Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
Is it possible that a horse with a very hard hoof wall could have a soft sole and find working on stones painful? Or would you be thinking laminitis?
hoof hardness
- Thread starter Sugar_and_Spice
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swellhillcottage
Well-Known Member
I have one - his walls are like granite but he can only cope with exercise in boots 
- he does have undiagnosed so far metabolic issues though somewhere - I have read many times that if they aren't coping 1 yr on there is an issue somewhere - sugar is my boys problem.
- he does have undiagnosed so far metabolic issues though somewhere - I have read many times that if they aren't coping 1 yr on there is an issue somewhere - sugar is my boys problem.Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that. I'm wondering with this one. There are no real signs of metabolic problems but due to the history I have my concerns. I was surprised because is absolutely fine on tarmac/hard ground and considering whether it's a stones problem (I have thrown horse in at the deep end there) or something more.
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
I have a maxi cob who has been unshod and doing plenty for a couple of years. With such a wet winter she had to be shod for hunting, not a decision lightly taken but with her skiing down hills and doing the splits when going sideways up hill there was not another option.
Shoes came off in February and she returned to hacking without shoes easily. She has rock hard feet, despite her bulk and type she is a pocket rocket to ride and bounces along effectively hammering the hell out of her feet. At the end of March she was showing signs of sore feet, farrier advised easing the workload and getting her on the verges when I could. Within 24 hours she came down with stress lami in all four feet. She is only 8 and was very fit. I totally blame myself for not taking more care with the transition back to unshod.
She recovered and despite having rock hard feet and soles I have decided to keep her shod. At 770kg another lami episode might not have a successful ending. So to answer the initial question, yes I think they can have rock crunching feet and still find working unshod difficult.
Shoes came off in February and she returned to hacking without shoes easily. She has rock hard feet, despite her bulk and type she is a pocket rocket to ride and bounces along effectively hammering the hell out of her feet. At the end of March she was showing signs of sore feet, farrier advised easing the workload and getting her on the verges when I could. Within 24 hours she came down with stress lami in all four feet. She is only 8 and was very fit. I totally blame myself for not taking more care with the transition back to unshod.
She recovered and despite having rock hard feet and soles I have decided to keep her shod. At 770kg another lami episode might not have a successful ending. So to answer the initial question, yes I think they can have rock crunching feet and still find working unshod difficult.