Terrible feet and eventing without studs - help!

L

LPL

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 August 2013
Messages
257
Visit site
Hello, my horses feet have been horrendous this season he has only gone 4 weeks this time (from 8 in winter, has been as bad as 3) even after a tightening last week. Farrier has been today to put front shoe back on after it literally flung off on a had yesterday - he isnt over reaching and pulling them off they literally just look like they have been done for 12 weeks and they are falling off. Farrier has been today as I am supposed to be eventing (only BE100) and said I should avoid using studs at all costs, do you think it will be safe?


Also in the long run, what can I do to improve his feet. Nothing has changed management wise he is fed topspec feed balancer, alfa a oil, salt and oats as he has been slightly lethargic these past few weeks. What could I feed him to help improve the horn quality, my farrier says it is shocking. I'm considering taking his shoes off for a month or so after my last event in the middle of october but this is not going to be a permanent thing and may not happen yet but I am considering it. I would upload a picture of his feet but I'm scared of what you'll say!!! I've also tried keratex and kevin bacon throughout the summer to no effect.


Thanks in advance, really need some help!
 
Having had the same problem I know how you feel. In the end we had to take shoes off as there was nothing to nail a shoe onto in the end. The idea was to leave shoes off until farrier could get shoes back on, however the horse seemed to be managing quite well without so we decided to do try keeping the horse barefoot with amazing results within 3 months. Not only does the horse move more freely but he is doing everything he was before including eventing. We use hoof boots for road work but everything else is done barefoot and two weeks ago he did his first ODE (only 90) without shoes and went clear SJ and XC in horrendous wet muddy conditions and he slipped less than those using studs. So please give it some serious thought, there are lots of barefoot experts on here. Good luck
 
I had my boy on formula 4 feet for about 2 years and it did improve the horn quality, and he stopped losing shoes as often. But he decided he didn't like it any more this summer :-/ I started feeding Pro Hoof from progressive earth on ebay, and the change in his feet is AMAZING. I really can't rate it enough. Nice tight new growth, he's even growing heels, which were underrun and weak before. Fab stuff!
 
Two weeks - what rot!

When you feed a supplement it only affects the new growth and as it takes approx 6-9 months to grow a full hoof capsule, you really are looking at 5-8 months for the new, better horn to reach the nail hole area.

Giving the horse a break from shoes will be a really good thing to do. For good horn you need low sugar, low starch, high fibre and a good vit&min supplement (eg Pro Hoof). You might have a bad mineral imbalance in your grazing/forage, so you could have that tested in case a specific supplement is needed. Also some horses can't tolerate alfalfa.

If you want to PM photos, I'll look at them. I had a mare who's hooves were awful (due to a now sacked farrier) so I wont judge and I might be able to help. It was a long road getting her sorted with my lovely new Farrier, but she's grand now.
 
Farriers formula is great but I'm only seeing a real proper difference in my geldings feet a year on. I was in the same position OP, my gelding was losing shoes last summer on a fortnightly basis, was down to four weeks (barely) between shoes which wasn't like him. I put him on the farriers formula for long term improvement but also started using Keratex and putting over reach boots on for turnout. This combo worked brilliantly. The Keratex got to work right away while I waited for the effect of the farriers formula to kick in. Once his hoof condition improved I stopped using the Keratex. We've had a great summer with his feet this year. They've been 100% better.
 
Thanks for all the input. I might research into some sort of foot supplement, I'm totallly clueless. It is all worth a try! Faracat thanks I might see if I can get some tomorrow I'm just scared someone will tell me he has got something awfully wrong with him. I'm moving yards this weekend and will be changing farrier as well so maybe that will make some difference.

I have also decided after our final event I'm going to give him a few months off work and shoes to see how he copes. although I'm really not keen on him staying barefoot for next season as we're hoping to do some Novice eventing. Thank you for all the omput so far. It is really helpful to hear ither peoples successes etc.
 
My daughter's mare had quite bad feet when we first got her last year. Her feet hardly grew and our farrier was beginning to have trouble deciding where to put the nails when he was shoeing her because of this. He recommended we feed her biotin and said it would probably take about a year to show real improvement. We also started using Kevin Bacon hoof treatment at the same time as I had heard good things about this. 6 months later and she now has great feet.
 
I'd also suggest farriers formula, used it on one of mine once and it was amazing. Meantime, what level eventing are you doing? Personally if it was just up to BE90 then I'd take the shoes off completely probably immediately until the end of the winter (if you need them back on again then), I'd happily go round a BE90 but wouldn't fancy doing a BE Novice with no shoes/studs personally. I think if the horse is struggling to keep shoes on, whipping them off for a few months will likely do them the world of good.
 
MagicMelon said:
I'd also suggest farriers formula, used it on one of mine once and it was amazing. Meantime, what level eventing are you doing? Personally if it was just up to BE90 then I'd take the shoes off completely probably immediately until the end of the winter (if you need them back on again then), I'd happily go round a BE90 but wouldn't fancy doing a BE Novice with no shoes/studs personally. I think if the horse is struggling to keep shoes on, whipping them off for a few months will likely do them the world of good.
Click to expand...
^^this
Your horse will probably have more grip barefoot than in shoes without studs. I've had more grip barefoot than quite a few shod horses at various events on grass. The farriers formula will take a while to work so winter is a good time to take the shoes off and start.
If you put shoes back on have you considered having double clips on the fronts? My farrier always shoes with these and I've only had one shoe lost it the last 5 years (clenches weren't quite right in that case).
 
I find it interesting that your on topspec, the only time my farrier saw a big difference in my horses feet ( for the worst) and the first time ever losing shoes. Not just 1 horse but 4 was after to swapped their feed to topspec, that's the only change to diet I made but took some thinking as it was a few months down the line the probs started. Once the new hoof grew down. Taking shoes off for winter is a very good idea, but I would seriously consider your diet I had to. Pro hoof is a fab balancer without the crap, ( topspec has loads of that added) but sadly I can't afford it with 4 horses so use advance complete now and am happy with that. Linseed based with no iron. I don't like a lot off supplements as most are full of fillers and little goodness and NAF are very good at proving that. But please bare in mind if you stick to topspec u shouldn't really be adding any other supplement! Get your horse on a good base feed like fast fibre add some linseed and pro hoof balancer and wait to be amazed.
 
I've been to three showx and several showjuming competitions with my mare this year and she is unshod behind. Her feet are very good this year because I've been feeding Lifeforce Formula, it really has made a huge difference in the quality of her hoof and despite the hard ground and dry weather there isnt a crack or chip to be found, and we've stopped using wedges because of her poor hoofgrowth, I'd marry it if I could :-)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top