Re: Ex racehorse Thoroughbred going barefoot! Piccies

Just an update really, I cant belive its been 6 weeks since we went barefoot with our ex race horse - it seems like 6 months! - we have sometimes gone two steps forward and one step back at times and I can fully understand why horse owners have the shoes put back on, within days of them being removed. I would always recommend hoof boots to hand, all ready if you do decide to go barefoot, we couldnt have coped other wise. Not with our flat footed, thin soled, chipping, cracking, crappy feet chap. After his shoes were removed, my farrier didnt want to touch them as they were so sore from him yaking his shoes off so many times, he just trimmed/rasped. Then after a week, they collapsed really, the old hoof at the bottom where the nail holes were, came away but at different angles so they were misshappen, also a crack developed at an alarming rate where the old two clip was, and started to separate, my farrier widened it so, I could keep clean with diluted bleech to avoid infection, he also burnt the hoof just above the top of the crack to stop it following further up the foot. So, followed 5 weeks of constant scrubbing with diluted Milton each morning, and checkig for heat etc, especially after our scare when he was lame with hot feet a week after going barefoot. We regulated his grazing, not rich grass and also changed the diet so absolutely no sugar.

His feet have grown at an astonishing rate, with barefoot horses, you must ride as much as possible to encourage hoof growth, he has always been 100% sound in the field, from day one actually, but was lame on the concrete yard and impossible to go down the farm track to the field without his cavallo horse hoof boots. The boots took time to get used to but, now I am quite an expert and Spirit lifts his feet up to have them popped on. We started to ride every evening for just 15 minutes in the field, booted up, plus some hacking (if he can behave himself though!) - two weeks ago he walked sound on the concrete yard, I was soo happy. 

Then, we had the wet weather, I made the mistake of leaving him out for the night, and for the day, in wet weather - this was  mistake, when I went to get him in from the field, one of his front hooves had broken away and to my horror, the top of the hoof was literally peeling away, when I picked up his hoof and had a good look underneath, you could see separation between the outer wall, water line and white line, since discovered that this is called wall separation, due to poor quality hooves at the bottom, the stretched white line, being flared at the bottoms, due for trim etc, and I have been naughty and should have had him trimmed a week ago but, thought I could wait for 4 weeks. The otherside is not so bad but, both feet show separation at the bottom. I have spoken to my barefoot trimmer and she is coming out tomorrow at 1pm - cant wait, have lots to discuss with her. Also, we have a hole in the sole, just behind the toe, I dont know if it was an old abscess that had burst, or that because his sole was so weak, a stone etc had made the hole, I am cleaning it and putting redhorse hoof putty in, again shall discuss this

I have taken some photos and shall load these up to show you. Although his feet dont look very pretty, he has honestly grown a good inch in the past 6 weeks, which is amazing as he never ever grew hoof when he was shod, also he is doing really well and can be led on concrete ground without any protests, again sound and this was a horse that would be dog lame whenever he pulled a shoe. Still have a long way to go though.

Re: Ex racehorse Thoroughbred going barefoot! Piccies

photos at 6 weeks barefoot, 4 weeks after trim by farrier, bare foot trimmer coming tomorrow - so photos to follow - you can see how much hoof growth in just those two weeks from previous photo and how the hoof is growing faster on the inner side, damage shown from the wet weather and wall separation, photo from underneath shows this too.

Re: Ex racehorse Thoroughbred going barefoot! Piccies

erm, an old canon digital, about 10 years old now.

Re: Ex racehorse Thoroughbred going barefoot! Piccies

I'm glad your horse is doing so well, not just with his feet but after his accident when he had the head injury - so relieved to hear it's all worked out so well for you.

Re: Ex racehorse Thoroughbred going barefoot! Piccies

Well, no piccies I am afraid - as nothing to show, the bare foot trimmer said his feet were pretty shocking, said my main worry is the thin soles. Has to be booted at all times, even when standing on the yard eating his haynet. Also, made me put some pads inside for extra cushioning. Basically, his outer wall is waffer thin, like a piece of toilet paper, and the water line and water line are also very thin and separating at the bottom, only time will sort that out as it grows down. She could only trim underneath very slightly and lower the bars either side of his frog. She is coming back out in 5 weeks time. She was very helpful and even bought some freeze dried horse legs with hooves, cut down the middle to show what goes on inside a horse leg, was a bit horrible, but interesting at the same time. She said she could make his hooves look very pretty after a trim but, he wouldnt be able to walk! So, its feeding correctly, riding and watching those soles so that he doesnt pierce them with a stone etc. She said they are not the worse she has seen and can see I have been keeping on top of the thrush but, the damage has built up due to the shoing, he also has nail bind? large black areas around the old nail holes.

Bought some padding from her for the cavallos, its like polystyrene and she gave me the black colour, which is thinner, you basically cut it out and pop it into the boot and then when the horse stands on it, it collapses to a perfect shape of the foot/frog etc and the foam gets into all the crevices of the boot so, its a perfect fit, especially important if the boot is slightly on the larger size. Our boot (size 2) is on the snug size but still fits, but the padding shall help his soles and frogs, she said dont ride with them without padding. Cavallo also do gel pads, these are approx £10 for a pair but the foam was approx £4 to fit both boots. Its special foam for horses for padding. Shall have to look it up on the internet.