Sole sensitivity

[HelenBack]

Loads of the horses on my yard seem to be more sensitive than usual at the moment. Generally fine on concrete and no pulses etc but definitely feeling the stones more. It's also the case with those who are muzzled/ on restricted grazing and given appropriate low sugar diets.

Our weather has been mad going from one extreme to another and I guess this is down to these changes and the effects on the grass? Lots of the horses also held on to their soles and frogs while it was so dry and then shed them all in one go.

Is this affecting lots of horses a lot more this year? Other than taking them off the grass altogether, if they're already restricted, is there anything else we can do? Is this a situation where additional magnesium would help and how much if so? My horse is on the forageplus balancer so already gets about 12g a day but I do have a separate bag of MgO kicking around an am wondering whether more might help.

 

[SEL]

I've had to put my usually rock crunching mare (10 years old never shod) on 50g of extra magnesium oxide and invest in a pair of Scoot boots for any road work. She's hurt a ligament so on in hand walk work only and I couldn't get her off the yard over the stones until I borrowed a pair of boots! She's on a well grazed down grass track so hardly stuffing herself full of sugar either.

Even the rock crunching native pony is tiptoeing over the stones giving me a dirty look and she only gets an hour of grass a day. I've just started adding MgO into her feed as well.

I've used zeolite in their feed for Spring grass before and I'm just about to reorder some.

 

[HelenBack]

I've had to put my usually rock crunching mare (10 years old never shod) on 50g of extra magnesium oxide and invest in a pair of Scoot boots for any road work. She's hurt a ligament so on in hand walk work only and I couldn't get her off the yard over the stones until I borrowed a pair of boots! She's on a well grazed down grass track so hardly stuffing herself full of sugar either.

Even the rock crunching native pony is tiptoeing over the stones giving me a dirty look and she only gets an hour of grass a day. I've just started adding MgO into her feed as well.

I've used zeolite in their feed for Spring grass before and I'm just about to reorder some.

Gosh, that sounds quite extreme! It's reassuring to know it's not just me but it's still a pain isn't it? My lad has only been out of shoes for about 9 months and I had been really impressed with how comfortable he was but he's definitely taken a backward step in the last week or so. Climate change must be partly responsible as I really don't remember things being like this when I was a kid.

I'll start on the extra MgO, is 50g a good amount to go for? And can you tell me what Zeolite is please? I've not heard of that before.

Our yard is old grazing that hasn't been treated for years but it has definitely shot through recently after failing to grow at all in spring. I'd love to move him to a grass free tack so I could stop worrying and give him the healthiest hooves possible but there's more chance of me winning the lottery than a yard like that opening round here .

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I've used zeolite in their feed for Spring grass before and I'm just about to reorder some.

That's interesting! I've read about it but never known anyone who's fed it so would be interested to hear how you got on. I've been putting 2 scoops of Protexin gut balancer in mines tea on days where the grass is obviously going to have a spurt. He's out 24/7 on a small track but it is grass - very short & he has a bit of hay daily too.

With all the crazy weather I'm convinced its the Mag Ox keeping mine from getting footy etc. He's on Formula4Feet with dengie molasses free chaff, I add around 3g per 100kg bodyweight so only around 15g & match is with a scoop of salt. He's only barefoot behind at the moment & he's fine over any surfaces, I wanted to get them 100% with his diet before taking his fronts off.

 

[sherry90]

My boy walks across a stony drive to and from his field fine on all four. But when ridden for hacking he’s booted in front as a precaution, last few weeks he has felt the stones a bit more on his hinds. So much so I was very close to having to shoe him (I worry about back boots slipping or twisting more as he’s quite close behind) but last hack out he seemed a lot better so I’m persevering.
I do think it’s when it’s been wet? He doesn’t have the best feet as he’s got naturally low heels and not the thickest of sole (he shed quite a bit May/June in a matter of weeks if not days!) so this won’t have helped.

 

[shirl62]

My lad is definately feeling the stones this year..We have had really wet weather then spells of dry. He has always been barefoot. The farrier just did a trim last week and noted his feet were in good shape. I do give Magnesium and seaweed supplements. He is fine on the roads.