Chunk out of front foot

[fairlady]

Sioned and Bertie have just reached 3. Both have regular trims but this
time I had a new Farrier and although pleased at the time felt that maybe
he had left their feet just a little 'long'.

He told me that he thought they both had brilliant feet and understood
my reasons for wanting to keep them both barefoot if possible and actually said
he thought I would be crazy to shoe either, IF it proved to be a problem later when
working maybe fronts only, but only if there was a problem.

However, went up yesterday and Sioned has a huge chunk out of one of
her front feet. Think mainly its because the ground is so dry and hard as
in the 2 years I have had her I have never had this problem with her feet
before.

Don't think the Farrier will be able to trim right back to clear the chunk
missing as her foot will then be too short but wondered if there is anything
I can do to help until he comes in 2 weeks time. She doesn't seem
lame or sore on it at all. Both of them have pretty 'rough' looking feet
at the moment tbh with the dry ground, Bertie's are not quite as bad
as Sioneds

 

[Wally]

Really, don't worry, so long as you are getting her trimmed regularly it'll be fine. \Sometimes you do get huge chunks missing, sometimes you might have to chop out a huge chunk to treat a problem. So long as there is no stinking infection under the bit that has chipped off, don't worry too much.

 

[juliecwuk]

have you got any pics? how big is a big chunk?

i would imagine its just natural chipping and breaking to keep the toes at the most natural length. i wouldnt worry too much and wait till the farrier comes next

 

[dragzb]

If she's not lame then I'd just leave well alone and wait for the farrier's visit in a couple of weeks. It might be unsightly but as long as she's not hopping then I'm sure she's fine.

I know that Mol had a crack in one of her fronts which got a slight infection in it so my farrier took a chunk out, she looked like she had a pigs trotter for 6 months didn't look great but as there was nothing wrong with her we just left it at that.

 

[Yann]

I think the lovely weather is making the feet more brittle, a horse on our yard who is a little overdue for a trim has just lost a huge chunk out of a hind. Like yours she's totally unbothered by it - I wouldn't worry, All things being equal the farrier will ignore it and trim as if it wasn't there and it will grow out