Successful barefoot environment

J

jessieblue

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My horse has been bare for 4 months. He has collateral ligament desmitis both fronts and I suspect had some lgl issues during the year too although is not cushings and not IR. His hooves were extremely compromised and stressed. In 4 months they have improved but I am now looking to future management to help make this journey successful. I really hope I can get him back sound and out doing what we did before. He is a superb little eventer so dreaming I can get him right somehow. I keep him on a livery yard so am restricted in so far as my grazing and turnout are concerned. I have considered moving yards for more turnout, but its swings and roundabouts with facilities and surfaces to work on etc. If a yard has all year turnout they have no suitable roads for hacking on etc. It is hard to feature in everything that he needs. At my current yard horses are still getting daytime turnout for now. In the worst periods they will get hard standing turnout for 1 hour and can use the horsewalker free. They will get out in frost/snow, so hopefully will have some turnout a lot of the time, but there will be periods without. In the spring the paddocks are fertilised which is worrying me re lami/barefoot. Last year I had to use a muzzle but was still getting some heat in feet and dps until he went barefoot.

Does anyone else manage their barefoots at livery yards? I am worried about providing everything he needs but I know other people with barefoot horses who dont seem to worry at all about the same stuff I do!! Can you manage a barefoot on normal typical yard routines so long as you do plenty of riding to condition the hooves? What do you do about grazing? Any special set up/avoid fertilised grass etc? I dont want to keep moving yards and unsettling the boys as there is always something thats not ideal wherever you go.
 
JB my first rehab can barely tolerate any grass at all and his owners have to keep him in livery with no grassless turnout. They work hard to keep him exercised and he still has great feet. Depending on the horse, it can be OK

On a note of caution, I sold a barefoot horse who subsequently gave himself collateral ligament damage after a winter of restricted turnout and little road work. His frogs had left contact with the floor and he was peripheral loading. Work is extremely important for barefoot horses with restricted turnout.
 
In spring and summer many of us keep them in during the day when grass sugars are highest. I have one who would be lgl if I didn't.
 
Its hard but it can be done. You have to be creative. Where I am now, the summer fields are split up and we were rotating until my girl got colic and I requested restricted grazing 24/7. I managed to work it so she was on the part where there was a stony hard track and to make sure she used that track, I put her water the other side of it so shed have to walk up it to get her fill.

Make sure you try to exercise esp in winter when turn out is restricted and the ground is soft. My girl has been out of work for a while so I know when Im ready to ride again its not goin to be particularly easy. Ill prob start from scratch again and see how she goes. That's the annoying part of bf but the benefits outweigh the negatives.
 
Ok, thanks. I know I have to keep working him, thats no problem. I ride him 6 days a week usually, but because of his injury am cautious as to how much! Bit chicken and egg really. So far its been ok, he is still being turned out daytime. There is nowhere around here where you would get 24hr turnout anyway unless they were retired which means you cannot ride from the field for security reasons. Yes have even considered that! I am finding school work one day and roadwork, small amounts but now building up to a bit more and including a little trot, seems to keep his feet trimmed well and he seems ok with this. There inevitably will be some days without turnout. I have looked around at many yards and even those with all year turnout when pushed admit that at times they have to keep them in or like my yard they get an hour or two on hardstanding. I cant see how I am going to find the perfect environment, as if the yards I look at have turnout they only have a main road to hack on etc. Its a bit difficult to get a balance. My yard is trying to turnout as much as possible (unusual for us) even though fields are underwater. I can see that sometimes turnout is little more than standing by the gate in the mud or eating a pile of hay standing in one place for a couple of hours. Sadly do not have huge paddocks for them to roam about in. It is a dilemma as I cant keep moving yards either as this unsettles them. Do you think riding every day is enough to keep feet healthy through the periods where they may be restricted? Ours will go out in frost and snow is this bad for barefoot horses. I did read frost and snow can cause laminitis?? Eeeek, minefield.

cptrayes, I do keep a close eye on his feet the way they are loading and the way they are trimming. Im trying to get the balance of roadwork right, afraid I do too much but I know how important it is to up the mileage in winter. Was going to move to a nice yard with good turnout and off road hacking, but its on a really busy road, so no road hacking!! I decided this probably would be a bad idea as he needs some hard surface work or his feet will turn to much even if he is out! I am so worried about his cld, my vet gave me another talking to this week. He spoke to nic at rockley but still doesnt accept the self trimming concept so I am back to square 1 with my professional help. He keeps telling me I shouldnt even walk him on the road as he is landing lateral heavy on rf and this will make his cld much worse! Told me he has asked 8 or 9 farriers to come and trim my horse and they all will do, but will laugh at what I am trying to achieve! Great that helps! Really scared Im doing harm that I cannot see but kind of committed whatever.
 
If your vet has spoken to Rockley and still will not support you, then I'm afraid I think it's time to change your vet. It wouldn't be so bad if he could offer you more hope, but his conventional treatment returns less than twenty per cent of horses with collateral ligament damage to work.

I think you will be OK with the way you are planning to go, though progress will be slower than in perfect conditions.

You should not need to worry about frosty grass unless you know that your horse is very sensitive to grass sugars. Snow is great - full foot wash and brush up and massage :)
 
I think cptrayes is right about the vet I think you need at least a spectical but slightly open minded vet.
If where you I would try to find a good trimmer in your area the one I use has taught me so much and it's good to have a bit of support.
My vet has come round a lot to BF since I started my first one so it's easier now.
 
I keep my 2 bf on a livery yard. One has been barefoot for 2 1/2 years and I believe never been shod, the other for 5 months, We have very limited winter turnout and its worrying. Fortunately we have a variety of surfaces for hacking and a rubber school. I bought boots for the newly bf and so far shes doing great, but she is exercised everyday and will be through the winter especially if she cant be turned out. I havehad several discussions with my trimmer about how they are kept and like you have looked at moving yards but there is no where 'perfect' so I'm stying where I am.
 
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