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Discussion on My foundered, thin soled, now barefoot horse
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Friday, Oct 10, 2008 - 4:33 pm:
I wanted to take the time to Thank
1. DrO. for the best articles on the net for founder!! Putting up with ALL of my nagging questions about diets, hooves, derotation, and gawd knows everything else in between.
2. The most supportive, knowlegeable, and helpful horse people in the world.
Cindy O. I will never forget your generosity of shipping me fleece liners for Hanks muzzle when he was getting terrible rubs... at your expense...it does renew faith in man kind that there are such nice people that you don't even know helping you.
The help with Hanks hooves was amazing from DrO.'s articles to all of you smart HA'ers (whether we agreed or disagreed)
This horse means the world to me and I thought I had pretty much lamed him for life and at one point felt terribly helpless in the situation we were in.
In 1.5 years (with many many ups and downs) he has gone from completely crippled( I so wish I had a video of that so you could see the difference) to his rotten self....ONLY because of Dr.O. and you guys.
I wanted to put this in here for people who will seek help for their foundered/foundering horses (it is a such a devasting disease)in the hope that they will see there is life after founder, it just takes time and good care, which is provided in the articles Dr.O. is always telling us to read
(your a saint Dr.O.) I would have liked to wrung my own neck at times!
Please enjoy these videos and pat yourselves on the back! I NEVER thought this horse would be moving like this again, he was not encouraged by me, all I did was open the gate!!! Oh and he is also very sound on hard ground now too (barefoot)
https://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t90/scooter_098/?action=view¤t=002.flv
https://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t90/scooter_098/?action=view¤t=011.flv
https://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t90/scooter_098/?action=view¤t=013.flv
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Friday, Oct 10, 2008 - 5:27 pm:
Wonderful Diane. Thanks for sharing those beautiful films. And what a fantastic setting.
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Member:
lilo
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Posted on Friday, Oct 10, 2008 - 9:43 pm:
Diane - it must make you feel sooo good to see him running like that!! Lilo
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Member:
jchadola
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Posted on Friday, Oct 10, 2008 - 10:05 pm:
Those are wonderful videos. Let's not forget Diane who has contributed I think to all my posts and many posts of other people who have posted on Horse Advice in a panic. Knowing what others have gone through with a happy ending gave me hope. Titan, who got laminitis in July, which totally freaked me out, is now pain free and I can ride him again (when I am over being sick - I haven't been able to ride yet but look forward to it). Diet made a huge difference including supplements. The helpful advice of everyone, including Diane who has contributed so much and Dr. O's contributions helped me understand laminitis/founder better and gave me hope that there were things I could do that would increase the chances of a good outcome. Ignorance is not bliss - it is frightening. Learning so much about laminitis/founder from Horse Advice made it understandable. Once you understand it, you can try to do something about it.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Friday, Oct 10, 2008 - 10:21 pm:
Lilo if you only knew the joy it gives me to see that boy finally pain free and able to be a horse again.
Janice well said . and I am so glad Titan is well again!!!!
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Member:
jchadola
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Posted on Friday, Oct 10, 2008 - 11:59 pm:
Diane - one question - once your boy was sound, did you let him eat grass again - I notice he did not have a muzzle on in the videos and I'd like Titan to have grass again at some point.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 - 7:19 am:
Janice he does get to graze as long as he doesn't get obese. The pastures you see him in have had cattle in them all summer and are very short, and at that I still only let them out for a few hours.
Otherwise he is in the "horse pasture" and that is so short they can hardly get anything. I check his hooves daily for a digital pulse/heat. If his gait gets shorter in the slightest bit he stays in the dry lot.
Every horse that is prone to grass founder has their own tolerance level...some can never have grass. On a whole tho if the horse is in good weight, gets regular exercise, and hooves maintained well I think they can tolerate at least some grass.
"founder prone" horses seem to have their own individual triggers as to what they can tolerate.
I have to be VERY careful with Hank in the spring and fall when the grass is lush and more plentiful.
Just in the last mo. I have let him out of the dry lot and started very slowly. I did pen off a small part of the pasture to go with their dry lot this year that way they were able to graze a little and move around, I made it a little bigger weekly. I had no problems with this and they were happy to at least get a little grass 24/7.
Janice that is what works for me, but may not work for you. I know exercise, and weight control is imperative in keeping Hank from a bout of laminitis.
