Would barefoot be better for horse retired due to deep flexor injury?

T

ticki

Member
Joined
9 January 2006
Messages
28
Visit site
I know of a horse who's condition was made worse by incorrect shoeing, would it not be helped by going barefoot and having the foot trimmed to help with balance. I expect it would probably get a little worse before it got better maybe? Has this been tried and if so, to what outcome?
 
depends how old the injury is, i think. collapsed heels are bad for tendon injuries, they put more strain on, so you need a good farrier to keep the feet right, tbh this can be done barefoot or shod as long as the farrier's good.
 
Yes I would agree with this. Like the horse you mentioned, my horse was crippled after shoeing. She had a tear on her DDFT amongst other things picked up by MRI. Taking the shoes off and getting the feet balanced was key to her complete recovery.

If the horse is retired then the downtime going barefoot won't even be an issue, in fact the horse may even be more comfortable immediately the shoes come off, and if necessary, you could use boots for a time, while the hoof is acquiring the growth and structure it needs. The added stimulation of the frog on the ground will increase the blood supply to the foot (unshod hooves generally feel warmer than shod) and this encourages healing of soft tissue. Also reduced concussion from hard surfaces and banging on nails.

I would recommend a DAEP qualified equine podiatrist. List here:

http://www.aepsupplies.co.uk/index.cfm?sid=21583&pid=330568
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top