Need some urgentish advice please!

ImmyS

ImmyS

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So my young, in season ex racer mare, feeling the spring grass (awful combination) had a major bomb around the field this afternoon and has pulled her front right shoe, taking a chunk out the right side where the nail holes would be.

Now, she has been barefoot behind since october last year and has been sound since on all surfaces, I was debating going completely barefoot at that time but decided to just take backs off first to see how she goes and since she's been going so well I've been playing with the idea of taking fronts off aswell for a little while now. I feel like this is kind of a sign to just go for it as the other livery has just gone barefoot and have my exams coming up in the next couple of weeks so I wouldn't have much riding time anyhow so it seems like a perfect time to rehab her.

However, I'm not sure what to do in the short term, she's currently just turned back out with one shoe on and although she looks like she's feeling it shes pottering around quite happily grazing and isn't lame. My feeling is see how she goes over the next day or two in the field providing she's remains sound and if she stays sound then take the plunge and take her other shoe off, get some hoof boots and get an equine podiatrist on board as my farrier is pretty anti barefoot. Does this seem ok? What would you do? I'm having such a debate with myself as i think she will have a difficult transition period but I also have worries about long term soundness shod due to underun heels, long toes etc..

Any advice opinions greatly recieved!
 
unbalanced said:
Can you post pics of her feet? Where in the country are you?
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I can get some pictures this evening, I'm in the southeast in Kent. I have an equine podiatrist lined up who I have spoken to in great detail when I was thinking about going barefoot last time, so I will most likely get in touch with him tomorrow.
 
ImmyS said:
I can get some pictures this evening, I'm in the southeast in Kent. I have an equine podiatrist lined up who I have spoken to in great detail when I was thinking about going barefoot last time, so I will most likely get in touch with him tomorrow.
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Ensure you have the diet 'nailed' (excuse the pun) and go for it... In the worst case scenario you could invest in some hoof boots for a while.
 
Breaks for exams and the like are a good opportunity to try without shoes I think. I tried for a few weeks recently because I was only going to ride once a week max, my horse was fine on tarmac but not on stones, and as I had not ventured onto our super gravelly hardcore bridleways I had fronts put back on, but it was worth seeing what happened!

I don't see why your farrier would have an issue with it, just say you're having a bit of a break so don't need them this time (if he would want to put shoes on her with the damage anyway).

As for what to do now, I'd want to get the farrier out as soon as possible to have a look as you need the other shoe off anyway (although she'll be ok with one I should think) urgency depends on if there is anything sensitive exposed.
 
Diet wise she is currently on oil speedibeet and unmolassed chaff anyway so not too bad there, would had something like pro hoof if I did go for it.

Regarding the current farrier, he's a lovely guy but haven't been too impressed with his shoeing recently and have been looking for a new farrier but if she did go barefoot I would want a specialist. The hoof missing seems only superficial. The other livery on my yard has done farriery training so knows her stuff and can remove shoes, so plan is if she isn't crippled tomorrow, remove the other shoe, get hoof boots and podiatrist out asap, if crippled get farrier out asap to assess the situation.
 
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