lack of hoof growth

[ihatework]

Hi, I was just wondering if I should be worried about the following and if I should be doing something about it?

I have a rising 3yo who hasn't really gown any significant amount of hoof for 5-6 months now.

His feet are short at the toe, broad in diameter, heels not collapsed, as hard as nails with not a single crack or uneven edge.

The farrier takes a look every 5 or 6 weeks but there is literally nothing for him to take off, and his feet haven't been touched for 5/6 months!

Now I wouldn't be worried except that he is very careful whilst walking down the hardcore path leading from the fields to the stables and is obviously feeling his feet somewhat, on the mud he is fine though.

Through the spring & summer he was trimmed every 10 weeks, I assume the hoof growth was proportionate to the grass levels!

The grazing where I am isn't good at the moment but he looks well in himself, gets plenty of hay and hard feed.

Should I be doing something about this now or wait and see what happens in the springtime?

Thanks

 

[sally2008]

Sounds like his feet are pretty much self-maintaining at this time of year. As you say the quality of the horn is good and the foot balance sounds right, I can't see much to worry about. A rush of spring grass will most likely produce increased growth again.

 

[pottamus]

I would not worry too much but I guess once you back him and start working him it may become an issue if you want to take him on the roads...so you may have to consider shoes.
My farrier stopped trimming my horses feet back in about March/April last year because there was never anything to trim! He just rasped slightly and re-shod him...I was worried at the time and it was a bit tricky because he was being shod every 4 weeks (do endurance) and so the farrier was more or less putting the nails back in the same holes and they were splitting...but we managed. He was shod 2 weeks ago and that is the first time he has had something to trim...we could not believe it!!! I think a lot of that was down to the dry summer we had too. So long as your horse has good strong healthy feet...he will be fine.

 

[UKa]

Hi, interested in this because this winter my barefoot mare also doesnt seem to grow much hoof; it has never been an issue before and I hack her on tarmac as well as soft ground and always have done for the last 4 years I have known her. Farrier coming Monday for a trim but interested to see what he may say about her feet ...

 

[Salcey]

Interesting - our 9 yo welshie has never had shoes, always had fantastic feet not problems at all and always been ridden 3-4 times a week. We moved yards 18 months ago and since then he has had hardly any horn growth, to the point now that he's wearing his soles down from being ridden and we have the choice of resting him till the summer or having him shod. Hence farrier booked for Monday.

 

[WishfulThinker]

I had a similar experience with Beau. From his last trim in Dec 04 right up until Sept 05 he never saw a farrier (they wouldnt come and see one horse on its own!!! OUTRAGEOUS!) and when he did get a trim there was very little that came off. In fact with shoes on his feet are longer now than they were, and even shod he is 8 weeks between visits as his feet grow slowly!

He never has any cracks, and his hooves are REALLY hard - when he was barefoot he was climbing over rocks in the field and they never damages his hooves. He is a very good doer though, and always kinda 'glows' which I put down to the Shire in him.

The farriers who have seen him have said that he has excellent feet, but I do worry as the new clenches do seem to be rather close to the old ones, and I dont want it to get to the point where they wont be able to shoe him, and I am not sure if I want to put him through going barefoot again as he was not happy for the first 4 months he was like that, and refused to walk over any slightly stony ground.