Older horse? with bad foot

[ILoveJoe]

I would try to find a natural hoofcare person in your area. One of my horses was having hoof issues and I switched last summer to a AAHCP certified person and I am so pleased with the results.

http://www.aanhcp.net/

You can go to the site and look for a practioner in your area.

You might want to change the horses diet as well, eliminating sugars and starches that can trigger laminitic flare ups.

Good luck.

 

[luvarabhorses]

I agree with the last post but I'd also add biotin and probiotics. I used to sell a dac hoof vitamin that was a whole hoof vitamin, more than biotin, had methothionine (sp) lysine and other things, I'd add probiotics also. I think it is important to learn to trim the horse yourself. That horse needs toe removed very frequently. I have big regrets with my Belgian mare not have her done more than every 6 weeks but for the average person that is a lot of $. You really have to cut down on the carbs, substitute beet pulp without molasses and some corn oil for 1/2 your molasses free grain.
This is sort of controversial but I trim all my Arabs with a grinder (powertool), I get a nice Mustang roll in the toe. Initially I use nippers but finish with a grinder and none of them wear shoes. I got a video how to do it off the internet and I am so glad I did.
Lisa

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Hi,
I've been looking at easy boots online. There seems to be a lot of different brands and different styles. I like the thought of him having a cushioned boot on his sore foot, but now I have a bunch of other concerns.

Should he have both front feet in boots?

What about moisture? and thrush?

The buckles look dangerous for him to live with 24/7. Will he get caught up on things or scratch himself when he lays down?

They have deep snow in their paddock, except where they've packed it down, and pellet pine bedding in their stalls. Their stalls are open to the paddock 24/7.

I'll cut back on his feed and try mixing 1st cut hay with his 2nd cut gradually. I know he won't go for that...he's very picky. But I'll give it a try.

 

[patandchickens]

For whatever it's worth, I'd honestly just leave his feet nekkid under the conditions you describe. If, later on in the year, the snow melts off and the ground gets frozen in pointy/punched condition, that's different, but for now, he will stay on the nice cushy snow and it will be good for him.

If you do have hard-ground problems later on, you can provide him with a good area to stand on (and IME tender-footed horses are pretty good about finding the cushiest areas and staying there!) by putting a thickish layer of stall cleanings, with additional shavings added if you need to make up volume, on a conveniently accessible area of well-frozen ground. Put it down BEFORE the ground starts to melt and it'll stay firm and nonmuddy for as long as possible. THis can be especially useful to bridge a spot of hard, bad, pointy footing that a horse needs to cross to get to comfier pasture beyond.

I have had very poor luck with easyboots fitting horses, though mind you I've mostly dealt with TBs and warmblood types whose feet are not ideally shaped for them. I have not tried any of the 'new generation' of boots that have come out in the last 10 years so I have no opinions there. At least with easyboots, close attention needs to be paid to fit, especially at the heels, especially if you are proposing to keep them on for long periods, and I would not personally leave ANY horse wearing easyboots 24/7 (and would be a hard sell to be convinced it was ok with other kinds, tho will admit the theoretical possibility of such a thing)

Good luck, how's his foot today?,

Pat

 

[luvarabhorses]

I'm with Pat on not using Easy boots. I use them in really rocky areas in the mountains and when you remove them their hooves really look sweaty, like all the pores on the bottom are wide open. They have to apply a lot of pressure to the hoof to stay on and this is the opposite of what you are trying to do- trying to increase blood flow. I'd rather see you smear venice turpentine on the bottom of the hoof (not the frog) and a bute here and there. Also,buy cinnamon in bulk and add a few tablepoons to his grain every day- helps manage sugar.
Lisa

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Last night he seemed a bit better. The day before he was hesitant to let me pick up his other feet. I'm sure he didn't like the weight shifting to his sore foot. But last night he was fine having his feet picked up. As soon as he sees me he lifts his sore foot. It still has several small round bruises around the point of the frog. I have not given him bute. I have to make applesauce first, it's the only way he'll take it. But I'm holding off as long as possible. I don't want to mask symptoms. I want to know he's feeling better for real.

