Management Changes you have made for the sporthorse?

[LEC]

Just wondering what management changes you have made for the sporthorse in the last two years based on changes in thinking?

I am just about to start x raying feet twice yearly on the evidence I have read and decided it will save me money in the long run on horses who have perfectly ‘good’ feet.
My foal ?? will be on 10 month weaning and likely to be moved onto an antacid just before and after because of the research around juvenile ulcers and the weaning process.
I now ice legs considerably more and don’t wear boots for anything unless risk of knocks/injury outweighs it.
My riding hats are replaced considerably more than they used to be.
I do a lot more groundwork. I think I did a fair bit before but now it’s with a bit more knowledge around getting relaxation.
I try to pull shoes for at least 6 weeks whereas before I wouldn’t have considered it.
I video twice a year in a headcollar on the lunge to have a comparison.
On the whole the big picture looks very similar but I have made a lot of tweaks.

 

[stangs]

Not just for the sport horse but I take short slo-mo videos of their feet when moving (from ground level, front and to the side) once a month. Easier to see any changes in the footfall that way.

 

[paddi22]

I ended up taking off shoes all mine, even the eventers. No boots unless doing xc or jumping. Icing legs more. More conscious of nutrition, so I buy straights, speedibeet and use a good balancer. Physio more often. I make sure I do more massage on them, as it lets me pick up on muscle issues or body soreness. more range of work including groundwork. I changed my yard at home so they aren't keep stabled when in, they have access to turnout all the time. That has really helped with stiffness issues and temperament.

 

[humblepie]

Not many but have been looking at the two consecutive days off which seems to be the thinking on ulcer management now. Have been doing massage etc for quite a well so that isn't a change. Went on a course probably about 5 years ago to learn some basics.

 

[ihatework]

Not much if I’m honest.

I think the 2 main things I’ve done are religiously getting them routinely checked, every 6-9 months, by a good ortho vet.

And actually going back to compound feeds rather than faffing about with straights and fibres and supplements, because quite frankly they all seem to look much better on compounds - mine and others on competition yards.

 

[scats]

Mine see the vet chiro every 3 months. They are checked on the hard ground and on the lunge. It helps to identify any potential issues.

 

[RachelFerd]

I know it's a topic raging on another thread right now - but I no longer trot on the roads, bar a few short uphill stretches. I used to do a lot of road trotting...

I rarely use boots and leave legs naked as much as I can.

I feed genuinely ad-lib forage when stabled.

I am more structured in my planning and fitness work and I map it all out much more.

I'm more likely to go straight to a vet on orthopaedic issues rather than cycle through all of the other specialists.

 

[Nicnac]

Rarely trot on roads unless it's to get out the way of a vehicle;
3 monthly osteo treatment for horse;
Never use travel boots - what's the point of icing legs after XC to then wrap them up for tendons to overheat? Do use over reach on fronts to travel;
Don't gallop for fitness - every limb has a finite number of high speed miles - use them for competing, not training;
Ad lib forage;
Never bandage or wrap for flatwork (see above for overheating tendons);
Only boot up for XC - rarely for show jumping;

 

[SEL]

she's far from a sports horse bless her, but x raying the feet of my little Dales pony was eye opening - not in a good way (see wonky x ray post) but at least we understand she can never be trimmed 'straight' and if we decide to shoe her then it will need to be done with a lot of care.

There's a lot of technology now about plotting landings vs the x rays (mainly US based, but hope it comes here) which I think will be incredibly helpful in guiding the trim / shoeing options.

 

[ycbm]

Not in the last 2 years, but I was ahead of the curve on a few of these.



Them.

No leg boots
No shoes
Feed yeast, copper, zinc, magnesium, salt all year, and vitamin E in winter
No molasses
Multi species forage



Me.

Air jacket .
Bought a MIPS hat (not worn it yet).
.

 

[GinaGeo]

When I say Sport Horses I mean it loosely.

But if all goes to plan I will have one out at Medium BD this year and the six year old will hopefully be going Eventing - that is budget dependant.

- Hardly any roadwork. Roads just not suitable anymore. We do do lots of hacking on various terrains and surfaces which I feel is more beneficial anyway.
- Don't boot. Nothing wears boots except for Cross Country and then we ice. ice. ice.
- No Travel Boots.
- They live free-range with access to stables. We have far less issues with legs filling and respiratory issues are vastly reduced.
- Genuinely ad-lib Haylage.
- Shoes are off. I will decide whether the young horse will have shoes for studs when we get there. So far he has been fine, and my appetite to stud is vastly reduced anyway.

