Starting barefoot - shoe damage...

[Scot123]

Hi, would like to know what you think please. The highland x pony I've just got and who lives out 24/7 has always been shod (apart from last winter when the shoes were taken off on farriers advice to rest his hooves). His last set of shoes were removed at end of December and I am keen to keep him unshod if he gets on OK. His hooves are fairly slow growing and the holes where the nails were are still obvious. These holes are now starting to form cracks/chips in the hooves... I would like to know if people think I should just leave these cracks alone and let the hooves heal themselves or should I consider filling them until they grow out ? He is definitely a bit tender on hard ground but not on the soft (he's not being ridden to give the hooves a chance to recover) and apart from this problem, things with the hooves not too bad. Anyone else had similar once the shoes were off? Thanks!

 

[cptrayes]

almost everyone ! The hooves normally chip at the nail holes. It will stop when they have grown out. If you get a bad bit, rasp off the rough edges so it doesn't pull off more than it needs to.

 

[Scot123]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. It's good to know this happens a lot and isn't just because of his slow growing hooves! Would still appreciate hearing any other experiences of how your horses were when the shoes first came off and how long it took to get over the 'footiness'...

 

[popularfurball]

It's a piece of string question - biggest factor is the horse! Some are more sensitive to sugars than others. Some have no diet changes and cope happily - others need a diet revamp and grass restriction to remove footyness. Sometimes if the sole is stretched they need time to develop callus for sole to thicken too

 

[beeswax]

if shoes were taken off in December and now light trim was done, bearing in mind feet and hair, manes/tails grow slower in winter, then it is time for a good trim, to get rid of those nail holes before they chip, crack and make the pony sore and also could become actual hoof cracks, get the farrier to trim as much as possible before spring/summer and all should be good. As far as sugars go and the grass and ponies you should know the answers to that.

 

[Scot123]

Again, thanks, that all makes sense and is very sensible advice. Unfortunately the nail holes are simply not far enough downt the hoof to trip off as yet. But I will keep them 'neat' (rasping the rough edges off) and we are looking at his diet rather carefully. And yes, luckily as a botanist I kind of know about plant sugars!!