Lameness Isuue - Hoof Boots. Please help!

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Aoibhinn

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Hi all. Well, I'll start at the beginning. I bought a new horse at the end of April '14. He is a 16.1h Thoroughbred x Connemara 11 year old gelding. He had a few grass cracks, which looking back at, should have been warning enough, but his feet were in good enough condition. His previous owner had only been working him 3-4 times a week as she didn't have the time.

So I started working him for 5-6 days a week and that's when the trouble started. In June he overreached while I was riding and pulled a shoe. This took away bits of the hoof wall. I got my farrier out (he also shod this horse for 5 years for the previous owner) and he put it back on and he was perfect. Then I went to pony camp the first week of July and by the Wednesday morning I thought he felt a bit footy. By Wednesday evening he had pulled the shoe on his left foot, the opposite to the one he had already pulled. I got a farrier out that evening who put it back on for me. Then by the Friday evening he was still tender on it.

I talked to my instructor who recommended hot shoeing him and feeding him Farriers Formula. We were going away the following Monday so organised for our farrier to hot shoe him while we were away. He came out and hot shod the horse on the 18th of July and when I arrived back on the 21st he was lame on it, worse than what he had been before the hot shoeing.

So I rang my farrier and he came out the following day (22nd July) to have a look at him. Then he decided to build up the hoof with a synthetic material, Equilox I think, and try and get the hoof growing because at this stage there was very little to nail the shoe to. So he built up the hoof wall and put half the nails into the hoof and the other half into this fake material. The horse was still lame after this so he came out the following Monday (28th July) and took the nails out of the hoof and put them all into the Equilox.

We decided that he was just bare so we were giving the hoof a chance to grow before doing anything else with it but by the Sunday (3rd August) his tendons were swollen and hot and he could barely walk.

My dad rang his vet and asked him to come out and have a look at him which he did. As he wasn't specifically trained in horses he pared him back too much (Drew blood) looking for the infection, which they did find. He gave me a course of Noroprim to put the horse on for a week. The swelling and heat went but he was still lame. We came to the conclusion that he was lame because he was so bare and put him out to grass where it was softer.

Then Thursay (28th August) people said to is that maybe we should get him xrayed in case the problem was inside the foot or in his leg (left fore). So we brought him to a vet hospital Saturday morning (30th August) and got him xrayed from all angles. Thankfully, the vet said to us that his foot is perfectly normal he is just too bare and that's why he's still lame. Saying this, he has improved considerably since the start of August. At the beginning he was barely walking but now he can walk on grass and there is just a faint lameness. Once he goes any faster or on concrete it is noticeable though.

Which brings me to my dilemma. It is impossible to put a shoe on him at the moment as this will just set him back again. The vet recommended we get a hoof boot for him and I was trying to decide on the best one to get. I found Equiboots, Cavallo boots and Equi trail boots and am unsure what type to purchase. If anyone had any feedback on any type of boot and where it can be purchased I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much for reading!
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OK, I suggest you only ever use an experienced equine vet for anything other than vaccinations.
I suggest you get a farrier who only ever hot shoes, cold shoeing is a highly skilled task, and I would only want a world class farrier to do this, there are several top farriers round here, and they all shoe hot.
If this farrier that you are using has been shoeing this horse for while, assuming previous owner did not neglect the horse, then I would think about finding another one. He may of course have advised the owner and advice been disregarded.

Boots: Cavallos are relatively cheap and easy to use though the liners are useless, try an Easyboot liner instead.

I can recommend micronised linseed, a TB will have 100-200gms per day
Try Pro Hoof from Pro Earth mineral supplement, you need to introduce over 7 days, maybe phase out the Farriers Formula at that time.
I am a bit confused about tendons swelling and infections and so on ................. I think you will just have to take thing easy untill nature takes its course.
I recommend you buy a good book First Feet [disregard seaweed advice] and learn about feet, it is not easy, but read it a few times and things will become clearer.
Consider keeping this poor horse barefoot, the temptation will be to clamp a set of shoes on as soon as possible, but just see if you can manage without.
See Rockley Farm for blogs and videos.
 
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You need to measure his feet first. Most boots are for a certain shape of foot, ie wide and round or long and narrow. So get the measurements and then look to see which ones will fit. http://www.hoofbootique.co.uk/ is a pretty good website with sizing guides etc, and if you ring they will talk you through fitting etc, and can supply you with fit kits. Theres a few websites that do this, just hoof boutique is the one I always remember. But if you google it you will get plenty of alternatives :)
 
OK, Noroprim is an antibiotic, still not clear where this infection was, is it in the frog, ie thrush infection, or is there a wound. Was it an abscess. Were painkillers prescribed.......... that would seem appropriate.
I have no veterinary training, but these are the sort of questions that seem to need answers.
 
