Help! My farrier trimmed my horse too short

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Gnildron

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My horse used to be shod all around but for two cycles has been barefoot behind. While the foot adjusts, my farrier has been coming for 'mid-cycle' trims to clean up chips. Where I live, we're going into the wet season so I'm really keen to get my horse to grow some good, strong hoof. But when I came today after the farrier was there for the mid-cycle trim yesterday, my horse's pasterns were like tree trunks and his back feet look tiny. My farrier doesn't think it's the trim, but my horse was in good health otherwise and there were no nicks or cuts. Walking brought the swelling down quite quickly, and I've given him inflacam overnight to help with any discomfort. Has anyone else had a similar experience? With too short trim creating puffy legs?

Now, I know my farrier is probably trimming with future soundness/hoof health in mind. But it's creating discomfort now, and I need to put an end to this. Firstly, what's the worst that can happen when they trim too short so I know what to look out for? Secondly, what's the best thing to feed to encourage hoof growth? Biotin? He's on brewers yeast and acid ease and lysine, with teff and oathay and stands on grass half the day. Too much sugar? I also have started with eucalyptus spray to harden his soft hooves (I could press my thumb into his sole a week ago, but the oil has made a big difference very quickly). Any tips? I'm in South Africa, so the products might not be the same as where you are...
 
I'd be surprised if the trim itself caused swelling, but if the trim made him reluctant to move because he was sore then he could have stocked up due to inactivity.
Seems more likely, given that it went down quickly when you walked him. Is he actually footsore?

Bear in mind going barefoot is a long process and needs some trial and error because they will all react differently. 2 cycles is no time at all, my TB was out of work for months before I was able to start work in boots and build up gradually.
My farrier was really good helping me get him barefoot and we both quickly learnt he needs to be left with a bit more foot than most to prevent him being sore after a trim.
So it might just be something for you both to note and adjust for next time rather than your farrier doing it 'wrong'
 
Years ago a new farrier trimmed my pony's feet extremely short - other liveries commented on it! She was shod. The ground was rock hard and her herd did like a charge around. A couple of days later she had laminitis. Didn't use the farrier again.
 
The worst is likely to be abscesses from creating too much ground pressure. Watch for heat in the feet and filling in the legs that doesn't go down. If you have any streams I would stand him in the stream every day 2 or 3 times if possible until his feet have grown, it takes the heat and inflammation out.
 
P.forpony said:
I'd be surprised if the trim itself caused swelling, but if the trim made him reluctant to move because he was sore then he could have stocked up due to inactivity.
Seems more likely, given that it went down quickly when you walked him. Is he actually footsore?

Bear in mind going barefoot is a long process and needs some trial and error because they will all react differently. 2 cycles is no time at all, my TB was out of work for months before I was able to start work in boots and build up gradually.
My farrier was really good helping me get him barefoot and we both quickly learnt he needs to be left with a bit more foot than most to prevent him being sore after a trim.
So it might just be something for you both to note and adjust for next time rather than your farrier doing it 'wrong'
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Ah, thanks for the reality check. I think (hope?) you are right, and that he stocked up from being uncomfortable. I am a bit annoyed because he got footsore at an earlier trim and my farrier agreed with me that he'd be a bit more conservative, but I feel he forgot everything about that at this trim. I will think of a diplomatic way to raise this when he comes next and make sure he's very careful behind, especially as his full shoeing is in two weeks' time already.
 
ycbm said:
The worst is likely to be abscesses from creating too much ground pressure. Watch for heat in the feet and filling in the legs that doesn't go down. If you have any streams I would stand him in the stream every day 2 or 3 times if possible until his feet have grown, it takes the heat and inflammation out.
Click to expand...
I do have a stream! Won't that make the feet softer though? If I'm already having issues with soft feet?
 
ycbm said:
The worst is likely to be abscesses from creating too much ground pressure. Watch for heat in the feet and filling in the legs that doesn't go down. If you have any streams I would stand him in the stream every day 2 or 3 times if possible until his feet have grown, it takes the heat and inflammation out.
Click to expand...
This is what my parents used to do with laminitic ponies with heat in the feet. They would also stand on concrete floors during the day to help draw the heat from the feet.

My old stallion had he's heels taken to low by a new farrier. He was foot sore for 3 or 4 weeks - gradually getting better in that time. It was a learning curve and we/he never took his heels low again.

Can you ask your vet for some pain receive while your horse grows a little for hoof.
 
Also I know it seems to be common practice for farriers and trimmers to see them more often when they're barefoot but my experience has been the opposite.
My again admittedly brilliant farrier gave me an old rasp when we took shoes off told me to gently go round the foot to stop it chipping but leave the height alone.
In between doing that and a bit more roadwork if they looked long he now only trims him about every 9-12 weeks and sometimes that's just me being paranoid about balance and angles!
 
P.forpony said:
Also I know it seems to be common practice for farriers and trimmers to see them more often when they're barefoot but my experience has been the opposite.
My again admittedly brilliant farrier gave me an old rasp when we took shoes off told me to gently go round the foot to stop it chipping but leave the height alone.
In between doing that and a bit more roadwork if they looked long he now only trims him about every 9-12 weeks and sometimes that's just me being paranoid about balance and angles!
Click to expand...
This is exactly what I want to do. I will try to broach it when I see him in two weeks' time. It's heartbreaking to see him stocked up or sore in his hind quarters due to footiness several times a month, not to mention how it's hindering the strength-building that I need to do in his hind quarters to rehab a weak stifle that was the reason my vet suggested to take off the hind shoes in the first place. I'll see what he says... I think if I say I'm only after the soundness and comfort of the horse, he can't really get too upset...
 
dorsetladette said:
This is what my parents used to do with laminitic ponies with heat in the feet. They would also stand on concrete floors during the day to help draw the heat from the feet.

My old stallion had he's heels taken to low by a new farrier. He was foot sore for 3 or 4 weeks - gradually getting better in that time. It was a learning curve and we/he never took his heels low again.

Can you ask your vet for some pain receive while your horse grows a little for hoof.
Click to expand...
I gave him inflacam overnight - they look better this morning, but still a tad puffy. Hopefully the inflacam will make him more comfortable to walk around his paddock this morning so he doesn't stock up.
 
I had this a while ago. It was to be fair the first time my long term farrier had trimmed said horse and the horse had only had its shoes off (approx) two months prior, It was his first tidy up. Feet looks great, however poor horse was really sore. I was on the verge of a mild melt down but a few days in he was far better. It won't last long although its not nice to see.
We have learned from it, Horse will only have the very bare minimum off next time
 
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