Here is Dr.O.'s article....in the Prevention part it tells you.
https://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/4/5323.html
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 - 9:11 am:
Diane, he looks just great, so happy and free-moving.
What a fantastic place you have for your horses; I can understand, seeing it, how FRUSTRATING it must be (to put it politely!) to have to shut them up in a dry lot sometimes.
As somebody said above, YOU are also to be thanked for all the help you offer everybody, even when you have your own problems.
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 - 9:52 am:
Diane,
Pat yourself on the back for your persistance in getting to the bottem of Hank's troubles,and all the hard work you put in to help him become sound.
And thanks for sharing the problems for all of us to learn from too.
I love the rolling hills pastures! He seems to love them too!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 - 1:32 pm:
Thanks! I wish those hill were rolling! They are like mountains! Very steep. The boys love to run up them, but the old girl is less than enthusiastic about it.
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Member:
jchadola
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 - 6:50 pm:
Diane - it was the short fall grass that is apparently high in sugar that seemed to trigger Titan's laminitis. I see this is covered in Dr. O's article. He was overweight but not obese but I guess overweight enough along with the grass to trigger the laminitis.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 - 10:30 pm:
Janice once you have him in good weight, he could probably graze a little (slowly) finding the trigger point is hard. I think and hope I finally have Hanks figured out, after a lot of experimentation! He needs to be 1000 lbs. or less and getting some sort of exercise and it seems we are good to graze...with in reason.
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Member:
jchadola
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 - 11:47 pm:
Diane - Titan went from about 1067 lbs to about 980 and my (new - after my prior vet refused to come out) vet said he looked fine now. My farrier said the same as you - you have to try and see what he can tolerate - for example, he may be fine in the winter without a muzzle - it's a matter of testing to see what he can tolerate. Also, I'll watch his weight and keep him on his current diet and supplements.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - 5:57 pm:
Well in this continuing saga Hank was trimmed today and his hooves are really starting to look better finally. His sole isn't as "protruding" and is starting to concave a little bit. Whiteline is still stretched but is better. Between trimmings he didn't flare as bad...A FIRST!. Heel is still under-run but coming along nicely.
He is sound on all ground...he does "tippy toe" a little bit on big rocks.
Lesson learned here, PATIENCE!!!!
Doing too much = sore horse
Doing too little= sore horse
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - 6:33 pm:
I'd love to see pictures, but I DO NOT want you getting hurt trying to get them, BUT next trim, fresh photos please!
And you have it right...too much, too little, neither is good.
Maybe this winter I will put up some photos of my learning to trim journey. As I type this, I am awaiting to hear from my "hoof guru" hoping that I've finally mastered the dreaded bars!
You and Hank are an inspiration to me and my 4 equine friends!
"Watched hoofs do not change" LOL!! But let them show you what they need, and bingo, better feet!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - 6:47 pm:
LOL Angie I always take pics after a trim so I have some, as you know my picture taking abilities when it comes to hooves is not great. His hooves are far from perfect, but big improvement anyway I think!
Let's see what you think.
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - 8:57 pm:
Diane,
I think Hank's feet look great. You can see all the structures and his feet appear (at least from the pictures) to be approaching the right proportions. He does appear to still have a dish which will eventually diminish. The fact that he is now barefoot & sound on most surfaces is great news.
You have done a very good job with him. Keep up the good work.
How often do you trim him? I trim my mare every 3 weeks. Her flat feet, with no bars or heels are starting to respond and for the first time her feet are actually starting to look round, her soles show concavity and she is 100% sound, finally.
It does take a lot of patience and it takes a farrier with a good knowledge of how a horses foot actually functions to trim properly. It looks like yours knows what he is doing.
Good luck with Hank and his soon to be beautiful feet.
Rachelle
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - 10:10 pm:
Rachelle my poor farrier is not the greatest, but he sure gets A+ for effort. Hanks hoof couldn't tolerate being trimmed less than 4 weeks, he would get sore even if just rasped. He has been on a 5-6 week schedule mostly. Yes that toe dish is still there
I'm hoping when this hoof is grown out it will be gone, but not going to hold my breath on it!
We have finally figured out not to touch his thin soles, he don't even clean them up. He NEEDS a little extra wall so as not to be sore, but that does lead to some flaring. It's a difficult balance, but now that we got it figured out things seem to be going well.
