My tb's feet one week on!!!! Can't believe it.

[thatsmygirl]

Well as most off you know, I took the plunge with my tb and took his shoes off because off his awful feet. After much advice on here about feeding, tips etc I really wish I had started his years ago with my horses.
My lad in question is now striding out better than he ever did in shoes and his feet after only a week are a far better shape, honestly I really can't believe it.
Oh and cavello boots are great
I'm really happy and also have a different farrier coming to trim him next time who seems to understand bare foot.
And to think a few months ago I was so anti " no shoes"

 

[Ranyhyn]

Really good to hear that your horse is getting used to being barefoot!

 

[SamanthaUK]

Really happy for you both.
That's one less bill too pay eh? x

 

[thatsmygirl]

I just can't believe how quickly you can see a difference. Will be one less bill to pay once they all have cavellos, can't afford them all at one so slowly getting them all fronts. No more shoes, yippeee and they will be hunting, xc and everything if all goes well.
My tb isn't in work so he's got the winter getting use to his need feet looking forward to watching the new growth coming down

 

[CBFan]

Thats fab! Glad the transition is going well for you!

 

[aintgotnohay]

wot are cavellos

 

[Andalucian]

Horses never lie eh?

 

[cptrayes]

Now you know why we are called barefoot evangelists

Once you've seen it happen, you're converted and you want to tell the world.

Wait a while - the next phase is to get absolutely hopping mad at all the money you have paid to put shoes on a horse when they made its feet worse and it didn't even need them.

Just be aware that he may go through a footie stage in a week or two as things seem to "come alive" inside the feet. It will pass, don't be too disappointed if it happens. It's very common for them to start picking their back feet up too high as well.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Santa paws iv already got to the point off thinking off the money iv wasted over 30 odd years!!! It's the fact I was so anti bare foot I can't get over, iv done a lot off research since spring and learnt a lot through here and there is so much to learn but I'm loving it. Once people start to do their research and learn they will be surprised, I am for sure.

 

[MrsMozart]

wot are cavellos

Hoof boots.

 

[dressagelove]

OP you sound just like I am. TB has awful feet, I am very anti no shoes, farrier recommends if I take them off, his feet will fall apart. What have you done differently please? I would be very interested to hear ??

 

[Janah]

Dressageglove, have PM,d you.

 

[TigerTail]

Woohooo well done you and your ned OP!!!

Tis a great feeling huh!

In a month or so start longlining him out just for 5 - 10 mins at a time to build up his endurance so that when summer comes you will be ready for the off!

Dont forget that he may become footy in spring because of the high sugar levels in the grass - something to watch out for

 

[amandap]

I just can't believe how quickly you can see a difference.

Astonishing isn't it. I still marvel how dynamic hooves are especially in response to diet. My tb's hooves can go flat at the drop of a hat/too much grass. Take her off completely and they return to normal. This can happen with a few days or a couple of weeks. Luckily a lot of horses aren't quite that sensitive.

It is very fascinating and I love the thinking because you are forced to look at the horses as a whole not just expect a beleaguered farrier to solve all the problems when diet and restriction of shoes may be thwarting all effort to grow good strong hooves. If there are dietary issues it can be very hard work though. I've learned to go with the flow and adapt to the current situation, trying to fight it can lead to more frustration.

Good luck and fingers crossed your journey is a straightforward one. Whatever happens you can't avoid that learning.

 

[cptrayes]

OP you sound just like I am. TB has awful feet, I am very anti no shoes, farrier recommends if I take them off, his feet will fall apart. What have you done differently please? I would be very interested to hear ??

I ignored the two farriers who said the same to me. Feet improved at a rate of knots. Both horses affiliated eventing one at 6 months, one at 8 months.

