Shoes going back on :(

[EmzT]

We are struggling with the decision to put shoes back on our boy.

He has been barefoot for over 18 months and was coping great over the winter despite a very bad start to barefoot. However he does not seem to be coping at this time of year. Despite being out only at night wearing a grazing muzzle, the grass that he is getting still seems too much for him to cope with. We are on a livery yard where fields are fertilized and only haylage is available. He eats ERS pellets, Fast Fibre, Pro-Hoof, extra magnesium at this time of year, and salt.
He is fine when he gets out to the tarmac but he struggles on the stoney lane, and if we take him x-country he can struggle if the ground is a bit rough and stoney.

He scuffs his toes a bit when out hacking (he does quite a bit of road work), and the toe on his front feet seems to be wearing right down. His sole is lower than his hoof wall at the front. This has only started to happen recently.

I really don't want to shoe him but I also don't want him to suffer, and it is holding us back from doing everything we want to do with him.

I don't know if there is anything else we can do?

 

[Gloi]

Have you tried him with boots?

 

[EmzT]

yeah he had boots at the start but they always twisted when he walked. He is very pigeon toed and I don't think that helped.

Also he has quite large feet and there are not many boots out there that would actually fit him. Only the more bulky models seem to go to larger sizes and my husband is not keen to go x-country or hunting in them.

 

[Leg_end]

Why don't you swop the ff for unmollassed sb instead? Have heard of some horses being not quite perfect on ff but are fine once its removed? Also may be orth adding salt and bicarb of soda to see if that also changes things.

If none of that works then you may just have to shoe.

 

[spookypony]

Can we see pics? Is it possible the toe isn't getting rolled quite enough when he's being trimmed? The haylage may well be contributing to the problem. Have you thought about using glue-ons or Renegades?

 

[EmzT]

Why don't you swop the ff for unmollassed sb instead? Have heard of some horses being not quite perfect on ff but are fine once its removed? Also may be orth adding salt and bicarb of soda to see if that also changes things.

If none of that works then you may just have to shoe.

Unmollassed sugar beet turns him into a lunatic! It does not agree with him at all. He gets salt already but not bicarb of soda. Thanks. I will look into that

 

[TwoStroke]

Tbh it sounds like you will always struggle where you are now in summer. From your description, though, I'd be a bit worried about what is happening to his feet. When you say the sole is lower than the hoof wall - do you mean the sole is a convex shape?

Even if you do put shoes on, iiwy I would continue searching for a way to resolve his hoof problems. Some people soak haylage successfully, though I wonder if its practical in this weather. Glue ons could work if your horse will fit them.

Mineral analysis is also a very good investment for difficult horses.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

We are struggling with the decision to put shoes back on our boy.

He has been barefoot for over 18 months and was coping great over the winter despite a very bad start to barefoot. However he does not seem to be coping at this time of year. Despite being out only at night wearing a grazing muzzle, the grass that he is getting still seems too much for him to cope with. We are on a livery yard where fields are fertilized and only haylage is available. He eats ERS pellets, Fast Fibre, Pro-Hoof, extra magnesium at this time of year, and salt.
He is fine when he gets out to the tarmac but he struggles on the stoney lane, and if we take him x-country he can struggle if the ground is a bit rough and stoney.

He scuffs his toes a bit when out hacking (he does quite a bit of road work), and the toe on his front feet seems to be wearing right down. His sole is lower than his hoof wall at the front. This has only started to happen recently.

I really don't want to shoe him but I also don't want him to suffer, and it is holding us back from doing everything we want to do with him.

I don't know if there is anything else we can do?

my boy was always barefoot. Till he was 10 1/2 then the situation change and we could stop the inevitable and he is now shod all round.

Sometimes you have no option.

 

[EmzT]

Tbh it sounds like you will always struggle where you are now in summer. From your description, though, I'd be a bit worried about what is happening to his feet. When you say the sole is lower than the hoof wall - do you mean the sole is a convex shape?

Even if you do put shoes on, iiwy I would continue searching for a way to resolve his hoof problems. Some people soak haylage successfully, though I wonder if its practical in this weather. Glue ons could work if your horse will fit them.

Mineral analysis is also a very good investment for difficult horses.

Yes, right at the front the hoof wall has worn down and the sole is lower than the hoof wall. There seems to be bruising on the sole right at the toe. His soles in general have become a lot lower and convex recently. Would the grass do this?

 

[flintfootfilly]

One of my Dales mares worked well unshod for many years. We could canter down stoney tracks if we chose to.

Then over the last two summers she became increasingly footy in summer. Her feet had become much flatter, less concave. In other words her pedal bones had dropped over time (presumably with chronic low level laminitis).

So I opted to have her shod in front this spring. It's made the world of difference.

But I also looked for a reason why her feet had changed so much. Turns out she was in the grey area for Cushing's, and so I've also started her on pergolide. Her hoof growth is much better now (there were many horizontal event lines over her winter growth, despite being on the same management, same hay etc over that time). Now the hoof is growing through smooth.

My intention is to try her without shoes again this winter, to see whether the feet have recovered enough for her to cope again, but if they can't she'll remain shod in front.

Just wondering whether you've had your horse checked for Cushing's, and/or whether you'd think of trying shoes off again over winter if that's the time that he copes best unshod?

Sarah

 

[TwoStroke]

Yes, it is possible its the grass, but if it is a new development then, as flintfootfilly says, I would consider metabolic changes and get him tested for Cushings etc.

From your description, I would guess that his soles have become quite thin, so be careful with him over stones. If you do choose to shoe, then I would (and this may be unpopular among barefooters!) also shoe with pads, with some kind of antifungal packing underneath.