Thanks
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 7:02 am:
Diane,
I should have rephrased the part about trimming every 3 weeks. My trimmer only fixes the slight imbalances my mare creates during that time frame. He never touches the sole, her sole exfoliates itself because of the amount of exercise she gets. She also gets the day off after she has been trimmed,I have found that works for her and saves me a lot of grief. The trimmer has never even needed a pair of nippers on any of my horses, just a rasp and very little of that.
One of the best things I learned about barefoot horses is that their feet adjust to the environment they live and work in. We as their owners need to understand that and adjust what we can to help them live long and healthy lives in whatever discipline we have chosen for them to do.
Kudos to your farrier and to you.
Rachelle
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 7:33 am:
Diane,
I think they look like they are making good progress. It takes time to get feet to respond. You will think nothing is changing, then one day you do some tweaking, and go AHA!! Look at that!
Because I have bars on the brain lately, (hoof, not the drinking establishments!) I am wondering if Hanks bars don't need a tad more taken off?
I finally understood how to trim bars after watching a video on youtube. Do a search for thehappyhoof. The gal does some things with drawings and clay that really helps to understand what bars do, how flares are caused, and how to trim them too.
Well worth watching!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 7:37 am:
Rachelle I have a limestone paddock and also arena, until I "broke" myself again Hank was getting worked in the arena. I wonder if that's why his hooves didn't flare so bad this time and didn't get so long! I never thought of that until I read your post. I assume you work your mare on a limestone track according to your post about your horses injury above. Interesting!
I won't touch Hanks hooves, as much as I would like to, he is just to touchy, with little room for error. It does seem that is improving too tho!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 8:06 am:
Angie we must have been posting at the same time. I noticed one of his bars is "laid over". I didn't get a very good pic of his front, but he is still flared to the inside too. I told the farrier not to touch the bottom of his hoof, probably why he didn't trim the bars...seems sometimes he does....sometimes he doesn't.
I decided to give up my hoof "obsession" with Hank it drives me nuts! What I think SHOULD work doesn't and what shouldn't does
As long as there is some improvement and we don't slip backwards AND he is sound I'm "turning a blind eye" Ignorance is bliss sometimes has been my conclusion lately with the horses!
Here is the AP shot he isn't standing square, but you can see the flare to the inside...it does look as if the top half is coming in good tho.
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Member:
dres
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 9:47 am:
Diane I have to put shoes on my young horses when we start them under saddle, the sand grinds the hoofs down and they become tender, so maybe your exercise is helping not only in circulation but in self trimming?
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
zarr
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 12:06 pm:
Diane, Thank you but it was a fair trade. By posting your struggles and triumphants with Hank we have all learned more than we ever would have on our own. The pics alone are pricless.As my girl does her air above ground trot across the pasture I share you joy in their healing!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 1:01 pm:
Bars still need to be trimmed if there is flaring. Not all flares are caused by the bars, one side left too long can cause flares too. Not touching the sole can be o.k., but not trimming the bars, is not o.k. Which I've been slow to learn. I was waiting for changes but not doing my part to help the hoof take the shape it wanted. You can back a toe up for months, but if you don't understand the bars (which I still need to learn a lot more about)you won't correct the hoof imbalances.
I repeat:
Watch the video on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Zl2Davp_g
If this link don't work, search "thehappyhoof", then it's called "how to trim the bars". Even if you never trim them yourself, it will give a good understanding of the flares, ouchy issues.
If I remember correctly, there are 3 parts on the bars, and another one that is on trimming/basic or maybe hardening the sole.
And an interesting one on trimming from the top too, and why NOT to do that. Hmmmm....
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 6:30 pm:
Ann,
How much work do you do with your young horses that are starting under saddle and do you environmentally condition their feet for the work they are to do. They should not get sore feet if they are trimmed and conditioned correctly especially if you are using a sand track or a sand arena ( unless there are rocks mixed in the sand).
I have a two year old that has been trimmed with an HPT trim since he was 15 months old. He jogged and trained on a stone dust track down to 2:25. I felt I could continue on down to race time barefoot, but was convinced that I needed to put shoes on him by a conventional trainer. I just got him back after two months from that conventional trainer and now I feel that I have to start all over again to fix his feet and all the other problems he wound up with from not having correctly balanced and trimmed feet. I just hope I can fix the damage before its too late.
