Hoof pics

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After taking some advice from on here, I have started walking my sisters horse who has been lame for going on 2 years. She's currently barefoot, as she is lame in shoes anyway. Long story short, there was nothing significant on x rays and she needs an MRI, but she's not insured, and she's already had rest and her coffin joints injected, still lame. I'm walking her because I want to keep her feet "self trimmed" , plus she needs the exercise because we have a dire turnout situation at the minute. Today I took her on the longest walk yet (2miles roads) - and I thought she looked a bit sore when we got home, which has concerned me. On the walk, she looked a bit sorer today than she has been but she was exceptionally keen and very happy which is why I continued. Sometimes she takes a few bad steps then looks ok so it's difficult to know what to do. Anyway, my reason for posting is that I notice her soles are changing. I know very little about feet but from reading posts on here over the years I was wondering if she has a "false sole" or if she is developing large bars? Pics are attached. They aren't the best as I had no one to help and no where to tie her (I know it's frustrating when people say that but it's true!) I'm going to give her a few extra painkillers tomorrow and crack on with the walking. Is that sensible? All walking is in hand of course. I know il,be asked if she's landing heel first and I'm not sure at the minute as don't have any helpers to get a vid but as soon as I have some company at the yard il do that. She looks to be landing flat from when I stare at her feet for the 2 miles lol I know that's not a true conclusion though! Anyway, thoughts / advice welcome
 
I'm afraid you need to stop the walking until she isn't sore. Then build up much more slowly. If you want to do more, she needs boots. If you carry on as you are, you risk abscesses.

She sounds like she has very thin soles. What is she fed? Has she ever had a Cushings test? Is she fat?

I can't see any pics.
 
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You don't need helpers to get a vid if you've got a smart phone. Prop it up on something so it's completely straight and at ground level and walk her past it. Also can't see your pics.

How long have you been walking her to build up to 2 miles? You don't want her to be sore at any point, you want her to be comfortable.
 
Also, what surface are you walking her on? When you say she's sore, is that just on smooth tarmac or is that only if she stands on a loose stone or is walked on a rougher surface? When was she last trimmed?
 
The whole idea of barefoot horses is that you can get some feed back on the health of the feet by the way the horse is going. If she is lame you need to reduce the wear on the feet. So stop walking her out (it may only take a few days for her to be comfortable again) and when she is comfortable start with 5 mins walking a day for 5 or so days and if she stays comfortable then increase it slowly or get hoof boots and combine using those for walking with using nothing.
Using painkillers and cracking on will do more harm than good as the feet will just continue to wear faster than they grow you have to allow the growth time to adjust to the wear to start with.
 
Some pics below:

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TWCiOw.jpg


NtwMe1.jpg


lbDjaT.jpg


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VYEhke.jpg
 
Do not give the horse painkillers to walk it, listen to the horse, slow down, rest horse and allow feet to recover before starting short walks again possibly in boots- mine was booted for all road walking from 6weeks to 5ish months post removal. You need to give the feet a chance to make changes in order to cope.
When did you start walking?
At least one of those feet look very flat so I wouldn't be surprised if sore and I would also get some thrush treatment on those frogs.
 
You are right, there is false sole. Don't touch it. At the moment it is an emergency sticking plaster protecting sore areas. They will fall off in strips or lumps, so don't be surprised when they do. The bars are emergency scaffolding to support a weak foot, don't touch them either. They will go when they are no longer needed.

One foot at least, Ester is right, looks very flat. What is her diet? Is she fat? Has she been tested for Cushings?
 
She looked better today but I didnt walk her. She's definitely not lame because she's footy or sore because she's bare foot, she's rock crunching up and down the gravel lane, she's lame because there's something wrong with her that we unfortunately haven't got to the bottom of. The false sole is 100% something that's developed due to the walking, it wasn't like that before. Is that good? She's fed haylage, thunderbrooks healthy chaff and speedy beet. Not fat. She's a Clydesdale x cob but not your typical fatty. No Cushing test. I videoed her yesterday just waiting on my sister sending them through but we thought toe first on quick review
 
The false sole isn't good. If it started after the walking it's an emergency response to areas of sole that are too weak to take the work she's doing. I really think she needs boots. And I would test her for Cushings because after two years in the field with no shoes on she shouldn't be this bad.

I would also start feeding Pro Hoof or Forageplus supplement, which are balanced for average UK grazing which is too high in iron and too low in copper.
 
Definitely treat for thrush. Red horse products. Diet seems ok. Add in a supplement to optimise your chances of growing good quality hooves.
 
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