Would it be worth considering barefoot in this situation?

P

Poppy2003

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 January 2015
Messages
67
Visit site
Hello. First post. Will try keep it brief. Horse developed weird hip hike 4 years ago aged 6. Was eventually diagnosed with hock spavins. RVC diagnosed after a lot of time and exepense after my vets and a reffering vets couldn't get anywhere. He has had the works, bone scan, mri etc etc. was told to bute and pessoa and go from there. That didn't work. He only ever managed very light hacking on good ground with remedial shoeing. He often felt pottery, difficult going down hill and still hip hiked in trot.
He has had 2 periods of being turned away for a long period of time. Shoes off living out etc. this time he returned to hacking in the spring, shoes back on etc and he felt the best he has done in a long time. No stiffness, no footyness etc. fast forward 6 months and almost over night he started dragging his back toes in the field, barley could put one foot in front of the other whilst hacking and then eventually started stumbling in front or leg/foot giving way. Not sure which. In the end his front gave way going down a hill and he ended up on his knees. Have tried bute throughout this period which helps the stiffness but not this new front end issue.
His foot confirmation is awful. Contracted heels, toes turn out and in. Quite severely. He has always had lateral extensions and remedial trimming by various recommended farriers.
I fully retired him after going down on his knees. We have our own field so he doesn't cost anything but he is misreable.
Many times I have rung the vet and said I am considering pts. They say whatever I want is fine. I feel they have washed their hands with him.
I suspect he may have navicular or something else going on but I have spent thousands on him so not willing to go through it all again.
His shoes are off now as he is turned away. Would barefoot be a consideration for such a complex case?? His foot quality is good, it's the shape that's poor.
Thanks
 
Do you have pictures of his feet?

I have 3 barefoot horses, plus one on loan, who have all seen huge improvements in the shape and balance of their feet since pulling shoes. I have one who is 17 with hock issues and SI issues who has been injected and is in full work barefoot after we thought he would be retired.

It may not help the back end issue but it certainly wouldn't harm it to try....
 
Thanks. I may have some from a few years ago, I will check or get some more tomorrow. I feel like one of those desperate people who just won't accept it!
 
Yes I have. It's what originally got me to thinking about it.
I'm sure all his issues would have originally stemmed from his hoof conformation.
The vets are no longer helpful anymore (not that I bug them or anything!) but they just nod along now.
I have contacted a registered ep (is that correct) to have a look as I have no idea what it would involve and we have our own field so facilities are limited so not sure I could make it work.
We are way past last chance saloon now.
I suspect he may have a virus too as he is really down but struggling to pin vets down ( think they avoid me as its 'that' horse again)
 
You have nothing to loose. After going through all the options with my mare I finally took her shoes off and found a good EP , it has taken a far amount of time and the weather is not helping but we are now on the up.

There is more to just taking the shoes off and getting the feet trimmed. You need to look at diet as well. Have a look at the Phoenixhorse web site too http://phoenixhorse.myfastforum.org
 
I have read a lot about feed and diet Etc. he doesn't get any feed at the moment as he isn't in any work and we have plenty of grass and hay when needed in winter so will I need to start feeding him?
I couldn't see anything about barefoot horses who don't need fed. Or does he need fed???
 
He doesn't need feed necessarily but a mineral balancer could be helpful. Equivita, Forageplus and Progressive Earth all make good ones so you may need to give him a handful of something that to carry it.

One thing I would say is that he may need a weird shape to compensate for his issues (if you've been following rockley, you've probably seen a few examples). You will need the right hoofcare professional to support this as many (both trimmers and farriers) seem obsessed with producing an ideal shape which may not be ideal for your horse. I had one on loan that had really bizarre flare but if it was trimmed as happened before he came to me, he promptly went lame.
 
You would be better to find another vet ,I would not have some one who is not interested
I feel very sad that a vet can treat you and your horse this way .
If you can say where you are perhaps some one can recommend a good vet if that would help.
 
Shergar, example......
Horse has been very down, moping around etc for month or so. I think he may have a virus. I call vets thur am and say I want to book a vet to come out. She asks for my details. Pauses for a few moments. Says maybe it's better if a vet rings me. Said vet would ring thur, fri am at latest. Nothing to date.
Last vet visit I asked for bute. She came out as needed to do health check. Asked to see him trotted up. Commented he had very obv hip hike (diagnosed by RVC not them, they couldn't diagnose) I said about the new front issue. Reply was that is to be expected. Here is the bute
Don't mind saying I am in oxon. hook norton are my vets. They initially referred is to bourton vale who also couldn't diagnose him and could only advise we started diagnosis process from beginning. In the end I had to ring RVC myself and get them to ring my vets and ask for them to refer me.
 
From what you've said getting a qualified (that being the key word here) barefoot trimmer who has a good reputation through word of mouth would do no harm as they should be able to tell you objectively what can and can't be improved with his feet and what you're going to need to change to achieve that. (If you've got your own land then that gives you a head start on those who have to fit in with what their yard will allow). A big part of barefoot is getting the diet right and a good barefoot practitioner will be able to talk the hind legs off a donkey on this subject.

I think you really do also need to be involving your vets as well as working with some kind of idea of what's going on is normally easier than flying blind.
 
Have just seen your latest post and hmmm I think I take back my second comment and second the person recommending a second pair of eyes vetwise if you can find them in your area
 
Last edited:
Poppy2003 said:
Shergar, example......
Horse has been very down, moping around etc for month or so. I think he may have a virus. I call vets thur am and say I want to book a vet to come out. She asks for my details. Pauses for a few moments. Says maybe it's better if a vet rings me. Said vet would ring thur, fri am at latest. Nothing to date.
Last vet visit I asked for bute. She came out as needed to do health check. Asked to see him trotted up. Commented he had very obv hip hike (diagnosed by RVC not them, they couldn't diagnose) I said about the new front issue. Reply was that is to be expected. Here is the bute
Don't mind saying I am in oxon. hook norton are my vets. They initially referred is to bourton vale who also couldn't diagnose him and could only advise we started diagnosis process from beginning. In the end I had to ring RVC myself and get them to ring my vets and ask for them to refer me.
Click to expand...

The best lameness vet I know of is in Cheshire so to far away for you ,he has treated my friends horse who had a lameness problem for over a year,made worse by equine hospital telling her to turn him out work ect, her new vet diagnosed and treated in two hours some vets are just better than others. Only other thing is have a look on facebook THE TURMERIC USER GROUP lots of people and animals doing well on it,we have used it for our horse that was lame ,and a lady on the yard used it for her horse with navicular,she had horse shoes taken off , both of the horses came sound ,it is an anti inflamatory with no side affects.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top