Very good farrier needed

There are at least two that I have used who are considered exceptionally good and, before the BT get their teeth into this, will both tell you straight if they think your horse would be better off without shoes!
 
Thank you for your responses. Do you have names & contact numbers for these farriers?
*Hic* I would be happy to try barefoot if that is what a farrier would recommend. I am looking for a farrier who really knows their stuff as I am worried that the current imbalance is contributing to his current unexplained lameness.
 
Ok, I have been researching the barefoot horses and am seriously contemplating going that way, but where can I get impartial advice (not pro barefoot & not pro farrier) as to what to do with my horses feet. I basically want someone to look at them and tell me what is wrong with them & how they could be improved.

My horse has been on and off lame since I bought him in April despite passing the vet (5 stage) after an initial period of soundness. So possibly to do with different farrier & balance issues. He is currently lame, was on box rest for over a week, then still lame, vet had a look & no tenderness with hoof testers but lame on trot up & more lame after flexion test. There has not been any heat or swelling in the leg or foot. However vet said get him reshod, taking the toes back in order to improve the breakover. He's now on another weeks box rest, bute and has been reshod, but I don't think the feet look right. If he's still lame by this coming Friday it will be off to the clinic for a lameness work up.

Does anyone have any advice/ ideas?

Thank you
 
Can you get pics of his feet takeb from ground level, and of the soles? If you can, then I would start a new thread with them and invite comments and advice. This is probably the best place to get honest advice from both sides of the camp.
 
Def take hoof pics and start a new thread.

You could get a barefoot trimmer out to do a consultation - give you the information and then you can have a think before doing anything.

Vets playing with altering breakover with shoes makes my eyes water tbh. No wonder he's lame. Also flexion tests arent really that exciting, as all they do is make something slightly stiff more stiff - however if i held your leg tightly bent up for a min then got u to leg it down a field i bet you'd hop too!!!

UKNHCP Trimmer who I think might cover your area -
Steve Vendyback
07828194098
steve.vendyback@gmail.com

And a DAEP http://www.phenomenalhooves.co.uk
 
Yes I think I would hobble more than my horse - but then I am significantly older!!!
Ok so horse to have a photo shoot, then get someone to do a consultation and go from there. As he's only just been shod I think dietary changes are in order first to give the feet a little time to grow. :confused:
 
Wagtail said:
Can you get pics of his feet takeb from ground level, and of the soles? If you can, then I would start a new thread with them and invite comments and advice. This is probably the best place to get honest advice from both sides of the camp.
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Why on earth would you ask randoms on a forum - much better to get a professional to look at them in the flesh :confused:

James Hackett is brilliant OP, pm me if you would like his number
 
Amaranta said:
Why on earth would you ask randoms on a forum - much better to get a professional to look at them in the flesh :confused:

James Hackett is brilliant OP, pm me if you would like his number
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Personally, I think there is a wealth of knowledge on this forum, so long as you know how to spot the ones that know what they are talking about. ;) OP is thinking of trying barefoot. Obviously just getting out a farrier will not be helpful if this is the way she wants to go. Getting people to look at the hooves on this forum will allow the OP to digest the opinions of both pro shoeing people and barefoot people and then make her mind up whether she wants to call out a remedial farrier or look for a barefoot trimmer.
 
Amaranta said:
Why on earth would you ask randoms on a forum - much better to get a professional to look at them in the flesh :confused:

James Hackett is brilliant OP, pm me if you would like his number
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You're not going to believe this, but his dad used to shoe my horses many moons ago before I gave up horses in my late 20's (children family etc)!

I asked ransoms so that I could get a range of viewpoints in order to help me make my mind up. Horse has always been shod, apart from when he was turned away after he finished racing, that was last year. But I know that since I bought him I have had problem after problem, all foot related, so want to get opinions and recommendations for farriers and trimmers as there are so many out there I did not know where to start, other than interviewing them all - and they're not actually going to tell me they're no good at their job so don't think interviewing them would be very productive...seriously the idea really did cross my mind!!

It's all a bit of a minefield so any thoughts/suggestions are gratefully received. :)
 
*hic* said:
There are at least two that I have used who are considered exceptionally good and, before the BT get their teeth into this, will both tell you straight if they think your horse would be better off without shoes!
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BT=Barefoot Taliban?
Well as far as I am concerned, every horse should be fed a plain diet, no sugars/molasses/moglo, and every horse expected to be "worked" should have regular exercise, this is for ALL horses.
If your horse has a poor feet, then most likely this has to be his management , so that needs to be altered.
His management includes his diet and his exercise and his trimming, whether shod or not.
Any farrier will tell you that shoeing is a necessary evil.
The Barefoot Taliban will tell you how to avoid shoeing.
In the meantime feed him:
micronised linseed 80-150gms
minerals: Pro Earth or others at full recommended rate
Hi fibre, no processed feeds containing barley/afalfa/ and other fillers.
Chaff.. non molassed. I used Dengie non molassed lo alfa as it is very tasty, but only enough to make feed look apetising.
The only cereal should be oats [imho] and only if he is lacking ooomph and is in hard work.
A teaspoon of salt, more if sweating.
Fresh water
Fresh air
Minimal stabling.
 
