Newly barefoot photos

[Highmileagecob]

Excellent advice from previous posters. Are you using 'Purple Spray' from off the shelf or prescription only terramycin foot rot spray? It is the prescription only spray that you need to tackle the thrushy frogs. If she will let you brush the mud off her hooves, and stand with her hooves soaking in a solution of Dettol for ten minutes a day, that too will help things along. She will need boots and pads to cushion the foot

 

[Highmileagecob]

She will need boots and pads to cushion the foot and make her comfortable. Unless the frog starts to touch the ground and increase it's blood flow, progress will be slow. As others have mentioned, going barefoot for rehab is often three steps forward and one back, so to speak. Expect abscesses as the internal structure of the hoof changes shape. On the plus side - look at the very new angle growing into the new hoof - in six month's time you will be looking at a completely different hoof if everything goes to plan. Good look, I hope it all works out.

 

[Skips11]

Excellent advice from previous posters. Are you using 'Purple Spray' from off the shelf or prescription only terramycin foot rot spray? It is the prescription only spray that you need to tackle the thrushy frogs. If she will let you brush the mud off her hooves, and stand with her hooves soaking in a solution of Dettol for ten minutes a day, that too will help things along. She will need boots and pads to cushion the foot

This is the one I’ve been using: https://www.viovet.co.uk/Agrihealth-Footcare-Spray/c75988/
I think she’s unlikely to stand anywhere for 10 minutes so foot in a bucket is probably less likely, but will certainly give it a go!
I also have some Red Horse products sole cleanse if that would be better than the purple spray?

 

[Skips11]

She will need boots and pads to cushion the foot and make her comfortable. Unless the frog starts to touch the ground and increase it's blood flow, progress will be slow. As others have mentioned, going barefoot for rehab is often three steps forward and one back, so to speak. Expect abscesses as the internal structure of the hoof changes shape. On the plus side - look at the very new angle growing into the new hoof - in six month's time you will be looking at a completely different hoof if everything goes to plan. Good look, I hope it all works out.

Thank you!
Yes, I did notice the tiny bit of new growth at such a different angle

 

[TPO]

I really like Red Horse products. I've used Sole Cleanse but had the most success with Field Paste. I love that stuff, just smother hooves in it and then only use once a week once frogs are healthy.

 

[Birker2020]

I use a strong anti fungal application to my horse's frogs and it has prevented thrush. Its called frog oil by Gold Label. It contains copper naphthanate and stockholm tar liquid, and was recommended to me by the local feed merchant.

I use it four times a week on his frogs.

 

[Skips11]

I really like Red Horse products. I've used Sole Cleanse but had the most success with Field Paste. I love that stuff, just smother hooves in it and then only use once a week once frogs are healthy.

I’ve got that too. Never used it, but I’ve got it…!

 

[Hallo2012]

I feel a bit awkward about saying this, but if your farrier was so great, those hooves would not be in the state they are now, and horse would not have been pulling shoes constantly. I'll get my coat.....

came here to say the same. those are not well shod, or well trimmed or well maintained feet.....sorry!

 

[Skips11]

came here to say the same. those are not well shod, or well trimmed or well maintained feet.....sorry!

Yes I understand that now and am trying to fix them. I have to say they didn’t look this bad with the shoes on, and so in my ignorance I didn’t see a problem. My farrier put bar shoes on under the instruction of my vet to support the crack so I thought this was what she needed. I’ve learnt tons about feet just from this thread but I was just trusting the professionals. I still don’t know enough to go against a vet or farrier’s recommendations but I already have a trimmer booked to come next week to help me.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Read all you can about hoof rehab. Jaime Jackson, Pete Ramey, Rockley Farm, Dr Robert Bowker and anyone else with a good success rate.

 

[Hallo2012]

Yes I understand that now and am trying to fix them. I have to say they didn’t look this bad with the shoes on, and so in my ignorance I didn’t see a problem. My farrier put bar shoes on under the instruction of my vet to support the crack so I thought this was what she needed. I’ve learnt tons about feet just from this thread but I was just trusting the professionals. I still don’t know enough to go against a vet or farrier’s recommendations but I already have a trimmer booked to come next week to help me.

great stuff, i only started with barefoot when a vet and farrier lamed one of mine. now i trim my own!

 

[Highmileagecob]

I share your pain. Farriers and vets do not like being challenged, and it is frustrating when research over the last 20 years or so is clearly contradicting what they have been taught.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Highly recommend the book feet first by nic barker, i got mine on ebay . Lots of very useful information and pictures , good for newbies like us to barefoot!

 

[Tarragon]

When I had shod ponies, I must admit that I tended to only look at the state of the shoes; now that I have barefoot ponies, I look at the health of the hooves (and healthy hooves come with a healthy pony )!!!
I have had them barefoot now for about 10 years and have learnt an awful lot, and am still learning.
There are a few good FaceBook groups (Barefoot Horse Owners Group)

 

[Skips11]

It’s hard when you don’t know what you don’t know! I certainly was blissfully unaware of what was going on with her feet.
I’ve always been lucky enough to have never had any problems with previous horses. Not that this horse was lame (yet). I just hope that there isn’t any lasting damage from letting them get like this.

