Please could I have some advice on my horses hinds, debating whether to shoe!

Who do you have trim at the moment as they look very upright, a shoe wouldn't help that. Heels also look under run. If you don't already then would be worth getting a barefoot trimmer out
 
What sort of issues are you having?

They look flared to me, which is why the farrier has rasped the toe to give it that bullnosed appearance. The back of the hooves also needs more work. They're also lacking concavity.

The basic structures of the hooves are decent, though, so should develop quickly with the right circumstances (diet & exercise ;)).
 
Sorry guys, work called so had to pop in. Right, basically this is my 14hh new forest pony. As a 2/3 year old he was driven 10-20 miles on road a few times a month in full trot (suprised he even had legs!) and then I had him as a 4 year old to mess about with whilst I was finding something else...5 years later I still have him :rolleyes: This time last year he went 3/10ths lame in LH and 4/10ths lame in RH. Had vet, full work up, xrays etc nothing wrong. Put it down to ill fitting saddle (my fault, happend within weeks) lost all muscle just about every where so lost any sort of use of his back legs properly. Had physio a few times, gentle ground work, new saddle, gentle ridden work up, upped work, now a year later competing at nov/elem level and is sound but not jumping. Physio pleased how he is but says he looks concussed and shoes would benefit him, farrier says no need for shoes (he is very positive barefoot person) dont fix what isnt broken, osteo on the fence. Friend had trouble with her horse moving like mine does, shoes put on back, totally transformed horse. He moves concussed, a little footy on sharp stoney ground, doesnt track up well mainly because of long back and is wide behind. He is fed molasses free alfa a, balancer, top spec cool condition and suppleaze gold. When horse lacked muscle he used to square toes off but no longer does this. Farrier very rarely touches his back feet, he pretty much self trims, but occasionally neatens things up. Im not for/against barefoot, never really had an opinion, never will. He is shod infront just not behind because its cheaper :p

Thanks :)

eta: He is worked 6 times a week, 3/4 schooling, 2 hack on road.
 
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How would shoes prevent concussion?
This is something I have never understood, I just get my head around how anyone would think nailing metal to something would reduce concussion?

His frog looks a bit thrushy and ragged, so more work would help and treating for thrush.

Cant see how shoes would help long term
 
mine seems cautious with her back feet ATM and footy and stoney ground, i am treating her for thrush as she is footy and her frogs are raggedy and have pockets that are smelly, with treatment she is improving.

mine is just 6 and i am doing everything i can to avoid shoes as i feel the concussion that putting metal on their feet causes has a lot to answer for.

so no i would not shoe i would have a poke about and if needed treat for thrush
 
My farrier has said this before that the horses foot and frog are designed to take natural concusssion and putting a shoe on would take away the natural concussion and the natural use of the foot which is why I never put shoes on after the physio said it would be a good idea too. But someone whos horse moved like doug and then put hinds on made a big transformation and had a happy moving horse.

Yes after looking at photos myself and comparing to others on here I agree he looks thrushy so will treat accordingly. Have dressage comp on sat but after that the road work will commence!
 
rachaelstar said:
But someone whos horse moved like doug and then put hinds on made a big transformation and had a happy moving horse.

!
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it will make a big transformation but not because you are curing the problem you are just lifting the foot off the floor and hiding the problem and possibly creating more in the long term, if its thrush in the frog shoeing stops the frog touching the ground (unless the ground is very stoney) thereby making the horse walk more confidently but you have not cured the thrush
 
Thanks for replies :) so if I treat horse for thrush will everything improve? Is he flat footed/footy because of thrush? Is this painful?

Sorry for stupid questions, I have very limited knowledge on feet, they're either shod or they're not :p
 
Brill thanks, will treat first thing tomorrow morning and see how it goes. Will I notice a change in the frog shape? And do you think he could be walking flat footed to take weight off landing heel first?
 
He's a pony and it's spring and he's getting grass and supplementary food?

I'd suspect that long before I'd suspect thrush, though I would treat for both. Try restricting his access to grass before you think of shoeing.

I'd also recommend that you drop the Top Spec and the alfalfa, which a lot of horses reportedly have problems with, and make sure your balancer is one of the newer ones that has a lot of copper and magnesium, not much, or any, manganese or iron, and also contains yeast. Pro Hoof from Progressive Earth on ebay is a good one. PM Oberson for advice about what to feed him.
 
cptrayes said:
He's a pony and it's spring and he's getting grass and supplementary food?

I'd suspect that long before I'd suspect thrush, though I would treat for both. Try restricting his access to grass before you think of shoeing.

I'd also recommend that you drop the Top Spec and the alfalfa, which a lot of horses reportedly have problems with, and make sure your balancer is one of the newer ones that has a lot of copper and magnesium, not much, or any, manganese or iron, and also contains yeast. Pro Hoof from Progressive Earth on ebay is a good one. PM Oberson for advice about what to feed him.
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Unfortunately not the typical 'pony' hard to keep weight/condition on him throughout winter as worked quite hard. He isnt footy as in laminitic footy at all. I use baileys lo-cal balancer? This flat footedness as been going on for quite a while not just since the grass is growing through.
 
rachaelstar said:
Unfortunately not the typical 'pony' hard to keep weight/condition on him throughout winter as worked quite hard. He isnt footy as in laminitic footy at all. I use baileys lo-cal balancer? This flat footedness as been going on for quite a while not just since the grass is growing through.
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Flat footedness in a pony will almost always be a dietary/metabolic issue. Your balancer will have, I believe, iron and manganese far higher than we would want for barefoot and copper, magnesium and zinc far lower. I don't know if it contains any yeast at all.

Lots of barefooters can't stay sound on alfalfa. Lots of people also report problems with Top Spec products with barefooters.

If he is flat footed and uncomfortable in winter and you find it difficult to keep weight on him as well, I'd be asking for a Cushings test. There are quite a few examples at the moment of horses getting positive diagnoses after testing 'just in case' when all they have is foot soreness issues and no other symptoms (but yours has two - soreness and difficulty keeping weight on).

I hope that helps.
 
Also, apart from all that has been mentioned, it seems that his heels are left quite long making it "chase" the ground a little (hence slight under run and flare). Hopefully if you do treat for thrush, he will be happier to put more weight on his frogs and wear the heels better. This will then make them work better and function.

Good luck but I wouldn't shoe. There's just a niggly problem that needs sorting. Agree about the alfalfa. My filly thrives on it but my gelding really doesn't.
 
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