Frequently foot sore - any suggestions?

[sarah]

Meg's previous pony Lucky, who I am now riding seems to have very sensitive feet - everyone says thats the TB side of him coming out!

Over the years we have had him, he has often been foot sore for a couple of days after being shod, so I have learned to leave him a day and then take him in the school, before hacking out on the gravel tracks.
He has had his fair share of abscesses and bruised soles, and can even be a bit footy on stones after some extra juicy grass.
He is very sensitive having his shoes nailed on, and my farrier is brilliant with him, and has also suggested I use the Kevin Bacon dressing to try and help, as he looses his shoes too.

I just wondered if anyone has any helpful suggestions as to how I could help him - I hate seeing him uncomfortable and I really miss riding him when he is sore.

Best wishes,
Sarah.

[Dawn P]

Hi Sarah,
Avril knows that I have always been too shy to join the forum but visit the Mysafecobs site daily because it is such a fantastic site and I have learned so much more than I ever knew, just from following Avril's advice (problems that had seemed so insoluble beforehand seem so obvious when she explains them!) and the feedback from those who have been on her brilliant courses.
Avril also knows that I am a follower of Nic Barker of Rockley Farm and the fantastic barefoot rehabilitation she has done with so many horses, including TBs with thin soles, horses with persistent hoof abscesses, eventers, showjumpers, etc. It is always by referral from a vet or farrier and her blog has some really interesting updates, footage, photo comparisons, etc. If you just google rockleyfarm, it will come up as Rockley Farm Barefoot Performance. Barefoot trimming has proved controversial in the past because of some shocking practices. However, Nic does not trim, if she can avoid it (and has, in fact, learned from experience that the horses themselves do a better job on that front than a trimmer can). She manages diet and exercise over varied terrain (always within the horse's comfort levels) and the hoof then seems to self-trim and adjust. Her success rate is high and her research is beng done and evaluated in collaboration with the University of Liverpool Veterinary Department and EqWest Equine Veterinary Practice. She is based on Exmoor.
Whether or not it is for you, I really hope you find something which will help.
Best wishes, Dawn

[em]

Hi Sarah

Gosh this will be a subject that will have many many differing opinions.. so please take the suggestions purely as opinions and not as judgements in the true spirit of the forum..

so do you get I am worried to not offend!!!!!
so this is my opinion and experience... to me if this were my horse he is making it known that this way of dressing his feet does not work for him...it feels to me like putting a person into a type of shoe that just is unbarable at the time but after a while this eases but basically the problem each time never goes away..
I do believe there is an answer but the only way is trial an error.. so options

1. try barefoot but research and discuss...the proof of this working may take many months upwards of 12 with possibly thinking you are making him very sore!... Lotties pony has been barefoot since we had her and it requires a certain allowance by the farrier to not trim their feet tight.. now before hand she just hacked out on flat tarmac roads..(no issues)... now since we moved we are on sandy bridlepaths but with some very stony lengths and undulating areas.. her feet initially started to chip (big chunks in places) and to be honesst I wavered to thinking that she needed shoes in front.. however what I have noticed is that infact they are reforming and changing shape.( backing up the rockley farm theory to the horse knows best) the chipping etc has now stopped and settled down but the feet have definately changed shaped

2. leather pads.. these can support the sole but they suck off easily in winter

3. a more modern version of leather pads is a chemical compound that is put onto the sole after shoeing and doesnt get sucked off like the leather.. I have used this and it did work for an older pony but it cost over a 100 quid for just fronts!!!!

4. glue on shoes.. these are hideously expensive they dont hurt and if done well do stay on but wear down easily if hacking out a lot

5. i know this is a difficult one but change farrier just for one shoeing if you can... it is if you can do it an eye opener to the quality of your own farriers technique good or bad and gives you a base line to compare.. however make sure who you choose is highly recommended..I know this is difficult because we all become comfortable with our farriers and dread losing them but it is a service that we pay for and we have a right to check that they are upto date in their knowledge because there are many differing types of nails longer shorter with a sharper or more blunt taper and these can all affect how comfortably the nail goes in through the wall and how close it skims the laminae

sorry its long hope it helps x x x x

[sarah]

Thank you so much for your replies, certainly food for thought. He seems ok now, but I aim to have a good chat with my farrier when he is next here - he is very good and knowledgeable, but also open to new ideas and suggestions.

Thanks again,
Sarah. xx

[liz]

I'm fortunate in that I never had a horse with problem feet - mainly because if they had poor feet I wouldn't buy! Nearly all my horses were TB crosses, too! However, a friend had a Selle Francais (French TB type) who's feet were truly awful and she spent a long time getting them better. She had a good remedial farrier (hugely expensive) but also used Keratex products (Hoof Hardener and may be something else, I can't recall) and and they worked brilliantly. It might be worth investigating their products. Her horse had very similar problems to your's by the sound of it and it did take a long time to mend his feet. He was shod about every 3 weeks ................ Anyway, he returned to eventing eventually and did OK.

Here's a link to the Keratex website - it's worth a read, if nothing else. www.keratex.com/

[erika]

TB's do tend to suffer more with foot problems than your average horse. The first horse I went to see was half TB but was lame when I got to the dealer.
The conditions around here are terrible for horses with sensitive feet. Mostly flints over the top of chalk and for many of the horse owners the bridleways are unrideable in dry weather due to this. I always ride with a hoof pick because the flints can become wedged in the feet whilst out riding causing instant lameness. I know that even our trusty cobs do not like some of the paths and pick their way carefully along trying to avoid the worst stretches. I do ride out with an arab who is completely barefoot and he doesn't seem to have any more issues than the rest of us.
I think TB's feet do tend to bruise more easily because on my friend's horse you can see the bruising in the sole after some rides whereas George, even if he has had a flint wedged shows no affect whatsoever.
Finally, if bruising does occur, or even after shoeing, give your horse some arnica as this will reduce any soreness.
Erika & George