My Barefoot Journey

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GrumpyHero

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Ok so my lad is getting his shoes pulled tomorrow! Will be buying boots from the trimmer when they come off so will be measured properly etc.
Just thought i'd post this thread to keep a log of how his feet go without shoes. I'll take some pictures tonight for a before and after kinda thing.

Eeeee wish us luck! I'm very nervous!
 
His shoes are off!
He was really sore even on smooth concrete - he'd happily walk but didn't look fully comfortable. He's a bit better in boots but will buy him some comfort pads for the time being!

The lovely trimmer took pictures of his feet so I will ask nicely if she can send them to me :-)

Even better ... His hooves are different sizes - a cavallo 4 on his RF And a 5 on his left ... Awkward horse!!!
 
I was waiting for this update - Yay! I'm so glad you went through with it! Just out of interest, which trimmer did you end up choosing?

My TB was really sore too, I just booted up for hacking and leading to the field to start with and rode in school BF. She's now totally fine, just booted for hacks on stony ground. What is he being fed now?

Awkward turtle, I'd expect him to be dropping a few sizes over the next 6 months too! Mine started off in a 3, and is in a 2 4 months later (this is a 16.2 TB, she has tiny feet!)
 
I'm using Julie Bailey like you recommended :)
The ground all over my yard is stony - even the walk to the outdoor school! Grr. I know its best for him though so it will be worth the effort :)

I've still got him on the happy hoof and a scoop of pro balance plus!
Hopefully ill get the pictures to put up soon :)
 
jess_ said:
I'm using Julie Bailey like you recommended :)
The ground all over my yard is stony - even the walk to the outdoor school! Grr. I know its best for him though so it will be worth the effort :)

I've still got him on the happy hoof and a scoop of pro balance plus!
Hopefully ill get the pictures to put up soon :)
Click to expand...

Fab! So glad you went with her :)

Just a thought re:happy hoof. My TB was on this until about a week ago and is much happier on her tootsies without it. I'd recommend speedibeet over HH if your having problems, you don't need any molasses, there is plenty of sugar in the grass already! Mine got less footy when I added mag ox and salt too :)

Keep us updated please! :D
 
I was looking at switching him to fast fibre or high fibre cubes anyway as i've heard HH is still quite sugary despite being lami approved! I'm on the hunt for a pair of size 5 cavallos, i've got a pair of 4s which fit one foot and are a bit too tight on the other! (it will go on but he has to put his foot down to get it in)

I'm hoping he becomes more comfortable as soon as possible as i don't want him to have too much time off being ridden - he's overweight and really needs the exercise :)
 
I would see if you can get the pads for inside the boots and ride him out in them. Cant remember what the ones i used were called, but they stimulated growth in his feet. The slight discomfort and bruising walking totally barefoot increases blood supply which will help stimulate growth. Just look at the growth where you get an abscess x
 
Good luck, you are doing such a good thing for your horse. I took my horses's shoes off last November, it has been such a learning curve with highs and lows, but we are getting there! Are you anywhere near Oxon/Glos? Lucy Priory is doing a one day barefoot hoof care workshop on 17th August which I am going to, lots to learn! should be great :-)
 
I'm in Manchester unfortunately :(

He looked really sore today which made me feel awful, i know its the best thing for him but its horrible seeing him do even one hop! I'm gonna change him from happy hoof to fast fibre when i can get to the feed shop.
I'm ordering some size 5's tonight hopefully and gonna get some of the easycare comfort pads to go inside. I took him to the indoor to let him have a trot round so i could see how he moved and he did look a little tender, though i couldn't tell whether that he was just moving differently because he has no shoes on.

Please tell me it gets better, i'm only on day 3 and im crumbling haha! I feel awful :(
 
If he's sore you either need to bute or have him on a soft surface only-he doesn't know he's supposed to be improving his feet-it's not fair to make him sore.
 
I've had him in the field all weekend, brought him out today and he had to stand off the grass out of the field whilst i booted him up because all of his herd mates had followed us to the gate and I didn't fancy being stuck in the middle if they all suddenly spooked!
Apart from that one incident he's been on a big shavings bed in his stable and stood on flat smooth concrete whilst i sorted his stable.
 