Rachelle
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Member:
dres
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 7:20 pm:
I don't start them till they are three years old... up to then , they live in a pasture with free choice exercise...
When I bring them in we start with the basic stuff, Parelli training... all the quick turns and take offs and some naughty moments too , the sand grinds their hoofs to tender..
I have tried , but after a month of schooling I have to shoe as they are grinding the hoofs down to nothing..
My horses are huge if that has anything to do with it , I try to keep the young ones light specially for the first 4 years...
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 11:08 pm:
Ann I had to shoe Hank when I first started riding him on the limestone, it seemed to wear away too much of his thin sole and he did get sore.
I suspect his sole has thickened enough now that it hasn't bothered him, and it does self trim him
Angie thanks for the link will look at it tomorrow, but I still think the ignorance is bliss way seems to be working pretty well! You should start a thread on your horses hooves I would love to see pics of them.
Cindy isn't it great to see horses who couldn't walk 2 steps without pain running through the pasture! I still can't believe it was possible for Hank to recover this well. He and Ellie are great examples of founder success!
Thanks all for your comments, today that boy ran up the hill so fast, bucking and farting the whole way, brings a huge smile to my face to see him so free moving, especially a day after a trim!
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 - 12:15 pm:
Diane & Ann,
The trick is to have the right amount of stimulus to make their feet grow and know what surfaces will work to both toughen their feet and wear them ( self-trimming)so that the sore foot issue does not occur. It might mean booting them every other day until their feet get tough.
For example, I know I can jog my horses 5 miles a day on a sand track and not have too much wear on their feet, yet they get the stimulus( movement) that allows their feet to grow. I can even train them barefoot on a stonedust track as long as they jog most of their miles on the sand track.
It's when I lose the use of the sand track, that I have to do something different because I know they can only jog and train limited miles over the stone dust track before their feet get too worn.
I am now waiting for the newest easy boots to come out, so I can have the best of both worlds. The newest boots are easy boot shells that can be used with gaiters and can be removed when not needed. They are also coming out with removable glueons that can be reused. I can't wait.
Also ( I know this is Diane's thread, so this will be my last post here on my colt). I pulled his shoes last night because I wanted to see if it was his feet. Last night his feet were very warm and I did not like the way he jogged yesterday. This morning, ice cold feet and he jogged almost like his old self. The trimmer will be here today to fix and balance his feet and we will go on from there.
I wish everyone luck with their horses. We know our horses the best and we also want the best for our horses. Good luck to all.
Rachelle
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 - 7:49 pm:
I have a new farrier coming out on Monday. From what I hear, she does a very nice job with trimming and keeping horses barefoot. My last two farriers have said that neither of my boys are candidates for being barefoot, but Diane and Hank make me think otherwise!  Wish me luck!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 - 8:36 pm:
Good Luck Gwen, enjoy the "journey".
Have your boys ever been barefoot? Remember when the shoes come off it is possible they may be a little sore, especially if they've been in them awhile....let us know how it goes. If Hank can barefoot it with his pathologies, your horses should be just fine!
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 - 10:03 pm:
To all that have posted on this thread, I have a story to relate that might put what Gwen said about her farriers thinking that her horses were not candidates for going barefoot. It comes down to money.
One of the best standardbred farriers looked at my colt's feet the day before he got his first set of shoes. He told me his barefoot feet were the best he had seen on a standardbred two year old in a long time and he was even more impressed when I said he had been training down like that. He said he wished that all horses could stay barefoot because they would stay sounder a lot longer. He then told me that the reason most horses are shod is not because the horses needed it but that the farriers had to make money and just trimming doesn't make the grade. This guy commands upwards of $500 to shoe some of his clients and most of what he does is to fix a horses feet from years of being shod. Almost every horse has rebuilt feet so he can have some wall to nail or glue a shoe to.
The one mare I have barefoot now used to cost me $300 to shoe every three weeks, poor walls, thin soles, flat feet, now she costs me $60 and her feet look great. So, I'll take barefoot over shoes anytime. There are many reasons why barefoot fails in some horses lack of patience is just one. Lack of knowledge is another, so arm yourself with both and you and your horses will do fine.
