What should i do about my horses feet?

My horse has bad feet, one is clubbed slightly and when it gets wet it cracks. The other one is pretty good but lately because it has been very wet his feet have been chipping a little and in the last 3 months he has lost about 5 shoes. Anyway the problem is i don't think it is a good idea to ride him without shoes because the reason they are on is to help keep him sound so should i continue to shoe his front feet and just keep letting the come off or should i take his shoes off and put him out in the paddock and not ride him. He has a few other problems but can still be used for light trail riding and at the moment i don't own another rideable horse of my own. Also is there a kinda boot thing that acts like a shoe - would that work? Also it is holidays so i have time to ride and go back to school in about 3 weeks so should i hold off with taking his shoes off and turning him out until i go back to school. Any suggestions would be good. Hope that made sense

What should i do about my horses feet?
Talk to your farrier about different shoes, find out if there are any that may be more likely to stay on with your horse.


Also to solve the problem of the feet breaking up buy some Farrier's formula and start adding it to his feed as directed on the instructions. You can also give him a biotin supplement as well.


You can get this from most feed stores or even from Ebay. It is expensive but so is calling the farrier every week and I know from experience that it does work.


Clean and dry his feet and apply a good hoof product ( eg.Cornucrescine ) to keep the water out.


There are shoes that fit over the hoof but I have no experience of them personally, we did consider them but the Farrier's formula did the trick so we didn't try them.





Owner of a pony who has the same problem every winter !
Reply:It maybe that you need a second opinion from a different farrier. It is possible that if you are not riding on roads,and only doing light trail work, you could loose the shoes altogether.
Reply:i would (like some others say) get a different farrier or sit down w/ the one you use know and ask "what is going on" "why is this happening" and the important question is "what have you done different to help the situation" my rope horse has bad feet-they crack and i have to keep shoes on her.... she used to pull shoes all the time.... my farrier has done wonders w/ her feet and went out of his way to make her right.... .. as far as you riding her.... i dunno....i would hate to make a situation worse.... use you best judgment....
Reply:Geez, what did all those wild mustangs do before people came along and put shoes on them....
Reply:I have a horse with similar problems including the club foot. I leave him barefoot in the pasture (I only have soft footing in the pasture) I use Old Mac's G2 boots when I ride. He does great with them. The boots can actually be left on for turn out although they should not be left on him 24/7. They protect his entire hoof and he doesn't miss a lick with them.
Reply:Along with all the good farrier tips ya got I'd suggest a gelitin supplement to help hoof growth.....also getting into the habit of applying a growth stimulant such as Farrier Hoof Magic


Good luck!
Reply:Well, I think the boot might work and there is hoof ointment that might help. I also think you should call the farrier and see what they think. Also, if you don't want to call th farrier, then I guess try the ointment and boots, but just use the boot when you ride him and see how he behaves. Hope i helped.





Good Luck!
Reply:Well since he keeps throwing shoes you are just going to be weakening that hoofwall. If he is a true club foot the inner wall is shallow and will not hold a shoe well, he will just continue to keep pulling the shoes and tearing the hoof wall apart. If this horse is not a true club foot and is just catching the heal of the shoe and pulling it off you may want to have your farrier set the shoe further under the hoof, speed up the break over by using square toe shoes and squaring off the rear hooves, as you mentioned your shoeing the fronts.





Anyway, if he is a club foot and won't hold a shoe, look into some boots. They do exist, they are little spendy but.... Old Macs are one brand. Do not get easy boots, or those little quick wrap things... those will not work for riding.
Reply:first i would get a different farrier because if he or she hasn't advised you by now that bad.call your vet and have them recommend a good farrier and also have the vet check him.i know when i had hoof problems my farrier and vet both came up with a plan to help.they always check with each other.my farrier would have never let this go on that long.and when it was to wet he gave me a sealer to apply and told and showed me how to use it and my vet agreed.get help ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:you probably should shoe him although they keep coming off. have a chat with your farrier and see what they think. talk to a vet and get there reccomendation. but it wouldnt hurt to talk to a saddlery as well coz they may have plenty of alternative options.


those boots that cover the hoof are good but you should only use them while working. the saddlerys might also suggest some hoof ointment that could strengthen his hooves.


good luck
Reply:First I recommend finding a good farrier/hoof trimmer to access your horse. Without looking at the hoof its hard to make too much of a judgment... as far as boots that you can use in transition to bare feet... and to protect his feet when you ride him I recommend Old Macs (although the debate is going on between Old Macs vs EasyBoots on nearly every horse forum) sizing can be a bit of a pain... but I think if you find the right trimmer, he or she can help you make good plan for your horse's feet that will work for you and your horse... i would see if letting him go barefoot is an option... sometimes it helps a lot.
Reply:Call a vet!! Something as simple as shoes or something (maybe a rock) caught ...Have you used a hoof pick? If you haven't been around horses much it's impossible to diagnose it yourself...you need professional help before you add more injury to the leg...too difficult to even hazard a guess! You might be able to bandage from the hoof up to the joint just to stabilize it til a vet checks it.





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Reply:you need to discuss the options with your FARRIER!!! he will be able to tell you what is best for the longterm treatment of your horses feet. they are trained to do this.





i would decide about turning him out once you are abck at school but ASK YOUR FARRIER, this is what they know and what they are there too do.


you do NOT need to call a vet for a hoof related problem they dont know half of what the farrier knows
Reply:get a good ferrier
Reply:I would recommend shoeing. The EZ boots don't help with hoof problems, they help with gripping issues. I have a TB mare who has wired foot problems. Her hooves grow, but they platter out. So he had to set her hoof way back, and put pads on her to keep from plattering.
Reply:i think is the hourse ride is most inportant,just let the hourse feel comfortable on you.good luck!:S
Reply:Weak hoof wall can mean a lack of nutrition getting the laminae


We have had much luck using a probiotic, Fastrack.


All the probiotic does is increase food utilization. Which results in more nutrients entering the blood stream. The blood stream is the conveyor belt for nutrition to all parts of the body.


The probiotic blend has benefical bacteria that aid in absorbtion of nutrients and enzymes that aid in the break down of the food into a form that the digestive tract can absorb into the blood stream.


We have many vets and shoers that have seen the difference. One vet did a talk at a horse expo on hoof problems and it included the use of probiotics, especially the product Fastrack


We have found it can take up to four months before we see the difference.
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I suggest finding a good barefoot trimmer, or a really exceptional farrier......



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