So I've made the plunge and gone barefoot!

[loverly]

And now needing advice...

Bit of background. Over the last year the horse has gradually started standing "oddly", his front hooves almost tough his back as if he's standing on a ball. Farrier after farrier said there was nothing wrong with the hooves, but through my persistence they put on lateral supports which made no difference (current farrier is amazing though!).
This is him at his worst last winter -

A couple of weeks ago the horse was diagnosed with possible proximal suspensory desmitis and an impinging vertabrae (the latter should be able to be managed through pessoa rehab)... But vet did not recognise the hooves as a problem. But they must be??

So I made the plunge on Friday to take the shoes off. And instantly he stood square Photobucket has decided not to play ball and uploading them has taken 20 mins so far, but will put them on here once its done.

I've spoken to Nic Barker at Rockley and she has given me some numbers for trimmers etc.. But would like to get everyone's experiences and advice during the "transition stage". Especially diet, hoof boots etc..

Horse is sound on soft ground but very footy on stony/hard ground.

 

[loverly]

Wow sorry for the size :/

 

[Holly Hocks]

Hi
I had my mare's shoes taken off six weeks ago. She has proximal suspensory desmitis, navicular and bilateral spavin.
She is on speedibeet and Spillers high fibre cubes with added micronised linseed, magox and brewers yeast. I did try Readigrass but within a couple of days she had gone really footy and started to become stressy so I've now stopped it.
Fast fibre is supposed to be fab, but neither of my horses will touch it and Rowan Barbary have just brought out a new product called Solutions Mash which is high fibre and low starch and very very low sugar.
It's a minefield trying to sort the diet out, but you need to be feeding low sugar and low starch, with high fibre....I'm still trying different things.
Mine is fine on soft ground, but footy on hard ground still, but as she is off work until Spring it isn't such a big issue. She is out during the day for a few hours as she won't do the box rest and in at night.
Good luck with your horse.

 

[Andalucian]

Well done, it sounds like your horse approves. Its very early days, keep him comfortable and give him time. His fronts are underrun, and his hinds are high in the toe, disguised by the farrier bringing back the toe to make it look shorter. Both of these will make a horse stand like its on a box. Long term stance like this will cause all sorts of tendon/ligament/shoulder/back issues. Get him good on his feet and allow a few months before reassessing his other body issues, you may find that they've resolved themselves once the feet are "right" for a while.

Good luck.

ETA your horse doesn't look like one who will have diet issues particularly, body shape is a good indicator of this. But do avoid anything with sugar in it, including carrots and apples!!!

 

[Batgirl]

The best advice I can give you about hoof boots is to make sure they are the right shape, some suit rounder hooves some suit longer thinner etc most websites are quite honest about best fits. Easyboot Epic aren't bad for an interim pair until you either need some full time or his hooves are fine without, I only use them on fronts for long road work now, I always use the gaiters.

My best advice about supplements is to get advice to see if he needs them and to make sure you give it plenty of time to work (lots of people think they will work like other supplements but the supplement has to 'grow through') Mine has been on Biotin since the summer and just coming nicely now and is much less foot on stony/hard ground.

Make sure they get trimmed regularly, make sure your farrier is GOOD at barefoot trimming or go get a barefoot trimmer as the trim is different to a shod trim.

Feel free to Pm me if you want to ask any specifics

 

[Holly Hocks]

Forgot to say - Oberon and Brucea are probably some of the best ones on the forum to get barefoot advice from.....I've picked up some good tips from them.