Size of paddock.. whats fair??

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Charlie007

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I have individual grazing. Horse can see horses either side of him, over the hedge, most of the time. The field I have is about 1 acre and a bit!! He usually has the run of it all. He recently pulled a shoe off along with a fair bit of hoof which made him really sore. The vet suggested turning out in a small area to prevent him running around. He gets a fresh strip of grass daily and is now coming in at night. He is out a good 15 hours a day. The size of turnout area is just under the size of a 20 x 40 dressage arena. He seems happy enough and his weight is great. He is now back in work. I am now really reluctant to allow him anymore field!!! I know it sounds bad but he is unable to get any speed up in his small paddock and I worry less when he is turned out in a small area!! How fair is it tho? What would you do? Can't afford for him to do anymore damage to that foot x
 
If the foot's fixed, I'd give him as much space as possible while allowing for the field to be rested as necessary. I wouldn't restrict to prevent hooning around, if he's going to hoon he'll do it anyway but a small space means sharper turns and more of them!
 
Assuming vets given the all clear, I'd give him the lot. Horses need space for so many reasons. If you are worried about the grass/ weight, I'd do a track round the outside & gradually increase it. But tbh, my two roaming a large acreage with others might eat far more than in a small paddock, but they also burn it off walking round to graze.
 
Vet didn't really want to see him again, it was just a case of him coming sound on that foot which he is now. He currently has a heart bar shoe on that foot and filler that the farrier has used to fill in where there is no hoof wall. We are taking things very very slowly as regards work. 20 mins - 30 mins walk in school or short hack with a few strides of trot to check he is sound. He wears OR boots in the field but my worry is that he he does pull shoe again he won't have any foot left.
 
I will not state the obvious,but I do agree with the other posters that bigger spaces are kinder and safer.(I know a horse who fractured his skull in the stable.) Having space for a hoon is healthy!
Perhaps consider feeding for healthier hooves,if you are not already doing so.
 
Does the hoof have a long toe and an under-run heel? IME, the main cause of shoe pulling is that (long toe and an under-run heel) because it changes the breakover, so the horse becomes much more likely to catch the shoe with a hind hoof as it moves.
 
Unfortunately he injured his coronet band when he was young, so this has made his foot weaker. It doesn't grow with good quality horn. This foot is also a little smaller than his other front. It is just overall a weaker hoof and with the rain we have had this year it just seems to have made it weaker. I am now using cornucersine and he is on farriers formula.
 
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