Remedial shoeing for contracted heel

[Spangles]

Looking for advice & experiences of shoeing for contracted heels please.

It’s been suggested a form of bar shoe will help in the short term ?

 

[TPO]

More than likely that shoeing caused this. Continuing with the same cause, and farrier, won't fix it.

The simplest fix is to remove the shoes and transition the horse to barefoot, until the issue is fixed at least, thrn get a different farrier if you put shoes back on..

 

[Taliesan]

I'm not too sure how a shoe is going to fix contracted heels. It is a metal structure that fixes the foot in place. If you fix a contracted foot in position then you're still going to end up with a contracted foot at the end of it.

In order to address contracted heels you need to allow the back of the foot to work as intended which, in my experience, is best done through barefoot rehab.

As TPO said, shoeing is a likely cause of this and your best chance of fixing it may well be in a change of approach as well as a change of hoofcare professional.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Remedial shoeing has its place, but not for contracted heels which are usually caused by poor shoeing in the first place.

As others say, take the shoes off. The horse might well need support with hoof boots etc at first, but long term it will be much better for the hoof health. You ought to be able to get the horse shod again in the future if you prefer shod, but I suggest a change of farrier if you do so.

 

[Red-1]

Perfect time of year to remove shoes for a few months. The land will be soft (as long as you are in the UK). Much riding in winter is also in arenas. For hacking, boots will make that possible.

I took my horse's shoes off last autumn, intending to re-shoe in spring, and he hasn't had a shoe on since.

Barefoot will allow the heels to move and be used as intended. This will strengthen them, as long as they are not over challenged. I would find a farrier who would advise and support you in this, especially as none of us have actually seen your horse's feet.

 

[Spangles]

The horse in question has recently been diagnosed with Cushings & has had recurring thrush. So we’ve had a real battle with her feet. Just wondering if the contracted heel is as a result ?

 

[Trouper]

The horse in question has recently been diagnosed with Cushings & has had recurring thrush. So we’ve had a real battle with her feet. Just wondering if the contracted heel is as a result ?

Then definitely boots not shoes.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I found Red Horse hoof stuff really helped. It’s weird stuff with fibre in and you clean and stuff it up the middle of the frog. It stays in place really well and helps with the thrush and to start opening it up but as above I didn’t get any real results til the horses shoes came off.

 

[Spangles]

Then definitely boots not shoes.

Can I please ask why ? And what sort of boots ?

 

[Spangles]

I found Red Horse hoof stuff really helped. It’s weird stuff with fibre in and you clean and stuff it up the middle of the frog. It stays in place really well and helps with the thrush and to start opening it up but as above I didn’t get any real results til the horses shoes came off.

We’ve just started on Red Horse Hoof Stuff

 

[Shooting Star]

The horse in question has recently been diagnosed with Cushings & has had recurring thrush. So we’ve had a real battle with her feet. Just wondering if the contracted heel is as a result ?

It’ll be the other way around likely, the thrush is caused by the contracted heels which lead to a narrow frog giving a perfect place for bugs to hide in the central sulcus, that causes pain so horse doesn’t want to use the back of the foot to load properly … and it will almost certainly all have started as a result of the shoes so i’d be taking them off too.

 

[paddy555]

It’ll be the other way around likely, the thrush is caused by the contracted heels which lead to a narrow frog giving a perfect place for bugs to hide in the central sulcus, that causes pain so horse doesn’t want to use the back of the foot to load properly … and it will almost certainly all have started as a result of the shoes so i’d be taking them off too.

this

remove shoes, treat the thrush as discussed on your other thread, I personally trim the frog as appropriate for that foot, then get the horse walking and walking.
This will be uncomfortable to start with so padded boots eg cavallo a good place to start. Cut out a V frog shape on the pad so that the sore frog is relieved of pressure. (lots of info on this on hoofrehab.com ie how to trim pads

Clean the inside of the boots and pads very thoroughly you don't want a breeding ground in there for bugs.

If horse is sound enough and happy ride, if not walk in hand. You have to get the back of the foot working.

What is a bar shoe going to do? your heels are contracted so how will this help them widen? It is the same old boring thing that I seem to write. You have to get the back of the foot working on feet.

Ask who ever suggested bar shoes how exactly they will solve the problem.

As for cushings, my cushings horse had the widest heels ever, the strongest and best frog ever. No thrush in the 19 years I had him. He was so bad with cushings
he had to be totally off grass and before diagnosis he was nearly PTS for welfare reasons. He was a wreck in that department. His feet were great.

 

[Red-1]

Ask who ever suggested bar shoes how exactly they will solve the problem.

Agree with all of your post, but highlighted the above as I think I know their thinking....

The horse may be lame with the thrush, as the frog hurts when expanding and contracting. Hammer on a bar shoe and the frog is held immobile, so the lameness isn't as obvious. Ergo, it is seen as an improvement!

Sadly, OP, the 'improvement' is only in symptoms and is short lived. The frog is likely to get into worse health, the heels will contract more through not being used. IME, bar shoes make many conditions worse.

 

[ester]

In the very short term it might make horse more comfortable as limiting movement of the frog but they are also a nightmare for thrush. contracted heels need frog pressure which means no shoes/boots/or shoes with pads and (usually) DIM.

 

[paddy555]

Agree with all of your post, but highlighted the above as I think I know their thinking....

The horse may be lame with the thrush, as the frog hurts when expanding and contracting. Hammer on a bar shoe and the frog is held immobile, so the lameness isn't as obvious. Ergo, it is seen as an improvement!

absolutely. Horse more sound, owner happy, take the money and off to the next call. Happy owner, happy horse. What's not to like!

but then again perhaps that is all that owners want. Is a vet or farrier really going to stand up and say actually your horse has a serious problem?

