*SIGH* Soap's new feet some good and bad news **pics**

Chloe_GHE

Chloe_GHE

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So after my search for a farrier who can come out after work hours or weekends and doesn't charge the earth I have found a fab chap. He is extrememly well educated in remedial shoeing and his dad is one of the very best so I'm hoping he's a chip off the old block:) Soap was shod on weds eve, and he made a fantastic job of it really listened to his foot history, and spent a long time watching him walk and trot up, then balancing and rasping the foot to get it perfect. You can see the dramatic difference here with the freshly shod short and neat near fore compared to the long toed off fore!
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you can see a line of red in the toe of the near fore caused by too much pressure/leverage on the foot due to a too long toe
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I have also stocked up on Gelatine from tescos because it is a cheap and easy way to improve foot condition. Those are the packets on the left, and the mixed gelatine on the right in the container which you just add a few spoons to each feed
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When I walked Soap out after this he was walking like a person going down a flight of stairs who expected one more step! It will take him a while to adjust, and will take a few visits before the angle of his foot is the same as the angle of his shoulder but it's a good start. He was sore on the front today when I brought him in so I am icing as recommended by Table Dancer and he was much happier afterwards so fingers crossed that will ease off with a bit more icing and a few days, and the more he is shod the less footy period he will have afterwards until he is 100% the very next day. Slowly but surely his feet will be back on track
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It seems just one off shoeing with him can really set him back so I can't wait to get him into a good regime with my new chap and keep him on the road and comfortable and competing
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Here are some pics of my sexy boy looking so fit and ready to rock but just not quite 100%
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being a very good boy and standing still despite being bored senseless with this wet foot milarky
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he is a very good boy standing with his foot in that bucket - mine would have kicked it across the yard and trampled on it!!!

Just out of interest, (and this is probably a very naive question), but are horses allowed to eat gelatine given that it is a meat product??
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Or did you buy vegetarian gelatin? If so - may try that myself!!
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I fed gelatin to my big brown one..in the form of a cube of jelly concentrate a day! we shared! fab that you have found such a good farrier, am thinking already of Christmas present ideas for mine..
 
actually I did think about that when I was looking at the ingredients which just say 'beef gelatine' and asked the farrier if that was the right stuff to feed and he confirmed it, but I may give my vet a bell before I start to feed it
Knowing my luck he'll come sound with perfect feet and get mad cow disease!!!!
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no he's mine I'm not sharing! hahahah
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I plan to keep him sweet with tea, coffee, biscuits, cash payment, clean feet, empty stable to shoe in out of the rain, and a xmas present
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I have had my two mares shod this way for about 5 years now (quarter clips and squared off toes in front). My blacksmith thought it a bit odd at first (it was recommended by vet initially), but now he shoes quite a few of his horses this way for heel support, and it is amazing how many eventers pictured in H&H have quarter clips on their front shoes.

Fiona
 
were yours sore to begin with? it's quite a radicle difference from what they were like, and he has done it to also encorage the heel to grow straight down rather than curve inwards. I was worried that with the old feet his front legs were almost turning out when he moved like he had flippers on and already he is moving straighter
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were yours sore to begin with?

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No - but my blacksmith maybe did it more gradually (my TB has been shod like this from her first ever set of shoes), and Sophie from a 5yo.

I'm sure the next time he comes out Soap won't be as sore.

Fiona
 
yeah he never used to be at all footy afterwards but then a few hasty shoeings and the odd prick with a nail has made him sore the last few times
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just takes time I guess with tbs to set up a good foot and keep it maintained, still I'm v happy with the feet, and think prob by sat he will be fine
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My farrier shoes just like that, Im so impressed as when I got my mare she had no shoe and no hoof, now the hoof pastern axis is more or less perfect!!!

He is very good my girl too would have probably drank the ice then thrown it!!!!

Hope he is ok in a couple of days, my last boy was shod by a cowboy once then my lovley farrier (who I made come out and shoe him even though he was off work very injured) came to sort it out and he was lame for a few days but they soon get used to there new foot balence and it helps with the break over!!!
 
Looks like he took too much off if im honest...
Maybe should have restored the shape of the foot and the angle of the hooves over a few shoes and not in one wack..

Lou x
 
I have never seen a red line like that come up, interesting but looks sore.

My very non eventer also gets quarter clips in front.
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Great news that you have found a farrier to suit you (and your requirments), I hope soap is back on the road soon, he looks ready to be out there competing!
 
Sounds like you're on the road to getting sorted, which is good
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Nailed may be right, he's probably been quite ambitious with what he's tried to do in one go (keen to impress his new client!!) which has probably made Soap sorer than he would have been if he'd taken a bit longer but you'll still get there... Keep on icing
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BTW isn't it amazing how quickly they get used to it/start to enjoy it? We've been icing T's pony this week and he was a nightmare to start with and now stands like an old pro
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Have to say it was a year ago that my horse had nearly an inch of toe taken back, I thought my farrier had killed my horse, as he lost all confidence in walking as he completley chnaged the break over point. I gave my horse 2 bute twice a day for two days and no change. I rang my farrier and he said walk him out and keep making him stride out. After that we have never looked back. It looks drastic in that the squared off toe but it has really worked well. It shouldn't be long before you really see the difference. Good Luck!
 
you know I actually think he is enjoying the icing! he is so much better than before and he is normally really fidgety when tied up but just stood like a lamb whilst I mucked out and filled hay nets etc and when I could hear him shifting weight I just popped my head round the stable door and said 'nnnooooo' in a low tone and he popped his foot back in the bucket! he's not such a wally after all
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Cant see the pics at work but sounds very much like natural balence shoeing my vet recomended for my TB, he has awful feet.

The natural balence shoe also has a rolled toe to allow break over quicker. he was a little pottery after the first shoeing but has been super ever since. (bl**dy TB's and their weak feet!!)
 
My farrier is shoeing my horse like this. He came to me and had the same set of shoes on for 4 months, and was walking with his feet slightly out like you said yours was, and within one shoeing, he was walking straight again! Jack was never sore, but look a bit confused when he took his first walk in them!

Soap's feet should look lovely in no time
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This is very similar to how my farrier shoes. The only concern I have is that a fair amount of horn is rasped off. To ensure the hoof is as strong as possible I've been using NAF hoof rub which has eucalyptus in it. It's been brilliant for strengthening the horn & stopping cracks etc.
 
**UPDATE**

Ok so I officially have picked a super farrier
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He text last night to see how Soap was and said he would call today. Text today to see how he is, and is popping in on his way home from Ascott later to check on him! Wow!
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What service! This one is deffo a keeper, will have to start saving for his xmas present now!
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My vet wants my farrier to start shoeing my girl like that too as she's got slight heel pain and needs her toes shorter. Unfortunately my farrier's on holiday at the mo so I'll have to wait a couple of weeks to get her sorted.

Soap is so good standing with his foot in a bucket of ice. Mine are really naughty and always send the bucket flying!
 
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