Transitioning back to barefoot

[LNW]

Apologies for the long post.
I have a 6 year old mare, backed last year. Had front shoes fitted 15 months ago and developed underun heels. Went lame on 3rd set, I changed Farrier, had xrays taken, she was fitted with wedges and support pads with putty. 12 months later still intermittently lame. More xrays showed angle still wrong. Vet advised her toes too long so my farrier corrected and trimmed back.
Stayed sound for 2 months and then lame again.
Vet suggested injecting the coffin joints as small spur present on the xray.
Anyway, I've taken the plunge and removed her shoes to see if she can heal herself naturally.
Just to add, She was never lame prior to shoes
She was trimmed too short and was very pottery so I thought I was doing the right thing for her by having front shoes fitted.
She's fed on forage plus winter balancer, speedi beet (to get her to eat the balancer) Fibre cubes and ad lib haylage. Currently has 1 hour turnout daily (winter turnout)
She's 17.2 warmblood.weighs 740kg
Her hind feet are good (never been shod) her fronts have broken off now at the wall just below the nail holes she seems happy in the field but still feeling the large stones and still not sound, has no heel and still flat footed.
She does seem freer though, happier in her stable and keen to go to the field.
Another thing i noticed is when she was shod she used to hold one front leg up and switch from one to the other whhen grazing, doing it less now.
Anyone else had success with shoe removal and soundness with underun heels?
Thanks for reading

 

[Highmileagecob]

Take a look at Pete Ramey's Hoof Rehab site, also any articles by Rockley Farm, Hoof Geek, Jaime Jackson, Dr Robert Bowker etc.. It may take six months or longer to grow a complete new hoof and start to remodel the internal structure of the foot. During this time you may find she throws an abscess or two as the forces and pressures inside the hoof change. Check very carefully for signs of thrush, as this is very painful, does not always smell, and will prevent the horse from weighting her heels. You might want to consider trying boots and pads to make her more comfortable and to get her moving. Good luck! It's not a speedy process, but if you can be patient it will be worth it.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Apologies for the long post.
I have a 6 year old mare, backed last year. Had front shoes fitted 15 months ago and developed underun heels. Went lame on 3rd set, I changed Farrier, had xrays taken, she was fitted with wedges and support pads with putty. 12 months later still intermittently lame. More xrays showed angle still wrong. Vet advised her toes too long so my farrier corrected and trimmed back.
Stayed sound for 2 months and then lame again.
Vet suggested injecting the coffin joints as small spur present on the xray.
Anyway, I've taken the plunge and removed her shoes to see if she can heal herself naturally.
Just to add, She was never lame prior to shoes
She was trimmed too short and was very pottery so I thought I was doing the right thing for her by having front shoes fitted.
She's fed on forage plus winter balancer, speedi beet (to get her to eat the balancer) Fibre cubes and ad lib haylage. Currently has 1 hour turnout daily (winter turnout)
She's 17.2 warmblood.weighs 740kg
Her hind feet are good (never been shod) her fronts have broken off now at the wall just below the nail holes she seems happy in the field but still feeling the large stones and still not sound, has no heel and still flat footed.
She does seem freer though, happier in her stable and keen to go to the field.
Another thing i noticed is when she was shod she used to hold one front leg up and switch from one to the other whhen grazing, doing it less now.
Anyone else had success with shoe removal and soundness with underun heels?
Thanks for reading

i have very similar problem myself, previous farrier shod mine with very long toe and very low heels which created NPA in her front feet which has now caused soft tissue damage/injury in the foot.
I also had short periods of soundness then lameness returning with the wedges and putty like you say. Mine also has a tiny bone spur on her coffin joint.
I tried steroid injections and arthramid which worked for very short periods of time before i decided against vet advice to take shoes off.
I took the shoes off in December and turned out for winter and my horse is now 4 months later 99% sound.

Movement is very important, when will you be allowed more turnout ? If not accessible is it possible to hand walk on a soft surface for now to get her feet moving a bit more ?

Mine is also warmblood 16.2. I would be happy to share some pictures with you if you would like to PM? Sounds very simular!

 

[LNW]

i have very similar problem myself, previous farrier shod mine with very long toe and very low heels which created NPA in her front feet which has now caused soft tissue damage/injury in the foot.
I also had short periods of soundness then lameness returning with the wedges and putty like you say. Mine also has a tiny bone spur on her coffin joint.
I tried steroid injections and arthramid which worked for very short periods of time before i decided against vet advice to take shoes off.
I took the shoes off in December and turned out for winter and my horse is now 4 months later 99% sound.

Movement is very important, when will you be allowed more turnout ? If not accessible is it possible to hand walk on a soft surface for now to get her feet moving a bit more ?