Bonkers2 said:
OK, I suggest you only ever use an experienced equine vet for anything other than vaccinations.
I suggest you get a farrier who only ever hot shoes, cold shoeing is a highly skilled task, and I would only want a world class farrier to do this, there are several top farriers round here, and they all shoe hot.
If this farrier that you are using has been shoeing this horse for while, assuming previous owner did not neglect the horse, then I would think about finding another one. He may of course have advised the owner and advice been disregarded.

Boots: Cavallos are relatively cheap and easy to use though the liners are useless, try an Easyboot liner instead.

I can recommend micronised linseed, a TB will have 100-200gms per day
Try Pro Hoof from Pro Earth mineral supplement, you need to introduce over 7 days, maybe phase out the Farriers Formula at that time.
I am a bit confused about tendons swelling and infections and so on ................. I think you will just have to take thing easy untill nature takes its course.
I recommend you buy a good book First Feet [disregard seaweed advice] and learn about feet, it is not easy, but read it a few times and things will become clearer.
Consider keeping this poor horse barefoot, the temptation will be to clamp a set of shoes on as soon as possible, but just see if you can manage without.
See Rockley Farm for blogs and videos.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bonkers2 for your advice, much appreciated! Yes I'm aware that an equine vet should always be used, my dad wouldn't allow me get anyone else, he wanted to use his own vet. My farrier cold shoes most of the time but he does hot shoeing as well. He has shod the horse always for the previous owner but I think the reason his hooves are crumbling away now is due to the fact I started working him much harder than the previous owner was and it just put too much pressure on him - that's just a theory though.

Would you know where I could get the micronised linseed by any chance? I couldn't find anywhere that does it. Is the pro hoof better than the Farriers Formula so?

The plan is to put a boot on him for the next 2 weeks and then build up the hoof again and put on a shoe so it can grow because at the moment the hoof is being worn away as he walks around etc.

Thanks very much for your suggestions!
 
Bonkers2 said:
OK, Noroprim is an antibiotic, still not clear where this infection was, is it in the frog, ie thrush infection, or is there a wound. Was it an abscess. Were painkillers prescribed.......... that would seem appropriate.
I have no veterinary training, but these are the sort of questions that seem to need answers.
Click to expand...

Bonkers2, the hoof got infected when the fake material was put on to it and the infection travelled up his leg to his tendons/back of leg before we realised it was there. Normally when any horse is lame the foot is hot or there is a pulse but he had neither so it was hard to tell there was an infection until it reached his leg.

He was prescribed bute which I gave to him for one day but then stopped because a) he wasn't in a lot of pain from it and b)we were afraid in case he might have had a drop which would have burst inside the hoof if he was given the bute. So I hot tubbed him for 4 days to eliminate the risk of a drop and put antiseptic on the hoof to prevent another infection.
 
I would echo what Frankie cob says you must get the correct type of boot for your horses foot .
My trimmers has advised me on all the boots I have and I have different types to suit the different types of feet.
I would also recommend the feet first book it helped me a lot with my first BF adventures .
It's also worth a good google and looking for threads on here .
Once feet get very nail sick their is nothing to do except give the horse a prolonged shoeing break .
When horses are without shoes even the smallest amount of thrush can make them very sore so you need to be really on top of foot hygiene .
The good news is that once he gets more comfortable you will be able to do some work in boots .
My TB had terrible feet when he arrived I kept him without shoes for 18 months his feet where transformed in the end he was doing clinics happily jumping ,hacking out on the road and grass BF .
He's shod now but he gets a good break every year the difference is I know I can use him during his shoeing breaks .
 
Aoibhinn said:
Bonkers2, the hoof got infected when the fake material was put on to it and the infection travelled up his leg to his tendons/back of leg before we realised it was there. Normally when any horse is lame the foot is hot or there is a pulse but he had neither so it was hard to tell there was an infection until it reached his leg.

He was prescribed bute which I gave to him for one day but then stopped because a) he wasn't in a lot of pain from it and b)we were afraid in case he might have had a drop which would have burst inside the hoof if he was given the bute. So I hot tubbed him for 4 days to eliminate the risk of a drop and put antiseptic on the hoof to prevent another infection.
Click to expand...


Sorry, that makes no sense to me, the foot got infected because the farrier used something on the hoof ........ that makes no sense.

