liver. If he is one of the sensitive type, then the loss of the minerals could easily have done it. Do you feed yeast? If not, I would. It's in pro hoof already, but not in pro balance. It has a double effect in reducing inflammation in the gut, which leads on to foot sensitivity.
 
No I don't feed yeast, just pro balance and linseed. I went for the pro balance as he really seemed to have solid feet and did well on the pro balance. I will add some to my shopping list.

I feed him spearmint to mask the taste of the pro balance, but actually think he misses the taste as recently he wants to steal others food too.

Thanks for the help, that would all fit in. We had some footiness at the start, and he's still a bit sensitive coming downhill, but I think that's all related to his contracted heels his front, which have now un contracted beautifully in my mind. I was hoping to do a bf and sound post with pictures, but I'll wait til he's sound again!
 
I don't think it's the taste he's missing, he's seeking out the minerals he knows he needs. You cheapest way to add yeast is brewers yeast, sold in 25kg sacks by Charnwood and some feed suppliers. Feed 50g a day. Easiest is yea-sacc, 15g a day, or you could just buy pro hoof instead of pro balance.
 
For ease I've asked them if I can change my order to pro hoof instead of pro balance, I'm not always there to do the feeds and I think a 4th supplement (pro balance, spearmint, linseed then yeast) might send them over the edge lol. Although I think I will go buy some of those mini tub trugs and get his supplements mixed for the week in advance to make it easier.

Now I feel awful for being lax with reordering, although at least I have a pretty quick test that they do a good job :)
 
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