Amaranta said:
Why on earth would you ask randoms on a forum - much better to get a professional to look at them in the flesh :confused:

James Hackett is brilliant OP, pm me if you would like his number
Click to expand...
If YOU think the feet look unbalanced it is very likely they are extremely unbalanced, ask the vet who did the vetting about the problem
ask the vendor about the problem
who shod him last?
 
Oh and if you live in Cambridge and have an ex racing TB, personally, I would find a farrier who shoes racehorses [via a top trainer], they are usually pretty good! Make it clear you will be paying £50/60 whether or not he is to be shod!.
OR the public studs will also advise you, their foals and yearling are trimmed/checked regularly......in fact their farriers are barefoot trimmers by another name, they are used to [as in use-to] re balancing feet of all sorts.
ie Pay for a consulation, explain you do not want him im shod unless it willimprove the situation long term.
NB does he have an obvious conformation fault or holds his head off balance and does he walk straight.............. again .... go back to original vet.
Also get teeth rasped and ask for any comments from an experienced EDT.
I just have a feeling there is something amiss.
 
Miss L Toe said:
If he is an ex racing TB you can phone the former trainer and ask for advice, if he was unable to stand up to training it is likely the trainer will know why.
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He stood up to training ok - he was just too slow!!
I am moving yards soon & aim to alter diet once he's moved. He's currently on baileys outshine, baileys no4, small amount of sugar beet and small handful of chaff plus magnesium, he needed to put on weight, which he has done, but am thinking if changing to a balancer of some sort (once I have researched the different types), micronised linseed, unmollassed sugar beet, unmollassed chaff and will continue with the magnesium. Although he has put on some weight, he could do with some more going on, though I aim to build more muscle through work....if I ever get him sound!
 
Amaranta said:
Why on earth would you ask randoms on a forum - much better to get a professional to look at them in the flesh :confused:

James Hackett is brilliant OP, pm me if you would like his number
Click to expand...
Yes, the professional told her to have toes trimmed right back to re balance........ omg!
I would want a diagnosis first!
If your current farrrier has caused long toes your vet should have told you where to get him shod, this "softly softly" approach is symptomatic of modern vetererinary methodology, and is no use to your horse.
 
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Busybusybusy said:
He stood up to training ok - he was just too slow!!
I am moving yards soon & aim to alter diet once he's moved. He's currently on baileys outshine, baileys no4, small amount of sugar beet and small handful of chaff plus magnesium, he needed to put on weight, which he has done, but am thinking if changing to a balancer of some sort (once I have researched the different types), micronised linseed, unmollassed sugar beet, unmollassed chaff and will continue with the magnesium. Although he has put on some weight, he could do with some more going on, though I aim to build more muscle through work....if I ever get him sound!
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Do not feed molassed s/b, but plenty of un molassed is fine, micronised linseed may easily be fed at 200 gms per day to fatten up TBs, but dont worry too much, look at the muscular development rather than the level of "fat"
Worm for encysted redworm, and get teeth rasped asap and every year after aged 5
I have never fed a balancer, in fact for a TB I would avoid it [too concentrated], you need to get them eating 2/3 proper meals per day.
TBs tend to be more limited in forage intake than for example "big fat cobs", so you have to make sure they get enough grub in hard feed and have plenty of good hay/haylage to eat all night if stabled.
I feed 6gm of magnesium per day [barefoot] which is 12gms magnesium oxide.
In order to make sure he has this intake, I use Feedmark steady up [15 gm] and 30gms of pro balance+
I find the Steady-up has worked on all my horse and ponies, and I feed a full scoop if they are going to do anything more exciting or if the feed regime is going to be altered, I always inspect the "poo"
With TBs you need to make the feed apetising, I use Dengie non molasses feed, the low alfalfa, it has herbs and spices, expensive per bag, but you only need a handfull per feed.
 
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He's currently on 2 feeds a day with plenty of hay, which he generally eats up - he likes his grub! I will up it to 3 feeds a day once moved plus plenty of hay. I was planning to use a balancer in order to provide protein, nutrients, copper, biotin etc which he would not get from beet, chaff & linseed alone. If I don't feed a balancer, what other supplements ought I be feeding?
 
