Sorry a follow on from someone elses thread... Farrier or EP/BF Trimmer???

popularfurball

Learning all the time
Jul 18, 2005
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Silver seems to be coping well with being unshod - she has been barefoot since August and other than the inital foot sore period of about 2 weeks (also as a result of going lame when she cast the shoe), she has been great barefoot.

However we are doing more road work, and will progress to faster bridleway work when the weather permits - these are quite stony.

She is hopelessly desperate to be trimmed, so please excuse. Farrier last trimmed in August, but checked her October and said another 8wks. Due to weather and moving yards had issues getting farrier out :rolleyes: but I do know she is desperate to be trimmed - hence contemplating changing to EP etc. None are chipped or cracked and she is having no obvious problems.

So, the questions:

1) Does she need to be shod? How do you tell other than lameness that they need to be shod?

2) Farrier or barefoot trimmer? Is farrier doing a good enough job or will extra cost of EP be justified?

3) Do they look ok? I cant decide if heels are underrun - it seems a fine line between ok and underrun with my eyesight!!!

Any opinions on the above would be greatly recieved :D

Near Fore
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Off Fore
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Near Hind
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Off Hind
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1) Does she need to be shod? How do you tell other than lameness that they need to be shod?

Other than soreness (from whatever cause) I can't really think of any reason, and you could always try boots instead if you didn't want to.

2) Farrier or barefoot trimmer? Is farrier doing a good enough job or will extra cost of EP be justified?

Those feet don't look disastrous, but there's apparently plenty of stuff there that would benefit from being tidied up - I bet the farrier wouldn't leave them like that if he was shoeing them. You might be better off with a trimmer if he's an 'it'll do' type.

3) Do they look ok? I cant decide if heels are underrun - it seems a fine line between ok and underrun with my eyesight!!!

Not an ideal set of pics but I wouldn't say so from what I can see, certainly nothing whatsoever to be concerned over. There does appear to be some flare, especially on the inside of the hinds (very common), lots of false sole and the frogs aren't the healthiest looking. There are strong growth rings on the walls and although photos can be deceptive the side on shot of the off fore in particular looks a bit of a laminitic type hoof to my eye, does she have any history in that respect?

Proof's in the pudding though if she's comfy and capable, and they're obviously self trimming pretty well in terms of length. I would personally think about trying a trimmer though in your situation :)
 
Yeah shes comfortable - Im just reluctant to shoe as the other horse we ride out with skids all over the place and she has road studs - lots of hills and road surface = not clever - although if shoes are required then happy to have her shod.

Her feet do flare once they are long, when he trims he rolls them. Ive never seen him do anything to any horses sole/frogs :confused:

As for the health of the frog and false sole - although not sure if it would make a difference - I would in part blame that on management. Prior to me she never had her feet picked out, and as of May she has probably had them done once a month if that. We have to do odd feet here and there as she hates having them done. We had a mad practice phase to get her good at it, and then due to a flare up of lots of other ground issues, we stopped working on that... The other day I went to do them she has remembered and picked them up better than she ever has the whole time Ive known her!! She'll now get them done regularily :D:D

Her feet have always smelt funky, was debating the other day to start washing with hibiscrub as its only mild smell and again has always had it but its a thrushy type smell, although partly reulctant to introduce this in winter as ground is wet enough with the stupid snow :rolleyes:

Interesting you say her off hind looks laminitic.. Farrier has always mantained there are no signs of lami :rolleyes:. She was mildly lame for nearly three weeks in August but it was blamed initially on casting shoe, and then on being footsore. She has for the past two years at least been badly managed weight wise (not through lack of trying :mad:), am aiming to have her erring on un derweight side coming out of winter so I have some room to play with.

Is it the inward chunk then the bigger flare that shows it? I thought it looked odd when I sat here last night drawing lines on the feet to look at the alignment. Will that every "grow out" with her weight being managed carefully over the next 12 months? Or is it a sign of the pedal bone sinking? Also would she not show lami in fronts first? or at least bilaterally?

I have contacted two barefoot trimmers, just sitting and waiting now :) Thanks for helps :)
 
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Interesting you say her off hind looks laminitic..

It was the off fore - it has the same look as our old loan pony's feet who was a chronic lami case but that could be a trick of the photo angles.

The flare on the inside of the hinds is generally a result of how they move behind and load the outside heel more than the inside. It gets longer and the hoof wall flares as a result. All you can do is manage it by levelling things up and removing as much flare as possible at each trim. It is a common thing :)
 
Woop trimmer coming out Friday depending on the weather :D

I was going to wash feet and rephoto but due to unforseen circumstances (other horse taking door off hinges!!!) I was unable too...

I will do after trimmer has been though - mega excited!!! :D
 
Good news, who have you got coming? I'm sure you'll be impressed with how nice a more thorough trim leaves them looking :)
 
Julie Bailey UKNHCP - I have contacted several EPs etc both via phone and email almost a week ago, and had a phone call from her tonight, not heard from the rest - I know its Christmas but c'monnnnnnnnn!!!!! :D:D :p

I spoke to her on the phone, seems really nice and happy to help - want adivce RE: lami managment/prevention, hoof boots or not, diet, thrush and just whatever else I can glean :)

When you say her frogs didnt look healthy, I looked up more about thrush, they arent gungy like thrush describes them too be and the cushion is nicely firm... Also growth rings I made a thread about in Summer - they coincided with the casting of the shoe... Well they were noticeable below coronet after casting I should say... It also timed with when she ballooned on grass rush that came through all at once. So much to learn!! :eek:
 
I think I've met her, she came to our yard with my old trimmers when she was training, she seemed very nice :) Look forward to hearing how you get on!
 
Can't see the piccies at work but interested in seeing the job, will have a look later :)
 
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