Trying barefoot with a flat footed horse, flat foot photos included

[paddi22]

yeah it's so different, it's been amazing to see it change shape. at the moment he was out on boggy field for a few days and it seems to have caused a ton of cracks to appear when the nail holes were growing out. her is still footy on stones without boots, but can hack with boots, and he's perfect in arenas and stuff. I'm hoping once the end of the nail holes have grown out he will have a much better shape foot. worried about the crack on the left though near the heel, is that gonna get bad?

 

[paddi22]

it's been fascinating as well to see the different hoof quality from when he started the hoof supplements. he seems quick thin soled, so stupid question, but will those supplements help thicken the sole at all?

 

[ycbm]

it's been fascinating as well to see the different hoof quality from when he started the hoof supplements. he seems quick thin soled, so stupid question, but will those supplements help thicken the sole at all?

Should, unless they are caused by EMS or Cushings.



I think the crack is the result of the sudden change in the heels which must have drastically altered the forces in the foot which grew lower down on response to a completely different direction of force. I think I would try to take the hoof off the floor for a good distance either side of the crack if I was trimming.

 

[paddi22]

thats really interesting YCBM as he was recently diagnosed with cushings.

 

[ycbm]

thats really interesting YCBM as he was recently diagnosed with cushings.

If you get it under control then I would expect the soles to thicken. Fingers crossed.

 

[paddi22]

just attaching pic from farrier today, just so I have record.

 

[ycbm]

That's unrecognisable as the foot on your first post in August.
.

 

[paddi22]

what I can't get over is how much smaller his hoof is. he always had massive big plate feet, I just thought that's how he was. his hooves are so tiny and neat now. he is perfect on grass, arenas and tarmac, just footy on stoney tracks.

 

[Mule]

I can't believe the difference in just 3 months ?

 

[tallyho!]

Isn't the hoof amazing?

 

[IrishMilo]

That is one hell of a transformation. Amazing how a simple management change can improve something so drastically. I bet your horse is so much more comfortable now his foot is actually supporting his body.

 

[paddi22]

he's moving very well and he does feel different in his movement. I have a bit of a dilemma in that he is due back into vets hospital to get a full lameness workup as part of his kissing spine/hock arthritis treatment and they had queried how they would do it properly without shoes if he was footy on hard ground. I really don't want to put a set back on him now.

 

[ester]

I wouldn't either, can you boot him/gaffa tape some pads on to take the hooves out of the equation?

 

[SEL]

Huge difference! Can you try a pair of boots just for the trot up?

 

[tallyho!]

he's moving very well and he does feel different in his movement. I have a bit of a dilemma in that he is due back into vets hospital to get a full lameness workup as part of his kissing spine/hock arthritis treatment and they had queried how they would do it properly without shoes if he was footy on hard ground. I really don't want to put a set back on him now.

A lovely set of boots/trainers will be perfect and you can use the boots if riding over particularly uncomfy ground.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Yes to the boots. My younger mare wore her full set of Cavallo treks at the vets request for part of her most recent vet check/workup at horsepital, before she had her hocks/SI medicated.

I put them on and handed her over (Covid restrictions) to the vet in the horsepital car park. Mare came back later all checked over, feet x rayed and joints medicated without them, and the vet handed the boots back to me. Vet had been able to see how well she was in them and out of them - vet hadn’t thought that mare could cope out of shoes. Vet was impressed .

ETA She will have had the usual trot up in a straight line on concrete, lunge on a hard surface, then lunge in the arena firstly in boots, then without for comparison.

ETA2 That transformation is incredible! Well done.