One forward, two back

[Ceriann]

My mare has benefitted hugely from a slow rehab after a medial branch injury to left hind (and suspensory issues in front left - believed to be due to compensating for hind). Rehabbed feet same time - 15 months barefoot until summer hard ground became too much (given work requirements) and fronts popped on 5 weeks ago. As it was 12 months since last scan I got vet to do a check just before shoes went on (so literally 5 weeks ago) and vet very happy with her and took scans, which showed injury healed and no reoccurrence. Big relief. I also finally fully sorted her girthiness at weekend with a new girth - feel such a fool but sometimes when faced with multiple complex issues you miss the simple solutions. All good except she was 1/10 lame on front left when I lunged her yesterday. I rarely lunge now due to injury and always use whole school etc but battle with weight means I try and do something daily. Trying not to get ahead of myself and am hoping I’ve just been too long with my shoeing cycle and balance is out, with her improved feet post bare requiring 4 week cycles not 5. Farrier out in the morning so will go from there. May re-emphasise the need for her to go bare again this autumn (which was always the plan). I adore this little mare but she’s definitely not easy!

 

[Floofball]

Sounds like your doing everything you can so hope she’s ok ?? Have you thought of booting her as an alternative to shoeing when the ground gets hard?

 

[Ceriann]

Sounds like your doing everything you can so hope she’s ok ?? Have you thought of booting her as an alternative to shoeing when the ground gets hard?

We’d used boots with varying degrees of success. She was on her 3rd pair (in renegades but had just outgrown them) but she never went really well in them and bare was always better for stride. When the ground got hard balancing it all got really difficult and she was uncomfortable a lot and would plant to the mounting block. I decided to shoe fronts through summer and go bare again when ground is more forgiving. She’s developed some concavity but this will always be her struggle so hard ground will always be difficult. It’s a constant work in progress but we’ll get there.