His feet will not fall apart. Get his diet perfect. Use boots if he is sore. We will all help if you want us to.

ps it is so ironic when people argue with me on this forum. NO-ONE was more convinced than me that it would not work! I am embarassed now about what I wrote back then about horses needing shoes.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Dressagelove, my tb's feet are awful, really under run heels, flat as they can be and bad White lines, he's just come out off racing and so won't be in work until next spring. Firstly I adjusted his diet, after lots off advice on here I put him on alfa a oil, speddibeet, mirco linseed ( for calories) brewers yeast, mag oz and a vit/min supply. He's doing well on this diet and I started by taking his backs off first, he was bare behind for 3 months and his feet are now really hard and coping walking over stones up to the field. His fronts have only just come off and tbh he was a bit footy for a few days which wasn't helped by my farrier paring off all his frog and soles but even now after this short time his hooves have improved and such a better shape already. On the roads he's not sore at all and really walks out unlike the short strides he had with shoes on. The cavello boots iv got fit so well and really impressed with the fit although I am aware that he may need a different shape as his feet change more. All my horses are now bare foot behind and will stay bare foot behind but will have have cavallos for their fronts. Diet is a big part and a very good farrier which mine hasn't been regarding bare foot and won't help so I'm having to change.
Your horses feet won't fall apart it will do them a world off good if you can get diet and trim sorted.

 

[mulledwhine]

Taking my tbs shoes off was the best dessision I ever made glad it has worked for you as well, and think of the pennies you will save

 

[cptrayes]

Santa paws iv already got to the point off thinking off the money iv wasted over 30 odd years!!! It's the fact I was so anti bare foot I can't get over, iv done a lot off research since spring and learnt a lot through here and there is so much to learn but I'm loving it. Once people start to do their research and learn they will be surprised, I am for sure.

100 pats on the back for having an open mind. You can't have been any more anti than me seven years ago , welcome to the converts club. I hope you are taking lots of photos, you'll regret it if you don't, they change so fast.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Oh and I take him for walks to help condition his feet and get the growth going.

 

[amandap]

I am embarassed now about what I wrote back then about horses needing shoes.

Don't be embarrassed, that's where you were at that time and doing what you believed was right. I've been there (and probably more 'certain' than you, on other subjects) but now accept I am still learning and growing and that I know less now I know more than when I actually knew less. If that makes any sense.

 

[Oberon]

ps it is so ironic when people argue with me on this forum. NO-ONE was more convinced than me that it would not work! I am embarassed now about what I wrote back then about horses needing shoes.

I never even thought about it....if I wanted to ride - the horse needed shoes. Simple.

The farrier was in charge and I just nodded to whatever he said....

Things were so much simpler back then

 

[criso]

I cringe at previous posts on here over 2 years ago where I asked for experiences with soft tissue damage and someone suggested barefoot.
And I explained how my horse being a tb was not suitable to go barefoot. I think I was quoting my vet and farrier at the time.

 

[Dawng]

My tbx developed collapsed heels this year and despite my farriers efforts with wedges etc she was still going lame - vet didn't recommend taking off her shoes because she is so flat soled but I felt I didn't have any choice - she has always been barefoot on her hind feet - so off the shoes came. Immediately she was sounder on soft ground but obviously too sore for hard ground. Cavallo boots didn't fit brilliantly - were ok for a short walk however I have just read today that they need breaking in like a new pair of shoes - so will persist with them next spring - giving her the winter off for her feet to grow back to normally - fingers crossed.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Iv had the same problem where as my farrier says taking his shoes off won't help him, yes I'm taking lots off pics and looking forward to showing them off.

 

[Holly Hocks]

I'm totally going against the hospital vets advice with my girl who was diagnosed with Navicular, spavin and a hind limb proximal suspensory ligament problem a few weeks ago. He suggested remedial shoeing and I've had the shoes taken off and a barefoot trimmer to her! The vet was aware of what I was going to do. He said that he wouldn't recommend it, but admitted that his knowledge of farriery was not in depth and said that he could understand why I was going to do it. Let's face it - if it doesn't work, i can always go back to shoes, but to be honest I can't see it happening.
Just be aware that your horse may come a bit footy in a couple of weeks. Mine was fine for the first two weeks, but this week is being a bit "careful" crossing the yard. But as far as I am aware, this is quite normal and my trimmer is coming out again next week, so we will be discussing the next steps to take. However what I have noticed is that she appears to be happier in herself. She has put on a lot of condition in three weeks from limited grazing and haylage and just seems very content. Hopefully it could be an indicator that some of the pain has gone.

