We are going barefoot!

[Ceriann]

My little mare had feet issues when I bought her about 20 months ago. My overzealous farrier at the time over corrected and she was lame. Careful farriery (new farrier) has helped and things have improved but a medial branch suspensory injury to left hind and low grade foot lameness in left fore mean have given me the kick I need to use the rehab time needed to get her shoes off. She had underrun heels, left fore with broken back pastern axis on X-ray and flat solar angle. She will stay in shoes (remedial) to allow recovery of the injury but then come out. Farrier and vet on board - farrier was clear I have to stick with for at least 6 months to see real benefit. We will re X-ray to keep an eye. The requirement to walk her for suspensory will tie with feet rehab. So I have (hopefully if injury rehab goes well) 9 weeks to prep her. Good hoof supplement to research, boots for her to buy and some surfacing to sort (I’m going to try and mix her surfaces at home in the field). Walking boots for me! She’s 11 and I can see if I don’t do something now i’ll have a broken horse by her teens - she’s more important to me than the immediate need to ride. Wish us luck!

 

[Equi]

Luck!

 

[ester]

supplements:
forage plus
pro hoof by Pro earth
equivita
equimins adv complete (tho a bit low in magnesium, best pellet option).

Boots- fit is everything and sometimes straight out of shoes they need something a bit more forgiving in fit, though mine went straight into easyboot gloves. The main thing to be aware of with the more forgiving ones is how much break over is compromised.

Good luck, F was 19 so 11 is but a spring chicken to be doing it

 

[tallyho!]

All the best - but you'll be fine! I've rehabbed a few since 2010 and the simpler you can get it, the better.

Make sure you have enough fibre and enough of the good stuff (vits, mins, essential amino acids), protein and FIBRE. Fibre is probs bottom of imaginary pyramid. Did I mention fibre?

Just make sure you get rid of as much sugar as possible.

Exercise is also pretty important so if you can't do enough yourself, then make sure they can enough all by themselves be that a track system, or enough room to roam (but not eat grass - tricky!).. woods? Anything, movement is probably next layer up on imaginary pyramid.

 

[Ceriann]

supplements:
forage plus
pro hoof by Pro earth
equivita
equimins adv complete (tho a bit low in magnesium, best pellet option).

Boots- fit is everything and sometimes straight out of shoes they need something a bit more forgiving in fit, though mine went straight into easyboot gloves. The main thing to be aware of with the more forgiving ones is how much break over is compromised.

Good luck, F was 19 so 11 is but a spring chicken to be doing it

You mean something with a bit more give, not as rigid? She’s very good to fiddle about with so fitting boots should be ok.

I’m contemplating a pea gravel section in her paddock too or am I mental?! No t/o for a few weeks so have time to sort!

 

[Ceriann]

All the best - but you'll be fine! I've rehabbed a few since 2010 and the simpler you can get it, the better.

Make sure you have enough fibre and enough of the good stuff (vits, mins, essential amino acids), protein and FIBRE. Fibre is probs bottom of imaginary pyramid. Did I mention fibre?

Just make sure you get rid of as much sugar as possible.

Exercise is also pretty important so if you can't do enough yourself, then make sure they can enough all by themselves be that a track system, or enough room to roam (but not eat grass - tricky!).. woods? Anything, movement is probably next layer up on imaginary pyramid.

She’s on a very simple diet now but do need to swap the supplement. I’ve never restricted grazing for her as she’s always been in decent amount of work and stays an ok weight but I may consider bringing at night given spring. It’s all timed v well as I’m about to finish a massive project at work so will have much more time (and due time back) to get her walking and walking and walking!

 

[ester]

No rigid is fine, but the lower profile boots tend to have been manufactured to bring the break over back (boots will always increase it a bit). I did a pic for someone let me see . Though also some can be very heavy.

We had a pea gravel section near our gate, we dug it out, put landscape fabric down and filled it. Was a waste of time and money really as it disappeared very quickly.

 

[ester]

so this is the bottom of a glove/back country where that red line is there is a wedge cut out of the boot.

 

[ester]

and this shows how the renegade sits back behind the toe slightly

 

[ester]

this shows it on a swiss galopper I've not looked at them properly before

 

[Ceriann]

this shows it on a swiss galopper I've not looked at them properly before

Ahh get it - total brain fail by me! She will need something forgiving initially, I may well need to boot for t/o too - will have to see how dry it is by then.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Cavallo simples or treks are forgiving and easy to fit, and are fine for daily turnout of up to 12 hours a day.

I found that my farrier, although helpful and supportive of her going shoeless, simply wasn't able to trim and balance her feet adequately, so I changed to an EPA qualified podiatrist in the autumn. Has been well worth it. She is recovering from caudal (heel) pain in all 4 feet, caused by poor foot balance whilst not in my care.





Good luck!

 

[Ceriann]

Cavallo simples or treks are forgiving and easy to fit, and are fine for daily turnout of up to 12 hours a day.

I found that my farrier, although helpful and supportive of her going shoeless, simply wasn't able to trim and balance her feet adequately, so I changed to an EPA qualified podiatrist in the autumn. Has been well worth it. She is recovering from caudal (heel) pain in all 4 feet, caused by poor foot balance whilst not in my care.

