Seven months barefoot. How are we doing?

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kez1001

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As title really. Took my boys shoes off in October as he was pulling off in mud. Quite sore to begin with as he had very thin soles. One could be palpated.

He doesn't like any healthy barefoot feed balancers so he's on conditioning fibre, speedi beet and linseed. Ridden five times a week, 2/3 times on roads with front boots and 2/3 in school.

Near hind had abscess last week that blew out at heel bulb. Sorry the picture of his foot isn't taken at best angle in this pic



Off hind



Near fore



Off fore



Thanks for looking. Are we doing ok?
 
I can't comment from an experienced barefoot perspective but my what a change! They look really good to me, fab transition!
 
Look a heck of a lot better I'd just keep doing what your doing. Are you on the phoenix barefoot forum? That's really helpful for advice and feedback.
 
Thanks for replies. I am pleased with how he's come along. I haven't posted pics on Phoenix - perhaps will do that now. He's still sensitive over stones but I've a feeling this is probably something lacking in his diet. Thinking of trying mag ox. Just trying to get him to eat it.
 
Mine is footy over stones (sadly my work programme is affected by childcare!) and advice from one friend was just don't look, not for the first year :)
 
fronts def look a lot better! all frogs look like they still have some unfolding to do so I would keep an eye on them/thrush treat anyway even if not smelly. How does he land? Frank's definitely improved a lot way past the 7 month point though!

Re. feeding - I have a fussy one too and I don't think he would eat any of the bf friendly powdered balancers either! We tested grazing and was able to add and take away as required - he won't touch it with salt in at all! I would start with some mag ox and just add a very little (we also went through mint/cider vinegar and something else to encourage eating!) and he did get used to it eventually. - fed mag/copper/zinc and lysine that way at least!

I've currently been feeding equimins advance complete pellets with are very tasty apparently! But as we are in a high calcium area they don't have enough magnesium in them - trying to work out exactly how much as the spec on my tub is different to what is on the website atm- so think plan is to add a bit more to the equimins rather than go down the separate routes before)
 
Mine seems happy with dengie hifi molasses free (has alfalfa, but he only gets 1-2 handfuls a day) with the probalance, linseed, and spearmint added for taste. The hifi has mint and fenugreek in it to start with too.
 
ester said:
fronts def look a lot better! all frogs look like they still have some unfolding to do so I would keep an eye on them/thrush treat anyway even if not smelly. How does he land? Frank's definitely improved a lot way past the 7 month point though!

Re. feeding - I have a fussy one too and I don't think he would eat any of the bf friendly powdered balancers either! We tested grazing and was able to add and take away as required - he won't touch it with salt in at all! I would start with some mag ox and just add a very little (we also went through mint/cider vinegar and something else to encourage eating!) and he did get used to it eventually. - fed mag/copper/zinc and lysine that way at least!

I've currently been feeding equimins advance complete pellets with are very tasty apparently! But as we are in a high calcium area they don't have enough magnesium in them - trying to work out exactly how much as the spec on my tub is different to what is on the website atm- so think plan is to add a bit more to the equimins rather than go down the separate routes before)
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Being completely honest I have no idea how he lands! I need to video him and slow it down. From my own eye in walk he doesn't obviously land on his toe and appears to land on heel first but impossible to be sure.

I agree about the frogs, they seem to be shedding very very very slowly and I'm spraying a mix recommended by NMT on here onto them. The foot he had the abscess on has been the trickiest as it's his favourite foot to stand in his droppings! It's just beginning to open up too.

I will look into trying a little mag ox as it's relatively cheap. He will eat anything else - a bit like a person who won't touch healthy salad - he would rather have chips lol.
 
Add the mag ox v v slowly. It's said to be quite bitter (and it tastes it too fyi, since I managed to explode a bag all over myself the other week....).
 
nikkimariet said:
Add the mag ox v v slowly. It's said to be quite bitter (and it tastes it too fyi, since I managed to explode a bag all over myself the other week....).
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Lol poor you! Are your nails growing super strong now ;)
I managed to taste the pro feet balancer unintentionally too and was a bit like crunching dust - bleurgh. Will try with a tiny bit at a time, might be onto plums once grass starts growing but can give it a bash.
 
all sounds good progress wise, will def be interesting to see how much those frogs can unfurl :) and yeah, none of it tastes very nice so am not surprised! Our issue was too many years with molasses I think but now he tucks into his fastfibre much better than he used to!
 
ester said:
all sounds good progress wise, will def be interesting to see how much those frogs can unfurl :) and yeah, none of it tastes very nice so am not surprised! Our issue was too many years with molasses I think but now he tucks into his fastfibre much better than he used to!
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Like me trying to give up chocolate at Easter with this spring grass growing :D
 
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