Gwen, just have patience. It will take several trimmings to get your horses' feet right and every horse is different. I would take it easy on them for a few days after they get trimmed and try to keep them on soft ground, until their feet toughen up. When I first pulled my horses shoes off, I used Hoof Armour on them and that seemed to work well as long as I applied it right and did several coats a day or so apart. Now I use Absorbine Tough Stuff on their soles and toes and a moisturizer on the rest of the foot. It works for me and keeps their feet tough yet flexible.
I hope your new farrier works out.
Rachelle
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 - 10:23 pm:
I know, I am being VEERRY cautiously optimistic. My Jack has been the subject of many-a-post over the years. He is a mess in general. And one of the many reasons why he would not survive a week in the wild is his bad feet. His toes tend to grow so long, his heels are super low, his soles are very shallow, and he has bone spurs in all of those little joints inside his foot (Dr. O is probably cringing to see my description of the last part-sorry!). My biggest barrier will be the fact that he currently has full pads on, and they all live on crushed stone--great for the "trimming themselves" part--baaad for soft and forgiving I would think. Anyway, we shall see what she has to say. I have been told that my tb has wonderful feet, so I am hoping this will really work for him. My qh, not so much. The last guy said, "If you want him to walk, he needs shoes..."
Rachelle, I would LOVE to cut that cost out. Jack is not quite at $300, but he is waay more than I would like to spend on a pasture potato. Especially if he can possibly be more naturale.
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 - 7:47 am:
Gwen,
I would try and boot Jack on all 4 feet and if you can for the first few days limit his turn out if your ground is not conducive for properly conditioning his feet. Hoof-it has temporary trail boots that are soft and comfortable and easy to put on and take off. To make them last longer I use Gorilla Duct tape on the bottoms. You can get them with an extra insert to, but I haven't had the need for these, since the soft pad on the bottom of the boot is about 1/2 in thick.
Your trimmer might also have used boots that you can buy from her. It is very important that Jack gets these on as soon as he is trimmed or you will have a sore horse and be thinking its because of the removal of his shoes or the trim. The soreness can be prevented with the proper measures taken before hand, and it will cost you much less in the long run. Also, you will avoid the nay sayers (other farriers) who told you the horse can't be barefoot. I am going to try and get some pictures of my mare's feet. I think my trimmer took pictures way back when I first started this barefoot experiment, and we just took another set pretty recently. She has a lot of similar problems that your horse has including a bone cyst in her coffin joint and a negative p3 in her right hind foot ( or had). It was to the point where the foot was bulging and she was very sore. She has come a very long way and I am glad I waited it out. Now She has to make it back to the races( a few more weeks) and all will be very well.
I hope everything works out for you and your horses.
Rachelle
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 - 8:07 am:
Rachelle,
Thanks for posting your story. I wish everyone who spent money on keeping their horse shod would read that.
One thing that has always bugged me is that line "Well, my horse has always needed shoes" but they can't tell you why, and the owner has never taken the time to try barefoot.
(p.s., I love your name, I have a grand daughter with the same name!)
Diane,
I will try to start a picture thread of my horses hoofs, and the changes. It takes me forever to resize pictures, mostly because I don't know the best why to find the picture that I've resized! I am thinking on how best to do the posting as I have 4 horses with very different feet, different issues.
I think I must have a couple 1000 pictures to go through too; so I'd only want to highlight the important ones.
Gwen,
Don't give up hope. The products Rachelle mentions should help toughen feet. Not to sound like an advertisement here, but I do believe it's thehappyhoof gal on Youtube who also has a video clip out on 2 products to put on your horses sole to help toughen them up. Don't remember if it's the same products that Rachelle mentions or not, but worth trying as they are not expensive.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 - 9:02 am:
Angie you said you use Picaso...I do too, when I resize them I save them to desktop...makes it very easy to find and you can delete them when done.
Gwenn, I have nothing against shoes and would never hesitate to put them on...Hank has been in them off and on the last couple years and I think it helped rather than harmed, he usually stays in them for a cycle or two, when he seemed extremely sore and nothing helped short of booting him 24/7.
I think we are over that "hump" but fully expect if I ride him a lot on hard ground or gravel next summer he will need shoes. He is a thin soled individual, but I think he is finally thickening up some. He has always been thin soled (genetics I suppose) and the founder really left him with very little.
