What do you think of these feet?

[Surbie]

Cobbus is exactly 3 weeks into a 6-week shoeing cycle but his fronts just look like the toes are too long. He is tripping, particularly the left fore, when out hacking. We hack out 2-3 times a week.

I've messaged my farrier to ask him if he can come to check out the feet but I'd be interested to hear what you think.

 

[chaps89]

Do you use the Gregorys by any chance?

 

[Surbie]

No.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

They look overdue, I'd have never guessed that these were 3 weeks post shoeing.

Do you have a sole photo?

 

[Surbie]

They look overdue, I'd have never guessed that these were 3 weeks post shoeing.

Do you have a sole photo?

No, but I'm just off up to the yard to do evening poo picking so I'll get some then.

They haven't looked like this before, at least not till just before shoeing. He lost a lot of false sole the day before he was shod.

 

[chaps89]

Ah fair enough, just looks a very similar style of shoeing. They do look long considering they're only mid-cycle.
Mine is growing false sole like you wouldn't believe.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Ah fair enough, just looks a very similar style of shoeing. They do look long considering they're only mid-cycle.
Mine is growing false sole like you wouldn't believe.

I thought same when I saw the OPs 1st post!
Is OP in SE?

 

[holeymoley]

I’ve not read the replies but they look awfully long. Left fore looks like the heels are slightly under run. Has he been shoeing him for long?

 

[holeymoley]

The growth rings are interesting too. Has he ever been ‘footy’ ?

 

[Surbie]

Right, back from yard. I hope these are good enough. Could there be another big layer of false sole getting ready to come off?

I do try, but I know I don't know nearly enough about feet.

 

[chaps89]

I thought same when I saw the OPs 1st post!
Is OP in SE?

Glad it wasn't just me, they have quite a distinctive style of shoeing and those feet looked quite similar to some that I know done by them, and yes OP is in SE, just a bit further round the M25 from our way
Ets - hope you didn't mind me asking OP

 

[Surbie]

Is OP in SE?

Yes I am.

I’ve not read the replies but they look awfully long. Left fore looks like the heels are slightly under run. Has he been shoeing him for long?

For 2 years now. Every 5-6 weeks.

The growth rings are interesting too. Has he ever been ‘footy’ ?

He has had some foot issues. Starting with a 9-month recurrent abcess in the left fore in 2017. His fronts fell apart to the nail holes in May last year after being out in wet, long grass 24/7. He's now on shorter, drier paddocks & has various supplements for his feet. All 4 were x-rayed in 2019 & trimmed to the x-rays by my farrier with the vet present.

He came off all feed in early March with lockdown equating him being chucked out 24/7. He has been back on feed since May (when I started riding again) which is basically a carrier for his supplements, which newly include boswellia. Strip grazing also started in May.

He has occasionally not liked going from the level road at the yard up a stony bridlepath, but this was when bringing back into work, when he was also stiff.

He's ridden approx 9-10 hours/week.

Sorry for the long answer!

 

[holeymoley]

I would be interested to hear what others say but to me he’s really long in the toe and under run in the heel, could do with getting the toes taken back a bit and a general trim. He may have generally upright boxy feet but they could definitely be a bit better than they are just now.

 

[Gloi]

There is also a lot of retained sole in there , ready for shedding.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Once we had that rain after the dry spring, I did find that the grass flushed a bit and my horses hooves have been growing more. I wonder if this has contributed to the way your horse's hooves have grown so much?

If you have otherwise been happy with your farrier's work then it's probably best just to get his back ASAP to trim the hooves and reset the shoes.

I would definitely keep a very close eye on the hooves though and would keep a bit of a photo diary (so re photograph after he is re shod) that is regularly updated. I wish that I had done this when my chestnut mare's toes started to go long, it removes the self doubt as you can see photographic proof. The proof of course may show that this is a 'blip' but that will help you as maybe he needs a shorter shoeing cycle when the grass is rich?

If he was mine I would give him a break from shoes (and hope that they never needed to go back on) but I have had success with this in the past so I'm already very positive about giving that a go.

 

[bubsqueaks]

Again Im no expert but for what its worth …. they look too long, flared,& very underrun at heels - running up from the heel it doesn't appear to be supporting any of the leg?
Also from the sole photos they look very worn at the toes but nowhere else?
They just don't look right from an unexpert opinion - similar to mine years ago which led me down the barefoot route!

 

[Marigold4]

I'd be thinking about changing my farrier

 

[AmyMay]

How much work are you doing?. They don’t look brilliant - but I am absolutely no expert on feet. However, my mare was done every five weeks in the summer, could never have gone any longer due to shoe wear and foot growth.

 

[VioletStripe]

I'm no expert but echo above - too long in the toe and underrun at the heel. I would get the farrier out asap, and consider switching in all honesty..

 

[claret09]

personally i would be horrified if my horse's feet looked liked that. i would be changing farrier and getting the new one out asap to do something about the mess they are in

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Like others I would not be happy if my horses feet looked like that, too long, underrun, also the bearing surface looks wrong, as in it does not look like they taken enough off the frog, as in your pictures the frog looks on the same level as thes shoe.

I would be changing farriers, I had one which *Damaged* my horses feet.

 

[be positive]

Like others I would not be happy if my horses feet looked like that, too long, underrun, also the bearing surface looks wrong, as in it does not look like they taken enough off the frog, as in your pictures the frog looks on the same level as thes shoe.

I would be changing farriers, I had one which *Damaged* my horses feet.

The frog is actually fairly decent for a shod horse, it should be at the same level, or near to, as the shoe if it is going to do the job it is meant to, all too often the farrier trims too much off or the frog does not grow properly because it is not in use, the feet are too long, the heels are underrun and something needs to be done before the feet get worse but I would be furious if the farrier cut away any frog, unless the horse had thrush.
To me they look as if he would cope really well barefoot it could be the ideal time to try getting the shoes off, not trimming too much other than a bit of toe and see if he grows the foot he needs.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Absolutely BP - the frog is the best bit of those hooves.

 

[Surbie]

Thanks for all the replies - I very much appreciate the help & comments. I'm going through the options at the moment.

@Amymay he's ridden 6 days a week, 9-10 hours per week at the moment after his lockdown holiday. Hacks include a variety of surfaces and some gentle hills.

@be positive, he was barefoot for 2 years before I had him. He struggled with it and was in low impact work on a range of surfaces. His feet grow incredibly slowly. I would still try it, he's fed a 'barefoot friendly' diet and is but he isn't mine, and a condition of the loan is that he remains shod. The farrier doesn't trim his frogs unless absolutely necessary.

 

[Polos Mum]

Without wanting to hijack would any feet knowledgeable people be happy for me to pm them some photos for thoughts - thanks in advance

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Without wanting to hijack would any feet knowledgeable people be happy for me to pm them some photos for thoughts - thanks in advance

I'm happy to have a look.

 

[IrishMilo]

What made you ask about the feet in the first place?

I have no more to add than what's already been said but I can't believe you're only three weeks into the cycle either. I'd take the shoes off, take the toes back as much as you can at every visit and try to sort the heels out.

 

[Surbie]

Just to round this off - thanks again for taking the time and thought to reply to this, I do appreciate it.

Farrier has been back. Trimmed feet, taken the toes back & will keep them further back in future. No more stumbling and lands flat in front - he's been round a local farm ride and out for two 2-3 hour hacks since.

Thanks also for the foot diary idea, will def get on that as my last decent trim photos for him were very old.