He was prescribed bute but you stopped giving him it ........... perhaps he appeared to be in less pain because the painkiller was working?

We were afraid he might have had a drop .................. I assume you mean an abscess .............

Bute is a painkiller and anti inflammatory, it is not going to affect the progression of the disease, you may be confusing this with antibiotic..............

I really think you should ask a good equine vet to advise you and follow his advice, if you don't understand what is going on, best to ask him.

Charnwood Milling make micronised linseed, you can buy it direct or from some feed stores.
The Pro Hoof is pretty much reckoned to be the best mineral supplement for bad feet.
It is important to keep feeding these sort of things all year round if you have had a problem. Keep off sugary feeds and increase fibre in the diet.
 
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Bonkers2 said:
Sorry, that makes no sense to me, the foot got infected because the farrier used something on the hoof ........ that makes no sense.

He was prescribed bute but you stopped giving him it ........... perhaps he appeared to be in less pain because the painkiller was working?

We were afraid he might have had a drop .................. I assume you mean an abscess .............

Bute is a painkiller and anti inflammatory, it is not going to affect the progression of the disease, you may be confusing this with antibiotic..............

I really think you should ask a good equine vet to advise you and follow his advice, if you don't understand what is going on, best to ask him.

Charnwood Milling make micronised linseed, you can buy it direct or from some feed stores.
The Pro Hoof is pretty much reckoned to be the best mineral supplement for bad feet.
It is important to keep feeding these sort of things all year round if you have had a problem. Keep off sugary feeds and increase fibre in the diet.
Click to expand...


The farrier put on a fake material over the end of the hoof and there must have been an infection in the hoof already but then when the fake stuff was put on it trapped the infection inside the hoof causing it to travel up his leg.

We have gotten him xrayed now and are trying to sort it out, so hopefully he'll come right.

When you say dont feed sugary foods, why is it best to avoid them? And he is on good quality grass at the moment so how do I cut back on sugars?

Thanks!
 
You need to restrict grazing some horses can't cope with too much sugar and for some of them that includes grass
I have had several Connie crosses and my experience is that they tend to be prone to these types of issues .
My horses do not do as well on the pro hoof supplements as they do on the forage plus ones so take a look at their website as well.
Your horse will come right you need to get the diet right and then it's time and getting the horse moving , providing appropriate trimming and hoof care and waiting for nature to do it's work growing your horse a new foot.
 
The feet are complex, you need to study carefully: briefly , the hoof lamellae are the soft [layer like] tissues which are between the hard outer hoof wall, and the hard foot bones of the equine. There are a lot of blood vessels in this area, if the diet is high in sugars, the lamellae start to inflame ............. laminitis. It is painful and can vary from LGL [low grade laminitis] which is difficulty to diagnose especially if the horse is shod, to severe, where an animal has to be put to sleep.
For some horses laminitis can be life threatening, we think about ponies getting laminitis but it found in any equid on a rich diet. Once a horse has contracted laminitis it seems they are more prone to a recurrance.

Grass has a variable sugar content:
it varies seasonally ........ high in spring and in autumn [grass will often appear to be darker and lusher]
during the day it will peak in the morning [usually]
when it is frosty there will be more sugars
the species of grass is important ........ lush ryegrasses were bred to produce milk in dairy cows, they are higher in sugars than the grass species found in old pasture.
 
Aoibhinn said:
The plan is to put a boot on him for the next 2 weeks and then build up the hoof again and put on a shoe so it can grow because at the moment the hoof is being worn away as he walks around etc.
Click to expand...
I have picked out this sentence because you are under the impression that walking on bare hooves will cause them to wear away ....... THIS IS INCORRECT......... people ride horses barefoot all the time .......THE HOOVES WILL GROW TO COMPENSATE FOR WEAR........... this is how horses in the wild travel 30+ miles per day, they are never shod.

Some competitive endurance horses do 60+ kilometers per day, barefoot!!!!
Mongolian horsemen ride tiny ponies for miles, they don't seem to be shod.

In the UK we keep horses in relatively small fields, the are not able to roam , we often need to feed minerals [and some salt] , and restrict grazing, particularly if the grazing is plentiful and high in sugars.

Before you stick shoes back on this horse, ask yourself why is it so important to do this .............. it did not work before, how can you be sure it will work now?
 
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Goldenstar, thank you for that info :-) our grass is probably higher in sugar than he is used to as it is for grazing dairy cows so I already have his intake limited.

Bonkers2, the equine vet has advised us to put a shoe back on him again to allow the hoof to grow as both him and my farrier believe that without the shoe the foot is being worn.
 
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