Anyway when I was trying barefoot the last time he got extremely sore, I had bought some hoof wraps (they have pads) and it made a big difference, he was comfortable immediately, you don't have to worry about the right size and are fairly inexpensive. They do wear out fast on rough surfaces such as limestone, but held up well for pasture turnout. It is kind of hard figuring out how to put them on the first time, but once you "get it" it is a breeze. I always have a pair on hand now...for just in case https://www.hoofwraps.com/
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 - 6:25 pm:
Alright Diane, so $20 bucks gets you 10 days. How long does he need one to toughen up---roughly?
Isn't sugardine/pine tar also recommended to toughen up the soles? I will ask her tomorrow.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 - 7:02 pm:
LOL and that's just for one! They last longer than 10 days! I'm still on my first pair and he wore them in the limestone paddock/pasture. He wore his off and on for about 2 weeks. Usually on during the day, off at night. I'm sure I could probably get another few weeks out of them. I used iodine to help toughen his soles. I also used durasole which really seemed to help!
I liked these boots real well also and they are a easy to put on! Hank liked them too and the price is about the same...he didn't need pads with these. Just think how much you are going to save on shoeing...boots are just a DrOp in the hat!
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07ff2-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204 ae5
I had gotten him some old macs too, but with his ever changing hoof they didn't fit well. His hoof is now way too small for them, so that was a waste of $$$$ The barrier boot or the hoof wraps have a little room for error! What size shoe does he take I probably have some kind of boot that would fit him!!! Hanks feet changed so much I think I have 3 pair of the barrier boots, one pair of old Macs. If any of them fit I'd be glad to ship you a pair. When his hooves were at their worst he took a size 3 shoe...they were long and under run...He now takes a size 1 but his hoof is bigger (rounder)
As encouragement Hank galloped through the limestone paddock tonight and it is like cement right now. He really is moving great! And this time I think he is going to stay that way!
Good Luck Gwenn!
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 - 8:02 pm:
Gwen,
Depending on your horse and what he does for work or if he is just a pasture ornament will determine how long it takes for his feet to toughen up. It will also take several trimming cycles to get all his hoof structures to rejuvenate ( bars, inner and outer hoof wall, frog etc.). You will also begin to notice that your horses feet get more round and more of his foot will be in back of the widest part of his foot instead of being in front of that point. and then his soles will become concave, instead of flat. Its really weird (and I know you are not at this point yet, but you will be), I get so excited to see good walls, concavity and heels on my formerly flat footed, no heels horse, I sometimes can't contain myself. Diane knows what I mean. This did not happen overnight, in fact it has been over a year and a half. But today, this horse went out and trained like a good horse and was looking for more. She has come a long way. Here's another thing I noticed about her since the shoes came off. She does not act bitchy as much as she used to, and she sure was happy after she trained today!
So, Like Diane and I have said. It is going to take patience and commitment to see it through, but in the long run both you and your horse will be much happier.
Rachelle
PS. If I remember correctly Easycare has an Update program that will give you credit towards newer versions of their boots. I think Old Macs are part of the program.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 - 7:01 am:
1.5 yrs. must be the magic number, that's how long it has taken us too, and we are not quite where we need to be. Hank had a pretty good founder then though. Up until then he was barefoot (mostly)
I have to say boots are wonderful for the rehab process, but I hate them for riding, I don't like to put them on to ride for some reason, too time consuming and my back doesn't bend as well as it used to. I used Old Macs on my arab gelding for years and that was ok because I don't ride him often anymore.
Rachelle you are so right about the transformation, I did get discouraged occasionally. Hank only had to have shoes on for 1 cycle this year and that was due to a short trim job causing bruising, and they were a life saver! Patience is the key (something I lack) and commitment (something I lack) and we still made a full swing to barefoot.
Gwen if your horse can't tolerate it, don't feel bad if you have to put shoes back on, they are lifesavers for a some horses. Just give Jack time to adjust, he'll tell you if it's possible. Against most opinions I don't think EVERY horse can go barefoot...but it don't hurt to try!!!(hopefully)
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2008 - 6:29 am:
No go on the pulling shoes. Maybe in the spring. Jack's thrush has to get under control. He has had it for YEARS, and although I manage it, this girl says that I need to get more aggressive because it is bad. Theo has protruding frogs, and I need to try to build his walls first. So she recommended a hoof supplement for that first. So we will start there.
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