How do you shoe your horses with tendon injuries?

[Aragon56]

Just curious how other horse owners manage their horses shoeing if said horse has a previous tendon injury?

I have a 19 year old mare who tore both DDFTs in her forelegs around 5 years ago, the vet thinks it was an old injury that had originally occurred when she was a youngster though. She's had plenty of time off and is now pretty much semi-retired apart from the odd hack. In her older age she's a bit stiff but generally always field sound and does not look lame at all, as she does extended trot and gallops around the field!

She's gone lame recently for the first time in ages which I think is a result of being in a new field with new horses and overdoing it... now on box rest & bute for a few days until she's better and the vet has taken one front shoe off as she was a lot more comfortable in the hoof tests with it off. He also thought it could be an abscess but I think more than likely its the old tendon injury flaring up as the tear is quite far down in her hoof.

The shoe needs to be put back on again next week for her to be turned out again but I'm now wondering if she has the right shoes on? They've never been an issue before but I've been reading about barefoot and landing heel first etc and it's got me thinking. She is only shod on front and just has her back ones trimmed as her hooves are naturally strong.

 

[JillA]

Could she not go barefoot all round? Read the Rockley Farm stuff, they rehab horses like yours and good barefoot seems to be the key.

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't I remove them as soon as possible after injury .

 

[Aragon56]

Potentially yes, that's what I'm thinking. Her back feet have always been fine ever since we took the shoes off a few years back, I've always been concerned about taking them off her front though as I've always been told she needs extra support here. Do I need to find a specialist barefoot trimmer?

 

[JillA]

Do I need to find a specialist barefoot trimmer?

Depends on how good your farrier is at thinking barefoot - is he good at discussing or does he think he is he expert and you are *just* the client? I have just changed to a trimmer because my farrier, although quite good at maintaining a good balanced foot, would insist on trimming his soles and thinking he should be weight bearing on the walls. He wasn't open to discussing it.

 

[amandaco2]

My mare had shoes off after injury

 

[Hoof_Prints]

No shoes for my mare who had a nasty tendon injury . She sustained the tear while shod, then had them taken off and has never been lame since she healed up (she does full days hunting and hours of fast hacking). The hoof is allowed to absorb shock as it is designed to, instead of sending shock waves through the leg and damaging tissues such as the tendon. Wouldn't go near a barefoot trimmer, they have little knowledge compared to a farrier who undergoes a high level of training for years. Just got to find one that is bf friendly and doesn't hack away at the frog or sole - I had to tell my farrier not to do this but otherwise he's great