Cinnamon? really? interesting!

 

[cruzinTbird]

Here's a idea if you want to try it- get a Davis soaking boot and buy some Banixx,it is sometimes sold on Ebay. The instructions are on the bottle . The downside is you will have to put him in a stall while he is being treated . This has worked for two of my horses one with an abcess and one stone bruised. Within two days they were walking on their feet normally.
Hope your guy feels better soon!

 

[Solsken Farm]

Lots of great thoughts here. My thoughts on feet and horsecare in general is as natural as you can go. THat means barefeet and no supplements. Horses do great on proper amounts of grass and good quality hay, Esp if they are not working. JMHO.

I have always understood easy boots to be used only while the horse is working, not 24/7. My farrier has recommended them IF our barefooted horses hooves don't hold up under work. So far we haven't needed them at all. She also said fitting them are a nightmare.

Given your boy is not working, keep him barefoot, soak using the method Pat suggested and see what happens. Keep us posted what the vet thinks.

I HATE horse shoes and will stay way from them as long as I can. Think about what those nail holes do to the hoof wall and the growth. Give him time to adjust to bare feet It could take up to a year or more for his feet to come together (if there aren't feed or other health issues affecting his hooves).

Old age could be a factor too. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Thank you all for some great advice.

This horse was always barefoot until last March when he foundered. The vet said shoes and I cringed. I wish I had asked you all back then.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I wish you had asked back then too. Sadly the sole has thinned out more as a result of shoes.

First I'd get a barefoot trimmer out and see him before you do anything else. They are the best ones to advise you, we can't see the hooves from here. Boots are SOMETIMES in extreme cases used 23/7 for a few weeks, with soaking and treating to prevent thrush and such for the other 1 hour. However that is horse sthat will not move about, to promote circulation by walking. Your horse is not sounding at all in that way and I agree snow is good for the feet so don't make that jump.

On a side boots can also be used to prevent or treat thrush. Not the soakers, I'm just talking about the riding boots. In the really mucky part of the year here if I see any ickys going on I treat for thrush before putting the boots on. Then the medication stays on the foot for the whole ride, or if I'm not riding that day I toss them in the round pen or small pen for a hour. That way instead of getting the medication back into the mud right off they keep it on the foot, and it works wonders. Even if you don't treat for thrush cleaning the foot off and keeping it out of the mud for the duration of the ride is helpful it seems. I was very concerned about boots in regards to infection but I have turned around on that, I think they are helpful. Of course you have to take care of the boots, hose them out every time and spray them with a disinfectant if the horse has infection, then rince again.

Cinnimon is used to lower blood sugar in horses. We don't know if your horse needs that, again a person that sees them in person could advise you on that. The dose is a teaspoon per 250 lbs once a day.

Pat the newer easyboots stay on really well. I had losts of greif with the old ones, and had moved to making my own pads to help keep them on before pads were cool or even offered by Easycare, but they had the idea on their site from other users who had fit problems. But the new boots with pad just do not come off, even if the buckle pops open. Without pad they can come off some feet that as you said are not shaped as that hoof is. In that case they have the room to twist off. Pads prevent that. Easyboots should never be tight! they do not need to be, and in fact now they don't even have backstraps, and you can get a retro for the ones that do. If you can't close your easyboot with just your thumb it's too tight, and if you need it that tight to stay on you have the wrong size. to have the right size if the pads are new you should need to really push or have the horse step on the boot to first get the foot in. Once the hoof has made an imprint in the pad it should go on without that. It being snug all around, just fitting, is what prevents twisting, so then it stays on with just the front of the boot being closed and the gator.

So with this horse I'd just get a barefoot trimmer out and see what they say for now, before you buy anything or add anything more to his diet. Do take out sugar if it's there, but other than that since he is improving wait till he is assessed in person. Most trimmers have boots with them so they can fit you perfectly too, and that is very important. Trying them on is the best way, and some experience doing it.

Good luck!