pony not liking stoney ground

Firehorse

Firehorse

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he's always a bit careful over stones anyway. he's shod in front, barefoot behnd. he's had a month off and i'm doing slow roadwork at the mo. he seems to be really aware of stones. do their feet soften from not being in work? he lives out 24/7.
 
Yes they do soften,and they adapt to the environment they're kept in. You may need to shoe all round if he's sensitive.

One of my welsh b's is a tough little cookie in every way,but will bruise soles easily (and pretend her leg is broken!).

Some are just like it i'm afraid
smirk.gif
 
It's usually the diet, especially with ponies. The chances are your boy has been eating a bit too much frosty grass, which is high in bad sugars called fructans, and has a touch of very early laminitis. You can shoe, or sort out the diet. Since the diet affects the whole horse I know what my choice would be.
 
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It's usually the diet, especially with ponies. The chances are your boy has been eating a bit too much frosty grass, which is high in bad sugars called fructans, and has a touch of very early laminitis. You can shoe, or sort out the diet. Since the diet affects the whole horse I know what my choice would be.

[/ QUOTE ]

OR,the pony is just sensitive soled,please don't panic!!
 
My welsh B mare is like this. She was shod all round when we bought her & in my wisdom I had her hind shoes removed. She struggled on our stoney tracks & blacksmith found bruising on her relatively flat soles. Since we shod all round she's been much better.
 
eek! i did feel the rush of panic thru my veins. i know he is sensitive and picks his way over stones very carefully. its just he has become more careful since having time off which prompted me to question whether the feet can become softer from not working. he saw the farrier 2 weeks ago and also the vet is out nxt week for his jabs, so i'll ask him to check jst to be sure.
 
Could be lots of reasons, laminitis, arthritis or just sensitive soled.

If hes sensitive on the shod feet as well then take laminitis precautions anyway and get your vet to check him.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Could be lots of reasons, laminitis, arthritis or just sensitive soled.

If hes sensitive on the shod feet as well then take laminitis precautions anyway and get your vet to check him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this
 
I dont beleive that there is any such thing as "just sensitive soles" in a pony. It is diet related, or laminitis caused by toxins or illness (cushings). It's a case of working out what's wrong for or with this pony.

In this case there is one hugely obvious cause - it lives out 24/7 on grass which is highly stressed and high in fructans due to the recent weather. His feet haven't got soft through lack of work. What has caused the lack of work - the weather - has also caused a massive rise in fructans in the grass. I'll eat my hat if het hasn't got a touch of laminitis.


Why is anyone talking about panicking? - you have the early sign of increased sole sensitivity. Change his diet before he gets the later ones that really matter. It's not rocket science.
 
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