 

[Ibblebibble]

glad to hear it's looking like the way forward for you I'm a barefoot convert, albeit a very quiet one lol as i'm no where near as well versed as some on here, but i do love reading the threads where someone has taken the plunge and found it's working for them
I have 4 neds, one who has never been shod although he's never been in real full time work so some would say he doesn't count lol my mare has been barefoot for the last 5 years now and copes with the stony farm track and hasn't needed brushing boots for 4 years either!!
Some folks think i don't shoe because I'm a cheapskate lol, but really i just5 don't see why i should have shoes nailed on horses feet that don't need them, to me it would be like me wearing glasses when i don't need them, it's pointless and counteractive

 

[Jesstickle]

I just want to say how blessed I feel to have a great farrier. I often notice it when these threads come up because other peoples are clearly not as brilliant as mine. BH has never had shoes and has cracking feet. No problem there.

Nitty's are not so great. She is prone to go footy in spring ( I know it's the grass FWIW) and is always a bit youchy if she finds a big stone. I said to the farrier this week, this one'll never cope without shoes once she starts work and do you know what he said? He said, you'd be surprised. Once she starts working they'll toughen right up. If not you can always boot her up! How lucky am I?! He's definitely a farrier and yet he actively discourages shoeing unless totally necessary. Big kudos to him Always has good advice about diet on hand too and doesn't go paring away at their soles.

I am contemplating a move of house and one of the things which is stopping me is that it might be too far for him to come out to me and I'd have to use someone else!

 

[cptrayes]

I just want to say how blessed I feel to have a great farrier. I often notice it when these threads come up because other peoples are clearly not as brilliant as mine. BH has never had shoes and has cracking feet. No problem there.

Nitty's are not so great. She is prone to go footy in spring ( I know it's the grass FWIW) and is always a bit youchy if she finds a big stone. I said to the farrier this week, this one'll never cope without shoes once she starts work and do you know what he said? He said, you'd be surprised. Once she starts working they'll toughen right up. If not you can always boot her up! How lucky am I?! He's definitely a farrier and yet he actively discourages shoeing unless totally necessary. Big kudos to him Always has good advice about diet on hand too and doesn't go paring away at their soles.

I am contemplating a move of house and one of the things which is stopping me is that it might be too far for him to come out to me and I'd have to use someone else!

Your farrier is indeed a gem!

He may be right, too. I have a horse who is going in the other direction. I used to hack him out in spite of the fact that he doesn't like hacking, but I have a new arena and I have stopped the work on hard surfaces. His frogs have shrunk quite markedly in width and his feet are different from when they were working hard. he even went toe first landing for a couple of weeks while he adjusted

In addition to the work building stronger feet, your horse will get a much higher metabolic rate when she is working and her sensitivity to spring grass should reduce too.

I hope you can keep the farrier and get the house you want

 

[dafthoss]

JT who do you use? sounds very similar to the one we have when we are home, thanks for reminding me though I need to get him done when we are home. Unfortunaly I cant find one similar down here he was trying to get me to put shoes on him even though he has never had a set in his whole life and has never had any problems even with spring grass.

 

[magic104]

As someone who has hardly shod my horses behind for 10yrs what is the secret? I ask because my horses are given hard feed, supplements, etc & yet when we have tried fully bare-foot we have failed because the foot was not growing enough for the work being done. Even now after all these years one of them might have to return to hind shoes because her feet are wearing too quickly. Also TBH I am not sure about using boots for eventing, anyone have photos? If I could have my horses bare-foot I would, especially when one mare returns to work after foaling.