More barefoot questions!

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NooNoo59

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i had the shoes off about two weeks ago, he has always been really good about having his feet picked out but he has got increasingly funny about it in the last two weeks. Pulling them away from me and threaten to kick with the back ones, normally i walk round and he lifts them up ready. He will let me brush his legs but as soon i go near him with hoof pick and go to pick up a foot he pulls them away, any ideas?
 
Two weeks is long enough for nerves that have been dormant to come back to "life" and its probably a new experience for your horse to have tingly or tickly feet for a while. It will improve and settle down.

If not then sources of any pain would have to be considered. Thrush, perhaps a brewing abscess. This weather has not been great for those. My filly has had two big uns and she has never been shod. A barefoot boy at our yard has a bad case of thrush. I'm afraid it affects all feet.
 
When i posted pictures of his feet on here lot of comments said he looked thrushy but need to pick out, scrub with hibiscrub and dress with sudocreme which i cant do if i cant pick his feet up!!
 
Sounds like you might have to go back to basics for a bit to me. Treat him like a baby. Lift feet little and often, not too high and not for long. Aim to lift a foot by a couple of cm, hold for around 3 seconds, then put it down. Repeat this regularly until he relaxes again, then pick out little and often, again keeping feet low to the ground and moving around him calmly, talking to him. Try not to let the experience become tense for everyone involved (I know this can be easier said than done when a horse is awkward about having its feet handled).

This may help, it certainly won't do any harm.

I treat smelly feet with Horseware's hypocare - it is by far and away the best disinfectant I have found.
 
He could be a bit tender. Where do you pick out his feet? It might be worth making sure he's standing on a soft surface with the feet that aren't being cleaned, so e.g. on a rubber mat, or on sand or shavings. Pick out into a bucket if you're concerned about getting bed dirty ;)
 
If you can only pick them up for a few seconds and you think he might be thrushy look into the sheep/ cow foot rot spray - a couple of second squirt would be better than nothing and if you've been scrubbing/ cream/ etc etc. and it's a little sore he might just be bored with the fiddling about with them.
I agree with above - go back to basics and practice
 
Another suggestion... try just asking him to rest the hoof on it's toe on the ground rather than pick it right up. Standing on other softer surfaces is a good suggestion and also make sure he is balanced (weight on the opposite diagonal) to pick up the hoof you want easily, this is important with the front hooves especially ime. Ask for a step back or forward, to change his stance will soon tell you if it's a balance issue.
 
I agree that the feet will be coming back to life at about now so just try to be patient and keep trying to pick up. My girl has thrush this year and is really struggling. Im just about to trial aromafrog. Stupid horrible winter weather!
 
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