 

[ester]

IIRC I think the metabolic ones can suffer from thrush more too.

 

[Gloi]

IIRC I think the metabolic ones can suffer from thrush more too.

Yes, until the PPID is under control, then same as other horses.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Take a look at Pete Ramey's 'Hoof Rehab' site. Goldmine of information around rehabing hooves for whatever reason. Written by a farrier who started to question why he was shoeing horses.

 

[Spangles]

Agree with all of your post, but highlighted the above as I think I know their thinking....

The horse may be lame with the thrush, as the frog hurts when expanding and contracting. Hammer on a bar shoe and the frog is held immobile, so the lameness isn't as obvious. Ergo, it is seen as an improvement!

Sadly, OP, the 'improvement' is only in symptoms and is short lived. The frog is likely to get into worse health, the heels will contract more through not being used. IME, bar shoes make many conditions worse.

That was my thinking but I just don't know where to start and where to find another farrier. I really do think my farrier is genuine but maybe not as experienced as other seasoned farriers ?

 

[nikkimariet]

Closed heel shoes are actually far more supportive than open heel shoes IMHO. I’m a big barefoot fan and would suggest removing shoes and booting short term of shoes are needed long term BUT don’t know how badly effected your horse is presently?

See lots of horrors out competing

 

[Gloi]

I keep my mouth shut but am often horrified by horses hooves when I look at them being shod on my livery yard. Long toes , collapsed heels, contracted frogs, all being covered up with expensive bar shoes.
Then owners say to me, "why don't you have shoes on yours?"

 

[Sanversera]

Go barefoot

 

[Zoeypxo]

i am one of many who had poor results in remedial shoes and very good results with barefoot rehab. The change in my horses hoof shape is incredible over 12 months. Sound and in regular work.

 

[paddy555]

I keep my mouth shut but am often horrified by horses hooves when I look at them being shod on my livery yard. Long toes , collapsed heels, contracted frogs, all being covered up with expensive bar shoes.
Then owners say to me, "why don't you have shoes on yours?"

I try not to look below the knees on any horses I meet. It really does save me from anguish
If they ignore my feet then I ignore theirs.

However sometimes they don't. I glance at their feet as they tell me how good their farrier is. One, with the worst crack, told me what a good job the farrier was doing with it. I just told him that I didn't allow cracks in my horse's feet. The conversation ended there.

 

[tda]

I try not to look below the knees on any horses I meet. It really does save me from anguish

That's me too

 

[Bonnie Allie]

If barefoot is not an option for your horse, you could try composite shoes such as the Blue Pegasos brand. We had them on a showjumper that had terrible feet, flat, thin soled and difficult to take barefoot despite a huge effort to do so.

The Blue Pegosos composite shoes gave her caudal support, retained her wide heels, kept the frog engaged and worked really well for her.

We did have a gun farrier though who worked with our vet and we have the largest collection of x-rays for this one horse.

Remember barefoot is at one end of the spectrum and traditional steel shoes at the other and there are many different options in between if you can get your providers working together.

 

[Trouper]

Can I please ask why ? And what sort of boots ?

As others have said, shoeing (of any kind) will not really help your heel condition. With all the conditions you are trying to manage I believe it is better to try to get the horse's foot back to as natural state as possible so that all the component parts of the hoof - especially the frog -can work properly together for the best support. However, she may well need some "support" to help her transition to that state, hence everyone's suggestions for boots in the immediate term.

As to choice of boots, there are several other threads on the Forum about going barefoot so they would be worth a read to help you decide.

 

[TPO]

Have a read of the Hoof Geek website and blog. Especially the blog about EP pads. I think it's called something like "unsung hero".

Deconstracting will be uncomfortable as it uses the foot how it hasn't been used. So pads and boots will probably be required. You (generic) never want a horse to be sore. The priority is always comfortable movement.

If you (generic) think how it aches the day, or 3, after using different parts of your body that has to be similar to how the horse feels. Decontracting heels is literally moving and rebuilding part of the hoof. It's important during this to pay attention to the whole horse. How they move will change so regular body work is advised. They might need some time off ridden work initially but regardless keep a close eye on saddle fit.

Generally when hoof health improves and they can function correctly muscle development improves which can result in soreness (using "ignored"/compromised/atrophied muscles again).

Going barefoot is more than just hooves, it really needs a holistic approach.

It's not just a barefoot thing. I've had farriery and shoeing books and they all say horses need at least 3mths a year without shoes to give the horse time to recover from the damage that shoeing causes the hoof and whole horse. Shoeing horses 12mths a year continuously is a relatively new thing (indoor schools, year round comps etc). Good farriers have written recent pieces about the increase in issues like navic, seedy toe, wld, contracted heels because horses are never getting a break from shoes and that shoes fundamentally cause damage.

 

[ycbm]

I've found upright, boxy, contracted feet the easiest to take out of shoes in terms of sensitivity and not needing boots. But they can take years to decontract and if you don't get enough work into them ("enough" is more than most leisure horses will get) it never completely happens.

They can be very sound, though.
.

 

[Pippin and Poppy]

horses need at least 3mths a year without shoes to give the horse time to recover from the damage that shoeing causes the hoof

This is exactly what my 'blacksmith' said to me 50 years ago.
(Brings back fond memories of drinking the scrumpy cider he made, in the forge, surrounded by pieces of farm machinery - and horse shoes...)