Please tell me I've done the right thing....

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Parkranger

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Took the boy out on the roads for the first time unshod....roadwork was fine (obviously no trotting!) and on the grass he was fine.

However, I took him onto a bridleway and they've decided to put gravel on it
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unfortunately we didn't notice till halfway up and the poor bugger was limping like no ones' business. God I felt awful! Got to the end and once he'd cleared his hooves out on the road he was ok but I felt like crying with the obvious pain he was in. I kept going to get off but the bridleway was too narrow so there was no where for me to go.

His hooves haven't split and look in good nick (2 weeks after coming off) and he's so much better on the roads (no slipping) but I just feel like I'm putting him through pain he doesn't need to be in........

Please, let me hear some good unshod horse stories....
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my horse has been unshod now for four years, and it was the best thing i could have done for him, he used to trip, stumble and slide everywhere; but he is so confident on his feet now.

it did take about 6 months for his feet to really harden, all i can suggest is to stay clear of gravel for a while (i did for the first 4 months or so) take it easy on the roads and have regular visits from a good farrier.

fingers crossed for you i'm sure you'll be ok
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Good to hear a positive outcome! Yes, I was going to stay clear of gravel but didn't know it would be up there - arrggghh!

Putting stockholm tar on the insides of his feet and the cornuscresince hoof hardener on the outside (smells exactly the same as Keretex but costs half the price) so hopefully it will all help....

x
 
You could'nt have known about the gravel and you clearly rode him with lots of care and attention. It's still very early days with his feet and he will get foot sore, even in a field when the frosts come.

Carry on with what you are doing and will be all come right.
 
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However, I took him onto a bridleway and they've decided to put gravel on it
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unfortunately we didn't notice till halfway up and the poor bugger was limping like no ones' business.

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Can I recommend when hacking out you get in the habit of looking at the ground ahead of you before riding on it....!!! Especially on bridleways.... you never know when there might be broken glass or god knows what else (epsecially if they're anything like some of ours are atm
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). I know its hard when you spend all your time schooling/jumping trying not to look down but it's really is important when out. I shall spare you the tragic story I know of what happens if you're not careful....
 
Point taken - but what are the chances of them changing the footing in 2 weeks?

I always look down to see where he's putting his feet as he's a clumsy bugger anyway!
 
Sorry, I just find it a bit odd that you would get half way up the bridleway before:

i) Seeing that you are riding on gravel
ii) Hearing that you are riding on gravel
iii) Feeling that your unshod horse has feet full of gravel


Thank goodness you don't have to cope with some of the stuff we have to negotiate on some routes round here....!!
 
The gravel was halfway up the bridleway (where it vears off to the footpath) so please give me some credit! before that it was grass/mud.
 
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The gravel was halfway up the bridleway (where it vears off to the footpath) so please give me some credit! before that it was grass/mud.

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Why didn't you turn round and go back? If my horse was in obvious pain I wouldn't have continued riding it along the path.

If you don't want shoes on your horse you are going to have to change how you ride him - no more using that bridleway or others that are gravelled. As he is a TB I would be surprised if his feet will ever hold up to that sort of terrain.

Why have you taken his shoes off? Was it just because he was slipping on the road as you could have road nails put in.
 
I explained that by the time I got to the gravel, the path went very thin and was also around a corner so I couldn't of foreseen it or get off.

Definately going to take a wander down these tracks in the future before I hack down them and DD you're right, it's a whole new way of riding that I need to get used to.

His shoes are off as he's a nightmare to shoe - yes, we could persevere but farrier thought we should give him a go unshod as his feet are pretty strong (not TB feet). And they're holding up well at the moment (been unshod for 2 weeks).

Luckily we've got a lovely common out the back from us so I think for the next couple of months we'll stick to that - I can't put him through that again.
 
My welsh mare is bare foot, has been for about 8 months now, she was a bit 'walking on hot coals' at first but after a few weeks was fine!

All the horses at our yard bar one are unshod and do fine in every situation
 
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The gravel was halfway up the bridleway (where it vears off to the footpath)

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You do know that you're not supposed to ride on footpaths right??! That's probably why they gravelled it....!
 
OMG I give up!!!!
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The bridleway goes into a footpath (on the left) and carries on as a bridleway - of course I bloody know I can't ride on a footpath!
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Ever felt got at Victress???

Dont beat yourself up about it, i am sure it was a pure accident, I would like to know how many of the other posters have never made a simple mistake!!!
 
Please don't feel bad. He went a bit footy but he's fine now. No harm done. In the wild horses will favour their feet when going over very stony ground, it just means they can actually sense what's under their soles as opposed to having all feeling removed in shoes.

You could invest in some Easy Boots if you want to continue riding him on that bridlepath until his feet harden up.

And contrary to some opinion TB's can manage perfectly well shoeless. In fact many have such poor feet that they do much better barefoot because hooves grow much better without metal clamped to the bottom. Try the FAQs on this site and have a look at some of the case studies, there are a couple of TB's in there: http://www.barefoothorses.co.uk/faqs.html

I'm sure you'll find in a few months his feet are fantastic. I'm thinking of taking both of mine barefoot next spring.

Btw - I understood your post perfectly about footpath v bridlepath. But in any event we ride on footpaths round here when up on the moors. As long as everyone is considerate what's the problem?
 
Feet will harden up give him time before you decided whether or not to stay bare or go back to shoeing or something alternative like old mac boots.
if he's only been off shoes for 2 weeks it will all be new to him. just take it steady, perhaps avoiding road work for a while.

my pony was like this on gravel when she was unshod, but i had to have shoes put on as i was doing around 5hours road work per week and her feet were wearing too much. shame really as her way of going was lovely without shoes...no slipping and could creep on behind people without them hearing us coming
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Thanks guys - I will take myself into the stable and beat myself accordingly with a large stick.....

Horrible when you bugger up like this - he was great on the roads, I'd say almost more forward going than usual and carrying his head well. So can't be too far away from getting foot sure again.

x
 
Try to think of how you would be if you were to start walking around in bare feet. Initially it would be ouchy but the longer you did it for, the harder your feet would become and the less it would be ouchy. Your horse is the same - he will get used to it as his feet harden.
 
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...no slipping and could creep on behind people without them hearing us coming
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I was laughing about this the other day - ppl at the yard commented on how we could rob banks.

That is of course as long as the entrance didn't have gravel on it!
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I know, annoying thing was I thought I was doing all the right things ie thinking about myself walking in barefeet.

Just got caught out by said gravel....will stick to the common behind us for a while....
 
Don't worry, very much doubt he will hold it against you! My old cob moved much better without shoes. His feet should get harder and stronger especially when the nail holes grow out, i would definitley persever. Good luck
 
We drive a barefoot pony. She's a total drama queen if she treads on a stone and holds her foot up in the most pathetic manner. Once you've said something along the lines of "oh poor girl" she puts her foot down and carries on. Funnily enough she never seems to have trouble treading on stones on the way home - it's always within the first couple of hundred yards.
 
My TB is barefoot (He's never had shoes) We hack all over the place and all over all sorts of terrain, though there are some paths I do tend to avoid. He does feel some paths more than others but has yet to come out footsore (never say never)!

Definitely stick with the hardener but just watch they dont become too hard as thats when they can go brittle and bits will get chipped off the bottom of the hoof wall.

Oh and Jemima...does your find the stones on the way in from the field but never on the way out???
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I think what I'll do is use the hardener every other day and alternate it with hoof moisture.....should get a happy balance then......

Thanks guys for all your advice and website links! xxx
 
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