Wide Frogs... Shoes Pinching

[AgarTheWarmblood]

My 9yr old Warmblood has huge hooves.
His fronts are fine but his back seem to have very wide frogs at the base of the hoof.

After taking him hacking for approx 7miles (just steady in walk and a tiny bit of trot) he started limping really badly as soon as I got back to the yard.
We called the vet out and she thinks it's because he has wide frogs and the regular shoes are pinching his frogs at the sides causing pain, which only shows up on the harder ground when hacking.

We're getting the remedial farrier to come and see him today to see what he thinks, but i'm curious if anyone else experiences the same thing with their horse/s and what they do to combat it?

I don't want to have to stop taking him out on hard surfaces just to prevent this, and am hoping there will be a more practical solution, broad webbed shoes, heart bars, gel pads etc.

Please share your experiences...

Thanks
Sarah

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Try him barefoot on the hinds?

 

[Casey76]

Sounds like the shoes are too narrow at the heel. The shoe shouldn't cover the frog, just provide adequate heel support.

 

[Andalucian]

Sack your vet, what twaddle! Shoes should fit the feet, get a better farrier is the first place to start.

 

[Brightbay]

It sounds as though your vet is implying that wide frogs are a problem to be corrected? That's a bit worrying!

 

[SuperH]

One of mine has very wide frogs, my farrier just makes shoes that fit her it isn't a problem. I would suggest getting a second opinion from a good farrier (one who actually makes shoes not just nails them on from a box of standard sizes).

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Absolutely not heartbars, the shoes don't fit, get a good farrier or start on a foot oriented mineral and think about removing the shoes altogether.

 

[Kat]

Does he need shoes behind? Most manage fine without.