Miss L Toe said:
you need to get them eating 2/3 proper meals per day.
TBs tend to be more limited in forage intake than for example "big fat cobs", so you have to make sure they get enough grub in hard feed and have plenty of good hay/haylage to eat all night if stabled.
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It's strange how opinions differ. I have owned and cared for tens of TBs and never had a problem getting lots of haylage down them. I have found they gain weight better on lots of haylage or good quality hay and only one basic hard feed a day. But then I've never had a fussy eater. I have the opposite problem! :D Out of the seven horses currently at my yard, six of them will choose haylage over hard feed, any day, which means when I feed in the morning I have to wait until feeds have been eaten before giving haylage, otherwise the horses will leave their breakfast and guzzle the haylage. This has been the case with every brand of feed I have used. I currently use pure feeds, which they all love, but would still leave in favour of the yummy haylage.
 
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OK, nutrition is complex: here i will give you a quick overview........

Beet is the stuff left over after extaction of most of sugar, it contain 5%sugar, which is acceptable for feed. It is high in fibre and also calcium, and other minerals [not specified]
Chaff essentially is fed to add fibre and in some cases to improve palatablility. If molasses is added to chaff, this is detrimental to overall diet, imho.
Linseed: this has numerous benefits, it is good for joints/skin/hoofs, and for guts, and for fattening. Three benefits in one feed!!!!
Biotin? this is one of the vitamins needed by a horse, but does not need to be added to a good diet, it will be manuafactured in the gut by any horse fed linseed!
Minerals? ESSENTIAL. the only way to ensure you horse has his every need met is to analyse what goes in and what goes out!.....Most of us feed a good mineral complex, eg Pro Balance +, or any from specialist supplement eg Feedmark or eg Equmins.
Copper be very careful, there are parts of the country where Cu is deficient [red colour in mane], otherwise do not try to add one mineral to a diet, minerals must be balanced with each other.
 
Wagtail said:
It's strange how opinions differ. I have owned and cared for tens of TBs and never had a problem getting lots of haylage down them. I have found they gain weight better on lots of haylage or good quality hay and only one basic hard feed a day. But then I've never had a fussy eater. I have the opposite problem! :D Out of the seven horses currently at my yard, six of them will choose haylage over hard feed, any day, which means when I feeed in the morning I have to wait until feeds have been eaten before giving haylage, otherwise the horses will leave their breakfast in guzzle the haylage. This has been the case with every brand of feed I have used. I currently use pure feeds, which they all love, but would still leave in favour of the yummy haylage.
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I do not disagree at all, you have plenty of experience, you know what is good feed and can asses the condition and the needs of your TBs, if they are fed good haylage made for horses they will do very well, and only enough feed to add mins and vits.
I have erred on cautious side as this is possibly underweight and has other issues, owner possible not experienced enough to alter feed to meet exact needs of horse.
 
Miss L Toe said:
I have erred on cautious side as this is possibly underweight and has other issues, owner possible not experienced enough to alter feed to meet exact needs of horse.
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Thats wht I did my nice simple feed plan as above :)

I also recommended Pro Hoof as it has yeasacc for gut health which it sounds like this chap could do with :)
 
Ok, having deciphered what has been written so far;
Up until he went lame, I rode him 6 times per week, either schooling hacking (mostly at weekends as I have to ride in the evenings during the week) and jumping a couple of times in the past 2 months. When I school him I am careful to ensure that he is working rather than shuffling around, do this in bursts with a break in between as he does get tired as he is working muscles he hasn't done for a long time and generally for about 45 minutes at a time, then walk him round for a cool off.

Once he has come off box rest he will be turned out daily, during the day over winter then generally turn out at night during the summer but may be able to do 24hr turnout.

When I have moved him I will feed unmollassed sugar beet, unmollassed chaff, micronised linseed, and a vitamin/mineral supplement, plus oats if I feel I need more energy and of course ad lib hay - when he's ridden consistently & turned out everyday he's very laid back, on box rest he's great to handle but once off rest, will be a loon to ride initially. I tend to turn him out first to get the edge off, then ride him after a couple of days.

I need to get the dentist out to have a look and then get someone to come out and assess his feet. Mark Johnson sounds like a good bet as he does both barefoot and shod and does not particularly advocate for either side, so I will contact him to see if he will come to Cambridge.

I have taken some pictures of his feet and am about to put them in a new thread if you would like to have a look & comment - he was being supremely uncooperative at the time - another side effect of not being turned out!
 
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