Just another hoof related query

[Boulty]

Hey there. Some of you with extremely long memories may remember that quite a while ago I posted about advice for my arthritic horse who had recently had his shoes taken off. (for those of you that don't he's a 14.2hh Welsh X who we think is around 18) Quite a lot has happened since then including him briefly retiring and then coming back into work again. Anyway he's been back in work since around July time and in that time has been wearing easyboot epics on his front feet for hacking around 3 times a week and has been working in the school with no boots on around twice a week. In this time he has destroyed one of his boots (well pulled half the stitching off the gaiter at the back) around 4 times (always at canter) so I am thinking that I probably need to start having a go at weaning him off them for my own sanity. (would love to just go out and replace them but unf not got the spare cash) I think this will also probably be better for his feet in the long run if I can manage it as at least they will all then be wearing at roughly the same rate. I'm planning to start taking him on some of the shorter, less horrendous routes without boots and see how we go but am wondering how to tackle the horrid stoney bits when I get to them. Do I just get off and lead him over them so at least he's not having to heft my weight over them or do I put the boots on when I set off (after I've fixed the broken one AGAIN!) and then take them off when we're over the worst bits. Either way looks like I'm going to be doing lots of hopping on and off... (could be interesting as he's currently in a treeless saddle so I'm sure I will soon have an intimate knowledge of all the handy logs and benches in the area!)


Next question is regarding feed. He's currently fed 1/4 scoop soaked fastfibre and a handful of HiFi original once a day along with 2 scoops Riaflex HA, 1 10ml scoop garlic (will be stopping the garlic soon as really just feeding it to use it up now), 1 15ml scoop Mag Ox, 10ml equina keragard. He is out at grass 24/7 at the minute and I've just started giving him a haynet to nibble at when he's in as the grass isn't fantastic and don't really want him to drop any more weight now. I'm nearly at the end of the HiFi original and am planning to replace this with HiFi molasses free or equivalent when I run out (I'm open to suggestions there if anyone has a particular recommendation). I am wondering if through the winter I should leave him on the fastfibre, fed at a higher quantity or if I should substitute this for something with a few more calories such as veteran vitality or would this have too much starch and sugar content? Have also heard that some people feed micronised linseed to maintain condition was wondering what people's experiences with this were as he can be quite a fussy eater when he wants to be! As of Nov / Dec time he will be coming in overnight and have access to a large net of haylage (works out several times cheaper than hay for me) I'm also debating possibly changing his hoof supplement to something like ProHoof (again open to suggestions), would I be correct in thinking if I did this then I wouldn't need to be feeding additional magnesium oxide as it already has it included?

 

[TwoStroke]

You may find it easier to go bootless during the winter, once the grass is less of an issue. How you handle the stoney bits I guess depends on how reactive the horse is over them?

I think you can buy replacement gaiters separately, which may be worth thinking about, but it's always the ideal to go bootless if you can, of course.

Micro linseed is great for condition, so I'd stick with the FF. Even my capricious TB loves the linseed, so I wouldn't have thought you'd have palatability issues with it.

 

[Boulty]

He does stumble quite badly over stones ridden with no boots. He is better but still not 100% when led over them and with boots on they don't bother him all that much, although can still have his moments if he steps on a large loose one and it moves (think this is more him being a bit clumsy and not always paying attention to where he puts his feet though). Another reason I'd like to do away with the boots if I can is that he seems to stride out more confidently on good surfaces without them (have noticed this when I've had to take both of them off to get him home on occasions when the offending boot has broken). I think a replacement gaiter is something I might have to consider if he really can't do without them and they keep breaking though (would like to avoid it because of the cost but I guess it's (just) cheaper than a new boot).

Cheers for the advice with the linseed, is it something that tends to be cheaper to buy in bulk?