 

[Michen]

I x ray feet yearly

I run bloods yearly

in hand work

shoes off for 4 months

 

[Hallo2012]

mine have always been on ad lib fibre and barefoot but after years of feeding straights both mine are on a commercial bagged feed now and look great, but hard feed will probably get knocked on the head this month anyway (natives)

i ice after fast hacks, tough schooling, gallops etc but are people icing routinely every work out?

i normally do use very thin stable wraps instead of travel boots and it saved a nasty scrape when one got up on the tack locker on sunday but in extremes of summer heat i then have to make the judgement call on whether ANY extra layer is a pro or con.

only walked on roads for years

putting in turnout pens to keep them out the deep ground jan-March whilst ensuring fresh air and movement.

considering binning all bandages and pads for tendon and fetlock boots (anyone who knows me knows this will pain me greatly)

 

[Cortez]

I haven't really changed management practice for at least 15 years, but over my lifetime with horses (50+ years) I have learned that a great deal of the traditional ways of keeping and riding horses in this part of the world are either unnecessary or just plain wrong.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

No travel boots.
Work on a variety of surfaces
Monthly sports massage
Cooling legs after work.
Feeding high protein feed soon after hard work. (BHS says colic risk but I have read research saying that's the 'golden hour' when muscles are much more receptive to taking up protein so enhances recovery)
Not scraping after washing down in hot weather. Horse stays cooler when left dripping wet.

 

[MagicMelon]

Current horse - no travel boots.
Far more aware of selecting boots for air flow.
Far more aware of selecting saddlecloths for air flow.
Not sweat scraping water off if its a warm day at an event.
Longer term than past 2 years but definately opting for barefoot rather than shod unless absolutely necessary.
Would only ever walk on the road, never trot.
24/7 access to hay, really helps any skinny ones keep weight on.
Not longer use fetlock boots as I dont feel they do much to prevent injury, dont boot at home but do use tendon boots for SJ and air flow XC boots.
Longer than 2 years, but I never carry a whip riding anymore. Stopped that years ago, never missed having one.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Read the various replies with interest.

Wondering about those with barefoot horses that don’t trot on roads?

I kind of figure that if have good thick soles, large frogs, and thick digital cushions barefoot you probably have the shock absorption to trot on roads? Compared to a shod horse.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Barefoot

Close eye on potential thrush

In field as much as possible - movement key

Variety in forage - not monoculture

Adlib forage, fed low, no small holed nets

Rarely use boots / bandages/ travel boots

Groundwork/ in hand work

Regular bodywork

Annual foot X-rays

 

[McGrools]

Read the various replies with interest.

Wondering about those with barefoot horses that don’t trot on roads?

I kind of figure that if have good thick soles, large frogs, and thick digital cushions barefoot you probably have the shock absorption to trot on roads? Compared to a shod horse.

yes i feel much happier trotting barefoot horses on roads as opposed to shod, the sound of shod hooves trotting on concrete makes me wince. Whereas i feel like we are bouncing around in trainers barefoot xx

 

[I'm Dun]

I trot on roads, not loads, but its part of my fitness regime.

I dont shoe mine anymore
A lib forage and fibre feeds with calories from oil if needed
No travel boots, but I do use decent air flow boots for schooling or fast work
Reguar body work
Ground work focusing on straightness and core strength
As little use of surfaces as possible

 

[bouncing_ball]

Barefoot

Close eye on potential thrush

In field as much as possible - movement key

Variety in forage - not monoculture

Adlib forage, fed low, no small holed nets

Rarely use boots / bandages/ travel boots

Groundwork/ in hand work

Regular bodywork

Annual foot X-rays

Try and vary workload. 50% is outside arena. Hills / poles / hacking / fast work as well as arena work

 

[paddy555]

I haven't really changed management practice for at least 15 years, but over my lifetime with horses (50+ years) I have learned that a great deal of the traditional ways of keeping and riding horses in this part of the world are either unnecessary or just plain wrong.

it would be really interesting if you would elaborate if you have time please. What you would now keep, what was useless at best, based on a UK type climate, especially management.

ETA very interesting thread LEC

 

[Lyle]

-Horses are all barefoot and on a 2/3week trim cycle
-Horses are all in large mob paddocks with a huge variety of terrain
-Varied work terrain and gymnastic work, very little flat work apart from warm up and specific schooling
-No boots unless the risk outweighs the negatives
-Horses stand in a shallow pond after work obviously good for legs and studies have shown cooling the legs is a good way to cool a horses after moderate exercise (they also love it and dive for the pond!)
-Forage based diets with simple balancer and straight grains to those who need it
-Minimal rugging
-Simple tack, a lot of work is bitless
-Lots of groundwork

 

[rara007]

