Newly barefoot - hoof breaking off

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Yogi Bear

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My horse had his front shoes off 4 weeks ago, previously been barefoot behind.
All has been going well. Hacking out on Tarmac, booted if on any gravel tracks, walking out in hand on varied surfaces I booted and happy, 2 x 30 min schooling sessions a week.
In the last week his hooves started breaking off around the nail holes, which I was half expecting, but then it started to creep round to the front and looks like will keep coming off.
I mailed trimmer and he suspects some white line disease from the nail holes and said a fair bit might chip off and we will just have to wait for it to grow out.
So, my concerns. He's out 24/7 and it's still quite wet in the field due to this lovely British Spring! Is that ok? Will the mud cause further issues?
I really need to keep him in work as due to time of year and grass growth.
He is still sound at present, but might I face issues if wall is breaking off?
Whilst he is on grass he has a starvation paddock for the day and wears a muzzle at night and is on a BF friendly diet and gets progressive earth pro hoof platinum.
Is there anything else I can do? Anything I can do to make the healthy hoof grow down quicker?
All help and advise greatly received xx
 
I wouldn't worry particularly about lameness - they can loose massive chunks without being lame (if you remind me how to post photos I'll send a pic of the amount that came off my horse with no problems - it was about half way up the hoof!).

The mud could be an issue if something travelled up inside and caused an abscess. It's not worth panicking over, but could happen; personally in that situation I would clean the hooves and put on something like Field Paste by Red horse, which is an antibacterial clay and my new favourite thing! Seems to stay on even in the mud, so really helpful for that. If not just scrub out with miltons or something every few days, perhaps put some iodine on.

Sounds like you're doing everything right though, don't worry!
 
Thank you. This is a big reassurance. He's the first one I am taking barefoot so it does look a bit worrying when there is a bit less every time he comes in from the field, especially when you are used to manicured shod feet.
Hopefully in time they will look like manicure bare feet!! :)
Sorry - I am not that technologically advanced and also can never figure out how to attach a picture!
 
Morgan123 said:
I wouldn't worry particularly about lameness - they can loose massive chunks without being lame (if you remind me how to post photos I'll send a pic of the amount that came off my horse with no problems - it was about half way up the hoof!).

The mud could be an issue if something travelled up inside and caused an abscess. It's not worth panicking over, but could happen; personally in that situation I would clean the hooves and put on something like Field Paste by Red horse, which is an antibacterial clay and my new favourite thing! Seems to stay on even in the mud, so really helpful for that. If not just scrub out with miltons or something every few days, perhaps put some iodine on.

Sounds like you're doing everything right though, don't worry!
Click to expand...

I bought the artimud and it seems to come off very easily!
 
I've not used it, I have the hoof stuff which certainly does and the field paste is for general sole use I think (not used that either!)
 
the field paste is like a clay - it smells of tea tree and you can still smell it 3/4 days later, even if you can't see the clay by that time - and our fields are like bogs. I figure if I can still smell it, it must still be there to some extent. My mare had horrendous thrush and it cleared it up (along with the hoof stuff, which I think is like artimud). I was very impressed.
 
I already have the field paste and artimud - I used it on thrush earlier this year. Will give them a good clean off an cover in these. Thanks
 
Agree don't worry. Mine only chip when they are too long. If he's sound, he's grand. Riding in a coarse sand arena seems to give them a bit of a manicure I find.

Pics would be good. You need photobucket then the img code.
 
you can deal with the hooves chipping by using a sanding block (around a fiver from B & Q type places) just round the edges and keep them running round and smooth.
 
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