Hoof queries

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nikki-lynne

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Hi guys,

My horse is shod on the front and I always used to go 8-10 weeks between each shoeing. Recently I have noticed she is needing to be done every 6 weeks and has twice pulled shoes off and taken hoof with it. She is worked 5 times a week and a variety or road hacking, jumping and schooling. She lives out 24/7 and has one feed of 1/2 Stubbs scoop of Alfa a, 1/2 scoop of sugar beet and 1/2 scoop pasture mix.

Is there any reason for this recent hoof change?

Thanks
 
Not many horses can really last 10 weeks, especially if working regularly, 6 weeks would be the ideal length in my view, any longer and you are possibly going to have issues with her foot balance, long toes and eventually unless you are lucky unsoundness.
The reason for her change could be that she has grown a longer toe and her heels are contracting a bit, her feet could just be growing better this summer most have grown very fast with all the rain making the grass grow. Have you changed her diet, farrier, field any difference can have an effect on the feet.
 
Probably a high sugar diet, grass is growing like mad round here, once known as autumn flush, it is high in sugars and low in magnesium.
Is it the molassed s b nuts you are feeding, if so, it is better to feed non molassed beet [quick beet] which is less than 5% sugar.
Micronised linseed meal is great for hooves [coffee cup per day] plus minerals to balance those available in her forage.
Most "pasture mix" is a marketing ploy, check the recommended daily feed, it may be two to three times what you are feeding, and rather than feed more to get the daily requirement for minerals, I would rather add minerals to support hoof growth.
Equimins recommended hoof builder when I asked for something with magnesium. It is expensive, but I was going to feed it at half rate as my boy gets other stuff.
Pro Balance + is often recommend on here.
I agree with presenting to farrier every six weeks, the hoof grows but the shoe restricts the grwoth.
 
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Wow 8-10 weeks that some change in the hoof from the trim till that date. My horse is trimmed every 4 weeks and def notice the difference when he goes over 5 weeks. Even with regular road riding.
 
I feel a little faint - 10 weeks? Do people really do that, or is this a joke post?

6 weeks is more than long enough between shoeings imo. When my TB was shod he was done every 4 weeks.
 
Hi,... it seems to be that there are so many of us having 'problems with feet' this year and i'm putting it down to the sheer amount of rain (and no respite from it either). The fields have had no time to recover from the torrential downpours where i am and it's played absolute havoc with my boy's feet. He's suffered with a couple of abcesses too. My horsey pals who have their horses shod have been losing shoes left, right and centre, crumbling feet, thin soles, footiness etc,.

10 Weeks sounds like an awfully long time to hang onto a shoe to be honest,. My previous horse used to go 7/8 weeks in winter and 5/6 weeks in the Summer before he'd show signs of flaring/crumbling hooves etc,.
 
It would usually be 6-8 weeks but a couple of times do to my farrier eventing and me working full time 56 hr week shift work it would go 10 weeks! I know this isn't ideal but sometimes it happened! Stop shooting me down!
 
nikki-lynne said:
My horse is shod on the front and I always used to go 8-10 weeks between each shoeing.
Click to expand...

Reading the above you can see why it came across that 10 weeks is not so unusal for you, surely?

Shoeing has enough risks for the horse's feet without them being left so long. The answer to your question imo is that horse's feet should not be expected to go beyond 6 weeks between shoeings, so you actually have no problem.

If you want a different answer, try removing as much sugar and starch (pasture mix!) from the diet as possible, and add a decent mineral supplement, such as Pro Hoof.
 
The problem actually is her pulling off the shoes and taking hoof with it. I know 6 weeks is usual but my tb has good feet and could go 8 weeks that's all I'm saying! Thank you for the advise re food! I will try and look for something other then pasture mix
 
A hi fibre barefoot diet has no cereal [except oats for oomph]:
non molassed sb it the main fibre [energy] source
Dengie non molassed chaff for texture and taste
micronised linseed meal
minerals for hooves, pro balance or hoof builder.
You don't NEED a bagged mix with this diet, it is complete, all you have to do is tweak the proportions.,
 
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Its got nothing to do with having good feet or not - horse feet grow and the forces applied to the legs / body etc change as the hoof changes shape this is not good for the horse. Its hoof needs to be in balance so the forces are applied correctly to the joints, limbs etc.
 
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