I have so few (2!) that my management is pretty bespoke for the two of them.
Horse 1.
1. On simple systems feeds
2. Living out
3. 8 week shoeing cycle- cold shod
4. No time off or out of shoes
5. Travels in travel boots
6. Works ‘clean’ legged
7. When in (only just out 24/7) eats dry hay
8. Hosed off warm water whenever hot
9. Annual EDT

Horse 2.
1. On commercial balancer, molasses chaff, supplements, electrolytes, joint supplements and added molasses
2. Living in with arena turnout and hard work
3. 5 week shoeing cycle- hot
4. Had 4 weeks off and 3 cycles without hinds
5. Travels in stable boots
6. Works in over reach boots and hind brushing as minimum
7. Eats either washed or soaked hay, travels on haylage
8. Sponged off
9. Annual sedated vet for teeth
10. Annual foot and hock rads

I don’t think my two could be much more different…!

 

[LEC]

Btw got my feet x rays this week and changes need to be made to the hinds. So already paid for itself IMO as looking at her feet they look good from the outside. Interesting the RH needs most work and this would be what I call the weak leg. Always been weaker yet extensively checked and monitored so anything we can do to keep making things better.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Ad lib forage

One if bf the other is shod in front

Forage based feeds, grass or straw chaff and then.vits mixed.in. grass nuts in winter for extra if needed.

Mine.get physio when i feel they need it, once a year.

They don't wear boots apart from XC

Travel boots are the soft quilted ones with over reach boots

Lots of in hand work and making sure we hack the same amount as schooling / in hand work.

 

[scats]

I also get their teeth done every 9 months rather than annually, and have done for over 25 years. I find this lessens the amount that needs doing and we catch any issues before they have chance to cause problems.

 

[Cragrat]

Fascinating thread!

Mine have been barefoot for around 20 years now.

Discovering Pete's Goo was fantastic!

I haven't used boots other than for xc for the about the same time - though I do use knee boots for young / daft horses. XC boots are the last item of tack on, and the first item off. If I had a horse who brushed, I suppose I'd have to rethink - but my barefoot is mostly along Rockley lines - so they are allowed the hooves they need.

My washing off has always been cold water, but nowadays I don't scrape.

I have always had 24/7 turinout in summer, 8-12 hours out in winter, whatever the weather.

For many years I have thought it daft to limit cold water after exercise, but now there is research to back me up. Similarly for not witholding feed before/during exercise - I have always encouraged mine to snack /graze inbetween bouts of work, or between phases.

Forage has always been truly adlib, and ground level. I do now try to remember to tie up a hay net every now and then (Sharon May-Davies).

I have moved to 9 month flu jabs on vet advice.

I use the PE airflow travel boots. Not sure they are alot cooler than other boots, but definitely cooler that the pads and bandages we used to use.

I LOVE ice-vibe boots - I wore out motors on the first pair after may years of use, and use them frequently. The ice packs aren't a brilliant shape though

I definitely trot less on roads than I used to. I 'm sure I read something about barefoot horses still experiencing concussion, albeit less than shod horses.

Bedded on something other than straw - currently chopped rapestraw.

Rugs with liners systems - total game changer to be able to adjust the weight of the rug easily.

Rediscovered the benefits of strapping - something I used to do, and now do after every ride. I don't really groom before the ride, apart from to clean an space for the tack, but spend plenty of time afterwards.

I use a TENS machine as directed by my physio, and a sportz-vibe rug

I have always fed straights, and have learned more and more about minerals - I now feed my own mix of vit/mins specific to each horse. Sadly I also now have a fussy oik who is doing really well with 50% of his bucket feed coming from a commercial mix

In the winter I have always split bucket feeds into 4 feeds.

I have alwys used numnahs /pads as needed, but for many years have chosen sheepskin against the horse's skin - just haven't found a synthetic which comes close.

 

[paddi22]

just thinking of another thing I changed. I used to have a fairly set weekly routine where I might get a jumping lesson during week and then compete at weekend. But for the older, experienced horses now that know their job, I really only jump them in competition. If we hit an issue I will get a lesson on that issue during there week, but if they are performing well I don't jump at all during week. I found they all jump better as a result

 

[nikkimariet]

Barefoot

Feed straights not mixes

Optimum variety in their workload

Brushing boots over travel boots

Teeth are done every 6 months religiously

Cold hose legs after work

One thing I’ve really changed is my attitude to rugs. I’ve barely used heavyweight rugs over winter, and only use a neck if I need to keep him clean and/or it’s going to be wet (for the same reason really)

I don’t stick to a strict routine, the horses cope fine with me arriving an hour later or earlier etc

Turnout is a question mark for me still - I aim for every day 7-2pm approx depending on weather and what else I’ve got on. Rooni especially sees a lot and goes places and he’s not particularly bothered if he goes out for 1 hour or 12

Easy day before competing unless I absolutely can’t avoid it