I’m glad she told me what she needed by taking them both off herself!

 

[zoon]

I share your pain. Farriers and vets do not like being challenged, and it is frustrating when research over the last 20 years or so is clearly contradicting what they have been taught.

things are starting to change though - newly qualified vet came out to do my horses vaccine this year and made a comment about how good my horses feet were, how nice is was to see such healthy hooves for a change and how that would decrease his risk of tendon problems in the future. I was extra pleased as I trim them myself

 

[tda]

Read all you can about hoof rehab. Jaime Jackson, Pete Ramey, Rockley Farm, Dr Robert Bowker and anyone else with a good success rate.

Yes, even if you just look at the pictures, it will help and you will see what needs to change

 

[PurBee]

I concur with other comments about the bars being ‘laid-over’ - they’ll be exerting force at the base of the bar where it meets the frog, pinch and pull there with every step, so the horse likely isnt using heel/frog due to bars, rather than due to frog. But then that creates a weak frog due to not using rear of the hoof fully - so it becomes a circular issue.

If the bars gets trimmed as straight as these hooves currently allow, the frog can come into play more comfortably, and toughen up, but that will be more comfortable for the horse to do with boots on.

My mare had laid-over bars but keeping an eye on them to remain trimmed, helped hugely developing the rear hoof.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Just a thought (and a little off thread). If a dentist did remedial work on your teeth, and left them in an horrendous mess, there is a medical negligence issue that can be pursued. Likewise the mechanic who leaves your car in a worse state than it was in. Yet the farrier who happily keeps shoeing a compromised foot is never challenged. We should be able to trust that the years of training and jealously guarding the right to farriery actually mean something. Apologies to any farrier reading this - I am not knocking farriers in general, but one only has to look at the OP's photos to feel angry.

 

[vam]

Barefoot Trimmer Kent

Find a UK based Barefoot Trimmer in Kent to help you and your horse.

www.barefoothorse.info

Thats kent but there may be trimmers in neighbouring counties that travel to Kent too.

Lucy Priory is on that list and whilst I don't know her and have never used her I've heard good things second hand about her. She's fairly active on fb too so if you're on there might be worth tracking her down to see if you agree with her methods

I use Lucy, she has transformed my horses feet in a the last 18 months (they where not text book looking under my farrier but functional and she was sound with them). She is lovely but very much expects you to put the work in behind the scenes so to speak,

 

[Skips11]

An 8 week update from the initial photos. I hope we are going in the right direction!
Walking out for an hour a day in boots, 6 days a week and she is definitely much more sound. Still not comfortable on the stones you see in the bottom/today photos but much better than before. She is seeing a trimmer who hasn’t done anything other than tidy up where the nail holes have grown out so far, due again in a couple of weeks.
A much better angle is starting to appear so I’m hopeful.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Gosh what a difference in eight weeks! Fingers crossed all goes well. How are the soles looking? Any thrush?

 

[Skips11]

These are the soles (just back from our booted hack and not clean)

 

[Skips11]

would help if I added the photos!

 

[Highmileagecob]

They look thrushy, but not really surprising given the state of what you started with. A scrub with good old washing up liquid, thorough rinse and dry, and a spray with 1% iodine will go a long way towards sorting out the thrush. Really interested to follow progress - hope all goes well, but don't panic if you start to see hoof abscesses. They are fairly common as the hoof heals itself.

 

[Skips11]

4 months on from the shoes coming off! No abscesses, frogs look much healthier although no pictures of those. Can’t wait for that last bit!

 

[Burnttoast]

4 months on from the shoes coming off! No abscesses, frogs look much healthier although no pictures of those. Can’t wait for that last bit!

Wow. Well done! Sole shots please When you see what they should be like, compared to what some hoof professionals are willing to live with, it does make you wonder about the health of farriery.

 

[Red-1]

Wow, a huge difference. I bet you are both so happy!

 

[Landcruiser]

Brilliant change. Hooves are the most amazing things.

 

[PoppyAnderson]

Thanks all, going to measure her for boots after the farrier has been.
Is there anything you would ask my farrier to do other than not to touch the soles or frog?

Yes, not turn up!!! Leave them alone for a while. They need to not be messed about with. There's a saying....You can't trim a good hoof, you can only grow one. If the farrier tries to trim a 'better' shape, you'll force her to walk on her heels before the palmer hoof is ready and robust enough and you'll cause more problems. Stop using the products you're using and use red horse instead. Daily until you're certain all signs of thrush are gone. Diet sounds good already. Then it's just movement and time. Get boots and pads and get those feet walking as much as possible. Keep videoing to check how she's landing until you reach the holy grail of heel first!