kellybee
Well-Known Member
Got my new boy in December, on loan initially but because his owner has emphysema has since been gifted to me. As such we had no vetting and have had no problems with him other than worms.
When he first came to me he had front shoes on, which I had taken off a few days after arrival. Farrier (someone I've never used before) trimmed his fronts, said the backs didn't need trimming and he left.
None of mine have had much hoof growth since, but I had my regular farrier out to trim them all today. He trimmed the offside fore, then when he picked up the nearside he frowned and went back to the offside. When I asked him if everything was okay he said the offside was a size 5 and the nearside was a 6. He asked me how old the horse was, I told him 16. He said if it had been a youngster he'd have strongly advised me to consider the potential issues that can result from having odd sized hooves and to enquire with the previous owners as to any lamesness issues. I should have asked what kind of issues, but when I explained the prev owner was very poorly (had a double lung transplant) and that he'd been gifted to me, farrier said never to look a gift horse in the mouth and the conversation ended as my other horse chose that moment to kick up a massive stink over an invisible predator in the back of farriers van.
Can anyone tell me what the potential issues are and what I can look out for? Should I be concerned, and can anything be done to prevent issues arising? Also what causes this, if it's not something he'll have had from birth?
He's a 15.2 TB x Sec D and in light work, won't ever be more than a hacking/pleasure horse and 16yrs old.
I'll call my farrier tomorrow if I get time, but with a heavy workload this week I hoped someone here could help.
When he first came to me he had front shoes on, which I had taken off a few days after arrival. Farrier (someone I've never used before) trimmed his fronts, said the backs didn't need trimming and he left.
None of mine have had much hoof growth since, but I had my regular farrier out to trim them all today. He trimmed the offside fore, then when he picked up the nearside he frowned and went back to the offside. When I asked him if everything was okay he said the offside was a size 5 and the nearside was a 6. He asked me how old the horse was, I told him 16. He said if it had been a youngster he'd have strongly advised me to consider the potential issues that can result from having odd sized hooves and to enquire with the previous owners as to any lamesness issues. I should have asked what kind of issues, but when I explained the prev owner was very poorly (had a double lung transplant) and that he'd been gifted to me, farrier said never to look a gift horse in the mouth and the conversation ended as my other horse chose that moment to kick up a massive stink over an invisible predator in the back of farriers van.
Can anyone tell me what the potential issues are and what I can look out for? Should I be concerned, and can anything be done to prevent issues arising? Also what causes this, if it's not something he'll have had from birth?
He's a 15.2 TB x Sec D and in light work, won't ever be more than a hacking/pleasure horse and 16yrs old.
I'll call my farrier tomorrow if I get time, but with a heavy workload this week I hoped someone here could help.
