Sidebone and barefoot/shod

[spotty_pony2]

Just pondering a few things…

So my old boy Puggy is still feeling fab and very much enjoying his ridden work, although he occasionally trips in front now - usually off road where the ground is uneven and hard.

He has got mild side bone in his RF which was diagnosed about a year and a half ago via x-ray and he had an arthramid injection at the same time which seemed to help but my understanding it lasts a year or two - which takes us to now. He isn’t lame but my understanding is that sidebone reduces the amount of movement in the joint. If he trips it’s that foot and he lands toe first when he does it. He is shod with side clips and a natural balance kind of shoe to give him complete freedom of movement. My farrier is very proactive and does a fab job. He also has quite thin soles and has standard pads. I’m wondering if he might either need some kind of softer pads, need his showing altering for the sidebone or whether barefoot is worth a go. I’ve had him barefoot once a long time ago and we didn’t have any tripping them from what I remember. My main concern is whether his feet will get too weak and then bruised in the winter when it’s wet as that’s what happened before hence the pads in front and I don’t know if you can turn out in hoof boots very practically when it’s muddy. I’ll obviously talk to my farrier and vet but just wondered if anybody had any advice or experiences to share.

 

[AdorableAlice]

My sidebone horse (big horse) is kept sound in broad web and very stringent foot balancing. I think the rock hard ground we have all had since early April really isn't helping horses with or without soundness issues. I only turn him out over night as he doesn't have a hooley in the dark and there is less risk of him jarring himself up.

 

[asmp]

Mine, who has large side bones, is ridden in Equine Fusion Active Jogging boots as he started disliking the nails being banged into his hoof. The thick soles also give him lots of protection from the stony ground. He’s much happier when the ground is soft (which we haven’t had for months now ) or on the road (better than rutty ground).

 

[Red-1]

I am very much a fan of barefoot, but it isn't without issues. I think pads etc do keep them more comfortable in the short term while they are used, but they don't strengthen the foot and in many cases cause the foot to become weaker.

That said, if your horse is already having issues, it will be a long road to transitioning and will need appropriate surfaces, possibly boots, probably minute attention to foot balance, such as a shave of a trim several times a week.

I have transitioned several successfully, but many of them have not been as easy as some make out. I have an all weather turnout area. One is my arena and one is a rubbered patio extension to the stables. The field is also flat and not stoney.

I usually start by attending to their diet then remove the shoes, back first, allow 4-6 weeks where they do no work at all with one with a compromised foot. Just loaf on forgiving surfaces. Then start trimming several times a week, and allow the foot to dictate where and how much. Once the backs are comfortable then do the same with the fronts. Cleanliness is key, as it feed.

I then start walking, 100yds only at first, on the road. Once they can take even just this much the feet seem to change at pace.

With my horse Rigs, it was pretty much 6 months in-hand. His feet were compromised with lami, with rotation. It took about 2 years before he was reliable on most surfaces, 4 years to be rock crunching on all surfaces. He didn't really need boots, but then I had no major ambitions and was happy to wait the 4 years.

H, F, Jay and S: they all had boots to transition but then they also competed and I wanted to keep them in more work than their feet were able to sustain. In time they also transitioned out of boots.

I do think that, even with sidebone, they are long term better barefoot, but then not everyone is prepared to trim several times a week and be strict with surfaces and lower work expectations to the degree necessary.

My farrier and an expert trimmer were generous to train me to trim. They admitted that a 4 week cycle was simply too long without mini trims between times, and, once I was confident, they didn't need to do them at all as I was on top of it.

I would speak with a barefoot advocate farrier or good trimmer who is willing to train you.

Feed, cleanliness, appropriate surfaces, work only to what the horse can do and multiple trimming. It is not easy and is expensive. The surfaces alone cost thousands!

As an aside, I knew a horse with the biggest sidebone as a 4yo. I am talking that it was obviously visible from the outside! It was huge! The X ray was dire. The horse was, as AA said, in wide web shoes and shod every 4 weeks without fail. The wide web protected more than normal shoes without the complications of pads. The horse was in a lot of work for 10 years before the pain was not manageable with shoeing, then a bit longer with bute. His regime would not have allowed for 2 years of downtime to adapt to barefoot, but it was a pretty long career with careful shoeing.

 

[spotty_pony2]

Mine, who has large side bones, is ridden in Equine Fusion Active Jogging boots as he started disliking the nails being banged into his hoof. The thick soles also give him lots of protection from the stony ground. He’s much happier when the ground is soft (which we haven’t had for months now ) or on the road (better than rutty ground).

yes my boy is happier on the road. Think I’m going to have to stick to the roads for now!

 

[FitzyFitz]

Mine was initially in shoes but turned out to be sounder in boots, I used flex boots with a wool felt pad. He was also better on flatter surfaces, ruts, stones or camber than tilted his foot were uncomfortable for him, although it was better in boots as the foot itself had some flex. He was fine barefoot in the field though. I have turned out in boots, but 24/7/365 can be a pain