Mine is also warmblood 16.2. I would be happy to share some pictures with you if you would like to PM? Sounds very simular!

Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
It does sound similar to Lady.
Summer turnout is 2 weeks away and then she'll be out 24/7
She hates being in but sadly there are no yards near where I live that do more turnout than I already have.

I do walk her and she seems much happier even with her hoof walls missing.

I haven't told the vet yet I've removed her shoes, I just know they weren't helping her.
I'm cautious to inject her coffin joints as want to give her a chance to see if she comes sound without the steroids.
Yes, pictures would be great.

Thanks again

 

[LNW]

Take a look at Pete Ramey's Hoof Rehab site, also any articles by Rockley Farm, Hoof Geek, Jaime Jackson, Dr Robert Bowker etc.. It may take six months or longer to grow a complete new hoof and start to remodel the internal structure of the foot. During this time you may find she throws an abscess or two as the forces and pressures inside the hoof change. Check very carefully for signs of thrush, as this is very painful, does not always smell, and will prevent the horse from weighting her heels. You might want to consider trying boots and pads to make her more comfortable and to get her moving. Good luck! It's not a speedy process, but if you can be patient it will be worth it.

Hi,
Thank you for the advice.

I have been looking at the websites mentioned.
She's had pads on with putty for the past 15 months which covered her frog.
She's been out again today and much better walking out even over the stones on the way to her field.
I will look into hoof boots though.
She is missing two big chunks of her hoof wall on both her fronts since the shoes where removed but nothing more has broken away in the past two weeks.

 

[Landcruiser]

Hi,
Thank you for the advice.

I have been looking at the websites mentioned.
She's had pads on with putty for the past 15 months which covered her frog.
She's been out again today and much better walking out even over the stones on the way to her field.
I will look into hoof boots though.
She is missing two big chunks of her hoof wall on both her fronts since the shoes where removed but nothing more has broken away in the past two weeks.

Some photos would be great. Clean hoof (wire brush is ideal), from the underside and from side and front TAKEN AT GROUND LEVEL of each foot. Just because we all love a hoof pic on here!

 

[LNW]

i have very similar problem myself, previous farrier shod mine with very long toe and very low heels which created NPA in her front feet which has now caused soft tissue damage/injury in the foot.
I also had short periods of soundness then lameness returning with the wedges and putty like you say. Mine also has a tiny bone spur on her coffin joint.
I tried steroid injections and arthramid which worked for very short periods of time before i decided against vet advice to take shoes off.
I took the shoes off in December and turned out for winter and my horse is now 4 months later 99% sound.

Movement is very important, when will you be allowed more turnout ? If not accessible is it possible to hand walk on a soft surface for now to get her feet moving a bit more ?

Mine is also warmblood 16.2. I would be happy to share some pictures with you if you would like to PM? Sounds very simular!

Some photos would be great. Clean hoof (wire brush is ideal), from the underside and from side and front TAKEN AT GROUND LEVEL of each foot. Just because we all love a hoof pic on here!

Some photos would be great. Clean hoof (wire brush is ideal), from the underside and from side and front TAKEN AT GROUND LEVEL of each foot. Just because we all love a hoof pic on here!

Hi

I will try and get some for you later when I`m back at the yard.
I have some of the initial xrays ?

 

[Zoeypxo]

Hi

I will try and get some for you later when I`m back at the yard.
I have some of the initial xrays ?

Initial x rays would be interesting

 

[LNW]

Initial x rays would be interesting

I'm not sure how to upload images?
When I try to attach it goes to a http?

 

[ycbm]

coffin joints .... small spur present on the xray.

This rings huge alarm bells with me I'm afraid. Out of many, the only outright barefoot failure I've personally been involved with had a bone spur. She came sound every time she was rested and went lame again as the work was built up.

I hope you have better luck.
.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would treat the coffin joints and take her with out shoes I would ask the vet about putting arthimid into the coffin joints I would do both feet and rehab without shoes super slowly .
I also think you need to think very carefully about if your farrier is right one for this horse .
Sadly I think it’s not a great long term prognosis but you might be lucky so if you like the horse go for it.
Its going to be hard work but get her out walking about in hand or lead her from another horse and be prepared to do this for quite a while .
I would also get a really good physio working on her regularly sore feet even if the pain is very mild causes masses of compensation pain that can lead to lots of nasty things over time.
A physio appointment acts as your canary the muscles and fascia’s tell you first what’s going wrong .

I took my TB J out of shoes when I bought him he had underun heels typical poor Tb feet in eighteen months he had completely different feet .
I would never have shod him again if he had not struggled when jumping on grass .