what can I do with these hooves? :(

Definitely check for ACTH levels and for Insulin and Glucose - no matter what the vets or farriers do if there is raised ACTH you are on a hiding to nothign until you sort that out.

Have you got an area of low grass waste ground he can go out on?

For me boots are great for getting to a field or turnout area but the optimum is to get him on to a surface like pea gravel or just a dry lot and let his feet get the stimulation.


And frankly the other thing I would do is give them a rest from the trimming for a while. It may just be what they need.
 
Thank you ester. The hbs stayed on because he wasn't turned out in them :( we are on livery, no sand or gravel area available.
Oberon thank you for your pm. I tried to reply but not sure that it worked because I'm on my phone. I have been in touch with nick who was recommended on phoneix forum - he was very helpful. Feet pics to follow
 
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Op when my girl was really sore I had her stabled on a deep bed so she was comfy without boots then she wore boots and pads when out if the stable. I walked her out on concrete and turned her out for an hour each morning and night on the sand school at first. Then I was able to stop using the boots on the sand and only use them for hard ground. I would have put her in the field for short periods in them if it hadn't been so muddy. She now only wears the boots for ridden hacks.
 
How sore was she kat? I know deans was never comfortable without a shoe but this was heartbreaking to see :( he looked so so unhappy :( I was in tears looking at him
 
Hey,*

My horse has a similar diagnosis as your boy. We did the remidial shoeing and it didn't help. So we went barefoot against my vets advice *- we didn't have any other options left other than PTS. I got the diet sorted and then asked for his shoes to be removed as soon as the shoes came off I measured for boots and got some pads pretty much all in the same day. My boy was comertable in his deep bed of shaving on a night and we turned him out during the day with pads and boots and he was given so much relief, he was never uncomfortable with his boots on. *I have been super careful with my boy as he has such thin soles and after 4 months I have only now decided it's time to try turnout without boots and he is coping fine. We still use the boots for hacking. Chin up I have been in your position and I know how heartbreaking it is - boots and pads saved my boys life and also the invaluable advice from other HHO members xxx
 
This is my dilemma - he is sound in shoes. Otherwise it would be a no brainer :( I don't want to hurt him. But the fact that he was so sore when the shoe came off scared me
 
I would still try the boots and pads, he maybe sound in shoes but he can't keep them on his feet and he is taking half his foot off when he pulls the shoes off. The boots and pads would offer him protection and comfort.
 
Try boots and pads I have been blown away by how well they worked for my girl. My vet wanted her in imprints and then changed her mind when she saw her bouncing along in the boots. She wanted her in heart bars further down the line but that is a different story. ......
 
has there been new xrays to show the pedal bone has correct? am just pondering here.

I think my only other thought is that he is sound in shoes now post box rest? that doesn't necessarily mean he will stay sound in them in work. F had 2.5 months on field rest in his eggbars and lameness was improved (2/10 instead of 4/10 maybe) but not sure if that was shoes or rest at the time. Stayed same in walk work but soon reverted (poss to worse than before) when trot work started.

It might help you if you could talk to a good trimmer in person/let them look at feet and see what they think. Taking F bf was v. worrying at times but I am very thankful to my trimmer who has done an excellent job, had lots of good advice and put my mind at rest before doing it (she also answered her phone on a bank holiday :eek:! )
 
Although he was not turned out he has been in full work, schooling and hacking, so I think he is happy in the shoes... provided that the shoes stay on and that my farrier shoes him as the remedial farrier did... I think I will get in touch with the trimmer who can help me measure him for the boots etc. They did not re xray.
 
Ah didn't realise that, was just pondering.

In the great scheme of things boots aren't that expensive (my trimmer fitted franks) I got one new, and one just tried on off ebay! and shoes can always go back on if you need to :).
 
Ditto ester, my boots cost about £70 for a pair brand new. They have paid for themselves. I fitted them myself with no problems though I later discovered that my farrier would have done it if I had asked. He can also buy the boots trade. My boots are still usable after more than six months wear.

If you don't get on with them they can be sold on and hold their value well
 
Boots do work out good value in the end. I try and get mine from ebay second hand as there are often hardly used ones on there for about £60 a pair. I always have my eyes open and get them when they come up, ready for when I need the next pair. They usually last me about 6 months before he wears the toes through and I do a lot of road work.

I'd advise anyone just starting using boots to go for second hand then if they aren't right or the feet change they can be resold without losing money.
 
So is putting shoes back on the absolute worse case scenario? I'm so afraid to go against vet's advice and then it'll be all my fault if he gets lami and I lose him :(
 
Kat I've had mine a year and for some of that they went out most days (he got a bit sore 6 weeks post shoeing and used them for the next 3/4 months a fair bit) they don't get a trip out much these days.

Emilieu, I if honest I struggle to understand why your vet thinks that this is so likely without shoes. Have you spoken to them recently to see if opinion is the same? does farrier think the same atm? Again I suppose that's why it might be helpful for someone good to come and look at his feet (not necessarily take shoes off) and give you their opinion too.
 
Ask why they don't think boots are suitable. I found that my vet hadn't really seen boots and didn't understand how useful they were. My farrier and another vet were more open minded. The first vet didn't have much logic behind wanting shoes on.
 
Emilieu,
As a farrier here is where I stand on your predicament.
If the vet and farrier YOU have chosen say that they wish the horse to be shod then so be it, as I feel to go against them puts you in a very vulnerable position, but I will say one technical thing about the shoeing (rare for me).
If fitted right you should defiantly get some wall growth while the shoes are on, when this has been achieved in 4-5 weeks I would re assess the situation, I always prefer my transition clients to have the shoes on for around this period of time before going barefoot even in boots.
If the feet are not growing down (but out) then it is the shoes that are more likely to be causing strain, concussion, and deviation on the laminae thus a form of laminitis.
The idea behind the H/B shoe is that by transferring some weight to the frog and DC the heels have a chance to reach an angle of support, that can only happen if the tongue of the shoe is placed correctly and the pressure is either primary, supportive or secondary.
Yesterday I was working with a farrier who has been asked to fit 2 H/B’s, as he had never done it before he asked for my help. my first reaction to this is always 1) Shock that the vet was willing to allow the farrier to do this. 2) That the vet was not going to be present when they were being fitted 3) The owner was totally unaware of what the shoes were meant to do.
Although I would love to have said leave them off this was not the time or place to do it, suffice to say I have asked to be there in 4 weeks time, then I may not be able to keep so quite!!
 
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