View attachment 30599

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Good luck!

I have a cavallo simple for one hind and she dealt with that so that’s a start! Do you use a different set of boots for work?

 

[ester]

see how you go, I do have cavallos too (for poulticing/turnout when poulticing) we were lucky as we had a really wet summer when we did it!
I'd be happy doing walk rehab work in most of the boots available tbh. I know that frank is a bit random staying in the same boots even though his hooves do look very different.

 

[ycbm]

Best of luck. If you have any issues come back and let us help if we can.

 

[Tiddlypom]

My podiatrist reckons he can ride in all paces in Cavallo treks, which are a lighter, more breathable (and more expensive) version of Simples. Still, Molly (the mare above), did plenty of road ridden work in walk and trot in her Simples when at the breaking yard. IMHO the Cavallos are a great starting point for rehab.

My other mare has Scoots just for ridden work, which suit her feet well and seem a bit sportier. The Cavallos are the easiest to fit though, which is an important consideration if (like me) you have a knackered back. I borrowed a pair of Old Mac G2s and they were a nightmare to put on, so they went back.

 

[ycbm]

I have some brand new cavallo 4 for sale. They didn't fit my TB, and he never needed them anyway!

 

[AandK]

Sorry to hijack, but are boots a nessecity for going barefoot?
I got a new boy a week yesterday. Ex racer, 6 next month. Pulled three shoes off in the first two days so had the remaining shoe taken off Weds as he was walking to/from field really well (8 min walk on some uneven stony tracks). Walked him in hand this morning and he’s good on tarmac too. Never had a ridden one barefoot before... He’s on low starch diet and got minerals on the way. I guess I keep going as we are, building it up and get some boots if he does seem sore? Would be great to keep him barefoot if I can. Any tips welcome!

 

[ester]

Nope plenty do fine without

We were ok for 6 weeks then their feet are inclined to ‘wake up’ a bit as blood flow increases. I do think it’s a good idea for people to have a cheap second hand pair on hand in case though as if you do need them you tend to want them ‘now’

 

[paddy555]

i have found scoots to be the best of all the boots. The 2 important things with boots are good breakover and tread to prevent slipping.

 

[Red-1]

I’m contemplating a pea gravel section in her paddock too or am I mental?! No t/o for a few weeks so have time to sort!

Not mental at all, I resurfaced my driveway and yard in pea gravel as a barefoot rehab aid. It was already hard core in the base, and the pea gravel seems very forgiving on the feet whilst giving them a scrub at the same time.

 

[ester]

It’s great stuff don’t get me wrong but I think you need the right area for it.

 

[ycbm]

Nope plenty do fine without

We were ok for 6 weeks then their feet are inclined to ‘wake up’ a bit as blood flow increases. I do think it’s a good idea for people to have a cheap second hand pair on hand in case though as if you do need them you tend to want them ‘now’

I'm on about six weeks now and today he felt stone stones for the first time. This happens often at the 2-6 week mark.

 

[ester]

I was glad I was pre warned F was booted on tarmac for the next 6 months ish. He never did get much concavity but he got very thick flexible soles.

 

[paddy555]

It’s great stuff don’t get me wrong but I think you need the right area for it.

and a horse that doesn't poo on it.

 

[ester]

Ah we didn’t have that issue, I do think then digging it up to roll didn’t help!

 

[Ceriann]

Not mental at all, I resurfaced my driveway and yard in pea gravel as a barefoot rehab aid. It was already hard core in the base, and the pea gravel seems very forgiving on the feet whilst giving them a scrub at the same time.

Expensive? I have a hardcore drive (it goes through 2 fields) and yard. I’m about to finish fencing yard off so could do something with that and drive. This is all once she’s off box rest - hopefully 9 weeks (small paddock only in 3 weeks).

 

[Red-1]

Expensive? I have a hardcore drive (it goes through 2 fields) and yard. I’m about to finish fencing yard off so could do something with that and drive. This is all once she’s off box rest - hopefully 9 weeks (small paddock only in 3 weeks).

I can't remember offhand, we just bought 5 1 tonne sacks and spread it ourselves.

It is clean, good for feet (!), attractive and repels burglars. It does migrate a bit, but we just harrow with the harrow on upside down (I refer to it as combing the drive's hair) and it always looks smart after that. It is also easy to clear leaves from as I use a shavings fork or poop scoop and fork, and the stones drop through.

 

[Ceriann]

I have some brand new cavallo 4 for sale. They didn't fit my TB, and he never needed them anyway!

I have one cavallo simple that I used when she was shoeless post abscess - i’ll Dig it out and check size. I haven’t measured fronts so will do that when she’s shod next (she’s staying in shoes for suspensory rehab so next 9 weeks). What are yours - simple?

 

[Reacher]

Best of luck. Mine was 12 when he went barefoot.
Some barefoot resources on the thread below (scroll down as there is more good stuff further down)
https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/barefoot-info-websites.760014/

My horse has had cavallos since he went barefoot as they were the only things that fit his long narrow feet. Fronts are wearing out, am tempted to measure to see is gloves might fit now