Shoes off tomorrow, best next steps..

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emfen1305

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Excusing the sort of play on words! My cob is having his fronts taken off tomorrow, approx 6 months after having his backs taken off. As far as I'm aware he's always been shod on all 4 until I got him, I was told he didn't have good feet, which is true because the sheared heels and thrush was awful when I got him. It's all sorted now so I feel he's ready to have the fronts off so making the leap tomorrow. He's already been on a barefoot friendly diet since April but I am wondering what I can do to help make the transition as smooth as possible. Do I just treat him as normal and let him tell me if he's not happy? I have a badly timed saddle check on Saturday afternoon so he will need to be ridden normally in the arena but should I try him on a hack and do my lessons as normal or just leave him alone for a week or so? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
I'd make sure my HCP didn't trim and just deshod.

presuming your hacks are mostly road based I would increase them slowly to see how he gets on. Arena work I'd continue as normal.
Don't be too surprised if he is fine to start but gets a bit footy after a few weeks.
 
ester said:
I'd make sure my HCP didn't trim and just deshod.

presuming your hacks are mostly road based I would increase them slowly to see how he gets on. Arena work I'd continue as normal.
Don't be too surprised if he is fine to start but gets a bit footy after a few weeks.
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The first part confused me - you mean you wouldn't want him trimming at all, just the shoes taken off and left? Can I ask why?

They can be, we have access to quite a bit of different terrain where I am, my plan was to initially road hack him and then hand walk over some of the stonier ground. He'll have to walk over a small amount of rocky ground up the yard path to get to his field.
 
Yes to the deshod bit. If he needs help initially, mine who is transitioning is fine turned out for 12 hours a day in her cavallo simples, then in at night without. Her heels were sheared and the vet said she would be 'crippled' without front shoes, but she's doing well. I'm building up the time she's turned out without shoes.

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Yes I was told by his old owner that the farrier had said he would always need to be shod on all four as he had terrible feet. The backs came off when i got him and he really did have awful feet but he was never hacked and not sure on his diet but since I've had him he's hacked at least 3 times a week and changed to a no rubbish diet and his backs are really good now and the shear has gone in all four feet so I am hoping the fronts will come right but not expecting miracles. Fingers crossed your transition continues to go well, I do believe its the best thing!
 
When was he last shod? Ideally, you wait 4 or 5 weeks after they were last shod before removing shoes, as this allows a bit of length to grow and gives them the best sporting chance of not being footy initially.

Have you read all the main posts on Rockley farm? This is without exception the very best place to start.

You will need to re-think everything you think you know about feet, as well as learn to ignore all the 'advice' from vets, farriers, liveries etc.

Out of interest, what are you feeding?
 
PoppyAnderson said:
When was he last shod? Ideally, you wait 4 or 5 weeks after they were last shod before removing shoes, as this allows a bit of length to grow and gives them the best sporting chance of not being footy initially.

Have you read all the main posts on Rockley farm? This is without exception the very best place to start.

You will need to re-think everything you think you know about feet, as well as learn to ignore all the 'advice' from vets, farriers, liveries etc.

Out of interest, what are you feeding?
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7 weeks ago, it was planned that they would come off so I left it until he was due, farrier did as was recommended on here and just took the shoe off and tidied up the frog as it is still a bit thrushy.

I took him out straight away for a walk up the road which is just tarmac and then concrete and he was fine and then turned him out. On Saturday he tripped up the rocky path on the way to the arena and I think he landed on a stone as he was a bit footy and my saddle fitter noted he looked a bit tentative in the arena so only did a little bit to check the saddle. Took him out for another longer walk yesterday, still on concrete and tarmac and he seemed fine, he's just a bit tentative up the path but i suppose that is to be expected. I have booked the physio to come out in a couple of weeks to iron out any niggles and until then I'm just going to do daily walks and then some slow work in the arena.

I've read the Rockley blog and my previous horse was barefoot so I've had a bit of experience but he had great feet and transitioned in and out of shoes like it was no bother at all which is why he stayed barefoot. I am more tentative with my new one has it took us a long time to get his backs to a fit state so worried about him being uncomfortable.

He's currently fed Thunderbrooks chaff and an equimins balancer and hay but any recommendations greatly received. He can't have biotin or anything with added biotin in (more than the usual amount) as I've found it sends his mallendars a bit crazy.
 
ester said:
are you treating the thrush with anything?
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I think i've tried every product on the market in the past including iodine, peroxide, copper sulphate, "sugardine", milton, salt water and some leovet stuff! Currently scrubbing with apple cider vinegar and a wire brush and then covering with Red Horse Field Paste. The frogs are much better and managed to sort the sheared heels but there's still a little bit near the bars. If you have any other recommendations that would be great!
 
Just wanted to check because obviously if they are sore there it can be a reason they struggle to get heel first for a while. I think usually once they are working them they stay in better nick anyway. Personally I use the red horse sole cleanse and hoof stuff if/when I've had a big enough crevice. Certainly found that better than milton.
 
He is landing heel first on the tarmac (I haven't checked on the soft) - sorry forgot to mention that! I am going to get someone to walk him for me just so I can make sure but he certainly looked like he was yesterday. I did use the sole cleanse and the hoof stuff - hoof stuff was what sorted the sheared heels out actually it was the only stuff that stayed in, it was great! I'm just so worried about breaking him!
 
You're doing all the right stuff. Diet sounds fine, red horse products are fab and if you've already got heel first landing, then you're on to a winner. You just need to do miles and miles of roadwork now if you can to condition the frog, sole, bars etc.
 
Sheared heels are completely different to a deep central sulcus infection

For thrush, try either RH hoof stuff if the crack is still deep, or sudocrem mixed with copper sulphate and some athletes foot cream.
 
PoppyAnderson said:
When was he last shod? Ideally, you wait 4 or 5 weeks after they were last shod before removing shoes, as this allows a bit of length to grow and gives them the best sporting chance of not being footy initially.

Have you read all the main posts on Rockley farm? This is without exception the very best place to start.

You will need to re-think everything you think you know about feet, as well as learn to ignore all the 'advice' from vets, farriers, liveries etc.

Out of interest, what are you feeding?
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Ooh thanku for the pointer to Rockley Farm which has tons of information - we too are taking the plunge of barefoot due to both hock & coffin joint arthritis - fascinating new journey for us
 
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