WWYD? hoof problem

M

monsterwillow

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2011
Messages
153
Visit site
hi folks :) looking for some advice/suggestions if you dont mind.

i recently bought a 15.1hh ex polo pony mare. from an auction! i did notice she wasnt 100% sound but she was a very sweet mare in good condition and worth a shot i thought.

anyway, her feet were strange. 1 long flat front hoof with a rolled toe shoe and 1 normal looking hoof with a normal shoe. my thoughts were to just turn her out and see how she was. farrier came and started trying to even out her feet but its going to take another few goes.

only now a good few weeks later i managed to trace the last owner! story is she ripped off a shoe on the 'normal' hoof and got a pretty bad infection that took a few months to sort, since then she has been 'short' on the foot? now, before i get the vet i just wondered if anyone had any experience of anything like this? shes not lame as such. noticably short in walk and trot but when trotting really forward its not noticable and canter fine. no issues with turning tight circles etc.

farrier thinks that because her feet were so unlevel she will have been over compensating and walking odd and that she will take a while to get feet right and walking balanced again?

farrier did put new shoes on for now but im thinking i should probably whip them off and see how that goes?

thinking about it now....would the bad have not grown properly due to the infection and thats why her feet were so different? x
 
Shoes off, good diet, correct trimming and exercise on surfaces that she is comfortable on (walking in-hand on tarmac would be ideal if she's happy to do so).

Can you post some photos of her hooves?
 
Faracat said:
Shoes off, good diet, correct trimming and exercise on surfaces that she is comfortable on (walking in-hand on tarmac would be ideal if she's happy to do so).

Can you post some photos of her hooves?
Click to expand...

thanks! this is what i was thinking of. i will get some photos later on. wish i had taken some before the farrier came though.

she will walk no problem on any surface. even the stony farm track up to the stables and she never bothers, ears forward, keen to go etc. x
 
I agree with Faracat.
My horse has very unmatched front feet, and is unshod, but she is sounder like this than when the farrier used to try to make a matching pair, which looked pretty, but obviously didn't suit her. Good luck with her - sounds like she's fallen on her feet with you! :)
 
Get a professional barefoot trimmer and go barefoot! If her feet arnt hard enough for road work barefoot, use hoof boots when hacking. This worked with my thoroughbred show jumper who used to have a very similar problem and couldn't keep shoes on. X
 
Oh! Forgot to add that I also fed her Lexvet (I feed this to all my horses, it is incredible, better than NAF or other big companies) and that really helped ( I fed her the b1 coolmix as she's a bit hot headed)
 
What faracat said!

You won't change anything very well with shoes on. Best to let the feet rebalance with the help of some top class trimming.
 
Faracat said:
Shoes off, good diet, correct trimming and exercise on surfaces that she is comfortable on (walking in-hand on tarmac would be ideal if she's happy to do so).

Can you post some photos of her hooves?
Click to expand...

This is what I would do to.
 
thanks everyone :) i did think about taking the shoes off to start with but because i didnt know anything about her just got new ones on. at least i have a bit of information to go on now.

now....i have no clue what makes a good bare foot diet so if anyone can help with that? also any supplements i could use etc?

really hoping she will come right as she has settled in so well and is a really nice little mare :) cant believe someone let her go for so little money without even trying to fix her :( x
 
Well, erm, there isn't really a barefoot diet as such.

However, there is a basic diet perhaps ALL horses should get to stop hoof problems from happening and that is a high fibre diet (we're taking less than 8% sugars - thats sugar & starch combined on a label) with something nutritious to give essential fatty acids and really any decent mineral supplement. Pro-hoof seems popular, although I manage mine on a different one pretty well.

My old boy and my 2yo have the same diet:
Speedibeet (good for calcium and high in fibre)
Alfalfa Pellets - both these soaked into a fluff together overnight.
Micronised linseed (100g)
The necessary vits n mins.
I like to give them herbs so they get mint, fennel (when in season) and nettle.
Touch of salt & acv (yes, seriously! :D:D:D).

So, there's an example for you anyway. Sure others will oblige you with their diets.

This gives my boy enough energy to compete at weekends and school and hack all week and gives my filly enough to grow and shine like a diamond.

One has white hooves and are like marble to rasp. Filly has black hooves and they are the same! Took me thumb knuckle off this morning!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top