Very proud of my barefoot TB today, and a little question for the bft if that's ok?

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

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It's been about 3 months since I made my first investigations into transitioning my "couldn't possibly cope without shoes" Thoroughbred to barefoot.
I changed his diet and found a new understanding, supportive farrier and together we formulated a slightly unconventional plan to get my horse out of shoes.
Just over 3 weeks ago his intermediate plastic fronts and metal hinds came off. He was virtually field/menage sound immediately.
Due to his other soundness issues I have been having to long rein him in the school in straight lines and this has been very useful to see him get used to his feet without him having to cope with my weight. I had bought a pair of Cavello boots to allow us to have a couple of short hacks but he continually catches the back of them with his hind hooves and when having a bit of a spook he slipped on the tarmac on the road which worried me a little tbh.
So today we did it........we went for a hack totally barefoot!!!!!
We only had to cover a small amount of road which if I am honest he could definately "feel" but he wasn't short striding, just tentative. The rest of our hack was on grass and you would never have known he wasn't still shod :D
I am still smiling thinking about it now.
My question though......is it normal at this stage for him to feel the road a little?
Secondly (I know I said one question but needs must) he is just about ok for weight at the mo but he really needs to build topline. I know the topline will come from exercise but as we are approaching winter he may need a few extra calories. He already has a big cup of micronised linseed but are there any other barefoot safe conditioning feeds I can try?
Thanks for reading. :D
 
I am not bft, but do have a barefoot TB.
My TB used hoof boots on the fronts for about 5 months when she started work barefoot. I also used Cavallos, and they are fantastic, but like you, when she spooked she also slipped a bit and it is a bit hairy!!
I feed Pure Feeds Pure Easy which she loves. I tried Fast Fibre, but she went right off it. I add Pro Hoof and micronised linseed.

After her time in the boots, I then long-reined her barefoot for about 3 weeks before riding her barefoot, so she could be bare and without my weight on her back. When I did get on she was fine.

I think it's normal to be able to "feel" the tarmac surface at the beginning - the blood flow to the feet is improved and the proprioception is increased. Your horse has probably not stood on tarmac without shoes for a long time. The more work you do, the better the horse will become.

The other thing I find riding without shoes or boots is that I feel so much more secure when they do spook as they don't slip all over. Good luck!
 
Congratulations :D:D:D

On the feel - yes its normal - if I took away all your shoes you'd be wondering at how different textures felt to your nerves, this is all he's doing. His brain needs to catch up with all the new sensations :)

Conditioning feed - small amount of bran and live oats would be my choices:)
 
Completely normal to feel the road surface at 3 weeks :)

He may actually get worse some time soon. If he does don't worry. It is almost as if things "come alive" inside the feet after a few weeks. It will settle again.

Oil is barefoot safe and horses tolerate up to 500ml a day well if introduced slowly.
 
Oil good anything over say 200ml should be fed with extra Vit e. Quant a guess - too tired to double check but its in the ball park. Also you can up the superfibres to good effect and feed quite a bit of linseed. Yea sacc 1026 also helpful.
 
Thank's for all the replies, I will try to get some more up to date piccies. The growth has slowed a little in the last couple of weeks but I have noticed more going on underneath his hooves. :D

His basic diet is 1/2 scoop fast fibre with a handfull of graze on. Pro balance +. Large mug of Micronised linseed and a cup of spillers high fibre cubes.

He is fed quite a complicated array of supplements at the mo as I am trying to support so many different ailments as well as his feet but I am aiming to cut some of them down as I run out. He has magnesium, 4feet hoof sup, pure MSM ( for his hooves, joints and suspensory ligs) Equimins superjoint HA and Equimins fibre digester.

At the moment he is out for about 19 hours coming in for his one feed per day with a small soaked haynet. The field was quite good grazing but it is never lush as such and they have been in the same field since June. I would think he will be coming in overnight at the end of this month beginning of next so I will be able to give him 2 feeds per day which will most likely sort out the condition issue. It's just this last month I could do with adding a few extra calories.
 
There is a danger of polypharmacy with many different supplements.

IMO it's better to feed a good basic diet as that is often all the nutritional support they need.

Obi is getting two Stubbs scoops of Fast Fibre at the moment and that is keeping the weight on him (despite his dodgy teeth and refusal to wear rugs).

If you need more weight, you can use unmolassed beet - as it's a rapidly fermented fibre, calorie source.

If that fails, you can try Coolstance Copra - it's a fat feed, so keep supplementing magnesium alongside the Pro Balance + as high fat inhibits absorption of magnesium.
 
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