I had my mare's front shoes taken off 8 weeks ago, her backs were taken off last year and she had no problems at all with them. She was great with her fronts off at first but this last week she has been a bit footy. I am looking at hoof boots for her but until I've persuaded my oh I need them I will just work her in the ménage, no hacking out. It makes you feel awful to see them struggling and it makes you question what you are doing (especially as there is only me on our yard with barefoot horses) but you have to think about the end result. Well done and good luck xxx (ps I'm in Manchester too! :) )
 
Totally forgot about this thread!
Hero has now been barefoot for about 6 weeks and had his first trim yesterday! Haven't managed to get any pictures yet but i will try to remember!
We have the cavallos for getting around the yard and riding but he has naked feet in the field and he's coping quite well! He is still very sore over anything other than a flat smooth surface, the school surface or grass so I haven't even tried to take him anywhere bootless yet. He's fab in his boots and we go hacking and galloping and everything!
My trimmer is happy with his progress and says his soles are less flexible than last time, so hopefully he's improving!

I have noticed he is a little bit footy on his back end over really stony tracks, so have been trying to avoid these for now as he is perfect elsewhere. I'm hoping this will settle in winter when he will have less sugar in his diet. My trimmer is lovely and even lent me some boots whilst i waited for mine to be delivered. There is a noticeable change in growth angle coming down from the coronet band too! Yay!

This would be so much better with pictures so i promise i will try not to forget this time!! Go Hero!!
 
Great to hear an update :)

This makes me feel more confident about my lads one footy front foot, and that it is footiness and not a lameness somewhere else (I'm hoping at least!) I am tempted to get him some boots, woudl you recommend the cavallos? I'm not riding atm, so no rush really but they could be handy. Mine's on fast fibre and micronised linseed atm, need to get him some pro hoof (need to sit OH down as he's the one with the ebay account lol) and will likely add some speedibeet over winter as this is our winter feed (and they like it when we add hot water on chilly mornings and evenings....)

Mine seems sound on grass (in walk at least) and footy on gravel, and can be ok on concrete some days
 
The Cavallos have been fab for me, they are very simple to put on and get off. They've only come off once and that's because we were on an unlevel field and he stepped on the back of the boot and his foot slipped out. I've been for a few gallops and they've stuck in place! He has the easy care comfort pads in them too to help stimulate his frog more and make it a little more comfortable.

He's definitely no where near ready to tackle gravel or anything stony yet, he's on fast fibre with biotin, I've just bought some brewers yeast too. Would you recommend the micronised linseed?
 
Okay I've taken some pictures! Sadly as i was going out for a ride Hero went suddenly lame .. took his boot off and a random stone fell out :-( poor boy will probably have a sore sole now, hoping it hasn't done too much damage as he was much better once it'd gone.

NearForeSole_zps5260c200.jpg

Near Fore Sole

NearForeSide_zpsa56f061a.jpg

Near Fore Side

OffForeSole_zpsdfaaf4e5.jpg

Off Fore Sole

OffForeSide_zpsab7e99ac.jpg

Off Fore Side

FrontView_zps21d4cc51.jpg

Front View

Also this random crack has appeared .. haven't ever noticed it before now
CrackNearFore_zps5958213e.jpg


What do you guys think? Not posted any of his hinds as trimmer is happy with them
 
Thanks - I had my trimmer have a look at that, she had a poke around and didn't think it was a hole just how his sole was, but will have to wait and see how it grows out.
 
Give him time. After a long period of being shod his feet have to "wake up"

You may find he is more sensitive, but also explores more with his feet, trying surfaces

My key points would be:-

Work as much as he is comfortable
Boot if you need to
Low sugar forage based diet
Maximise turnout
Feed a good supplement - not TopSpec or Farriers Formula - feed Forage Plus, Pro Earth or MBA
Minimal trimming - it won't help if his sole is pared, frog trimmed and walls removed.
 
Hi guys :-)

Took a few pictures whilst it was sunny .. Though I'm not the best photographer and I didn't realise how dark some of the photos came up grr! So you can only really see anything in these three. I've been scrubbing his feet once/twice a week with iodine in hope that it'll kill any thrush that may try and wean its way into his frog! Also what do you guys think about the hoof cracks??

I actually took these maybe 2 weeks ago, since then i've started to slowly introduce walking bootless on tarmac (easier said than done as the track to the road is so stoney, so its a bit of a faf trying to take his boots off on a small patch of grass after the stones near the road, thankfully its a very minor road so not much traffic and he's good as gold!)

image1_zpsb5933499.jpeg

off fore

image2_zps4ea58b82.jpeg

near fore

image_zps27c5b889.jpeg

near fore sole

What do you all think? My trimmer doesn't touch his soles or his frog, she literally trims any excess flare so that his hoof boots still fit! Awkward buggar is in between sizes as it is!
 
What does everyone think of the heel 'folding over'? Is that normal or should it be snipped off? It wasn't as bad when the trimmer came but she left it alone (she doesn't actually take much off, only really tidies his hinds the fronts are left to it most of the time)
 
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