imprint shoes? heart bars?

noblesteed

noblesteed

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Hi all,
My horse had a footy episode this month. He has had 3 weeks boxrest and blood tests which have come back fine. The vet and farrier both say he was caught just in time before he came down with bad lami. Anyway both were happy for horse to be out on soft ground unshod on restricted grazing. Farrier is going to shoe next week and wants to know if I want imprint shoes, heart bars or regular shoes.

Anyway wondered about the pros and cons of imprints and/or heart bars? I am aware that the action of shoeing can cause lami to flare up which is why we have left it a few weeks of soundness before shoeing. I would rather he had a bit of frog support to be on the safe side. He is good at removing his own shoes so will be out in overreach boots too.

Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
Just so I am clear because he didn't have shoes on he went footy so you managed to catch it before he had full blown lami. So why shoe now? I dont quite get the reasoning. Why not leave him without shoes?
 
What is the reasoning for shoes?

I'd have glue ons or natural balance shoes if has to e shod but I would always choose to keep a laminitic barefoot as far as possible as it enables earlier detection
 
He was shod natural balance on forefeet before he came down with lami and farrier whipped the shoes off as soon as he showed himself to be footy to check for other things. which according to the farrier is why we were able to leave him shoeless - the mud and soft ground would support. He is shoeless on his hind feet as always.
I'd like to go barefoot all round but it took a long time to transition his hindfeet and he still needs boas when we go on long stony hacks (we live on the moors so the terrain is very rough). I don't know if there is a decent barefoot trimmer near us either so I'd rather stick with my trusty farrier (he won't come out to just trim).

So in that case he might be fine going back to 'regular' NB shoes?

To add, when he came in footy it was VERY slight, in fact only me that could see it - other people just assumed it was his 'shuffly waddling' gait (some people are very derogatory about my horse!)
 
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What is the reasoning for shoes?

I'd have glue ons or natural balance shoes if has to e shod but I would always choose to keep a laminitic barefoot as far as possible as it enables earlier detection
 
Doesn't your farrier have an opinion about which would best suit your horse? I'd say he was the one to ask, not us, after all he sees your horse & can make a professional assessment. I'd be calling him & asking what he thought.

For what it's worth I've heard good things about imprint shoes but they are very expensive & have to be very carefully fitted. Also if you're bringing him back into work or are on stony ground I'm not sure how long they'll last.

Bar shoes seem to be very popular with vets & I believe at least of the theory is they stabilize the hoof capsule. Whether or not this is a good thing may be open to debate, but they do seem to help some horses. However keeping them on may be difficult if your horse is prone to pulling shoes.

In the hands of a skilled farrier a lot can be done with regular shoes & they can be combined with various pads & sole supports if needed.

But I'm just an interested owner & I always look to my farrier for advice!
 
SO does that mean imprints will just disguise the pain? I don't want to do that - I would prefer to know when something is wrong so I can put it right. The reason the farrier suggested them was to avoid concussion of nailing which he said MAY cause lami to flare up again. The vet had said the horse was fine to go out on restricted grazing and be reshod after a week or so.

Maybe I am better off with regular NB shoes then if at all. The farrier just asked me whether I have a preference, I don't want imprints if they are going to 'mask' a problem.

Like I said before I am a fan of barefoot but knowing the trouble it took to get the horse adjusted to hind shoes off it's just not worth it at the moment, I don't think he would be able to cope without hoof boots anyway.

Having said all this, just been up to see horse and I am not convinced there isn't just a little bit of tenderness in the coronary area again. I will check in the morning. Horse may have just been lifting his feet as he is expecting to have his feet picked.
 
mine had slight roatation (2%) and once sound off of all drugs he got the frog supports off and i took him back to the vet to be x-rayed and met the farrier there so they could look at the x-rays and discuss what was best, he ended up with heart bars on and touch wood been fine, that was mid Feb he got them on, they were refitted at 4 weeks to start with but this last time at 6 weeks (due to me being away) and is booked in for 6 weeks again, not sure how long he will have them on for but he is now sound and back in work
i would ask your farrier what he thinks is best and go with him or if you can do what i did and get vet and farrier togeather and let them work out what is best
 
I would go with some hoof boots and pads, easily bought off ebay. My pony has front boots for long hacks and has done for three years, nothing wrong with that, its whatever makes them comfortable. Much cheaper too, my Cavallo's last me a year.
 
Sorry I might be confused. Am I right in thinking that you are saying in some peoples opinion your horse normally has a shuffly waddling gait? This is IMO often a sign that all is not well and many a horse that moves like this has been transformed with a few regime changes. Well done your farrier tho for spotting signs.
 
LucyPriory he doesn't have a shuffly waddling gait at all! Well dressage judges don't seem to think so anyway! He can be a bit lazy when he doesn't want to do something but that's just him! People being nasty at the yard I'm afraid...

I went up yesterday and I am at a loss now. Even on his restricted grazing regime which I arranged with the vet he seemed a bit tender in the coronary area again yesterday. If he isn't any better today the vet will have to come back... I am worried sick now because I am on DIY, I have upset everyone on the yard by telling them all there IS something wrong with my horse (they all seem to know best... nowt wrong with him...blah blah blah) and now he may have to come back onto boxrest - it looks like I will have to move him somewhere else!!!! Argh!
 
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