What do you think of this hoof?

[nirikina]

Connor has been barefoot for 2 months.

He was trimmed 4 weeks ago but very sore afterwards so I think too much was taken off. He seems to be self-trimming now and I run a rasp round to maintain the roll.

What can I do to encourage his frogs and heels to develop?

This is his worst foot:

 

[moorman]

Nutrition, diet ,nutrition, plus condition. Good strong tissue comes from a good diet.
Worth getting the book 'Feet First'.
Start to write down EVERYTHING your horse eats in 24 hours.

 

[Oberon]

He's growing a new angle from the top - but I can't quite work out if those top two inches match or not - that is also a diet 'ping' for me if it doesn't.

It looks from the wear that he is landing toe first. Looking at the state of his frog and heel - I can appreciate why.

That sulcus is very deep still. Can you run a hoofpick through it without him flinching?

Heels are contracted. I found my old boy's heels bounced open as soon as I sorted out the sulcus with Sudocrem swabs. It took two weeks, after being infected for 13 years

Getting him comfortable enough to work that caudal area is the key. Then he will land correctly and he will fix that ratty looking frog with ground stimulation.

He looks (to me) like a work in process. Slow but steady progress is fine

 

[nirikina]

His other 3 feet are now landing heel first, but this foot, his worst, does still land flat. I've been treating his frogs with sudocreme but can't see much of an improvement.

We hack out in boots, he gets walked barefoot on various surfaces, and schooled barefoot in the arena. I want to stimulate his feet, but he's still quite sore sometimes.

He lives out 24/7 with hay in the field. He gets a handful of happy hoof after he's worked and the occasional (1 a week) apple or carrot.

 

[unbalanced]

Hasn't happy hoof got molasses in it? My horse's frogs looked like that the last time she was shod and I was advised to put red horse field paste on them every day. Now she is barefoot and her heels and frogs are looking much healthier. It might be worth a try for you too.

 

[Oberon]

I'd make some thought about his mineral intake then.

My old boy started to contract and sulcus deepen in August (when he started to chose to come in at night) after being thrush free for 6 years.

I was getting around to thinking about digging out something to treat it with....

He was getting a daily feed at night in his stable and it contained the balanced minerals from a forage analysis.

After two weeks his hooves looked beautiful.

White line tighter than I'd ever seen and the heels bounced back out to where they should be.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=498827

If you aren't in a position to get a forage analysis - then there are two mineral supplements that can help. If you do a search for diet and barefoot - you'll find lots of threads.