Soft Feet

[CarissaJ]

I have a 16 month old Paint colt that has really soft feet. He is constantly limping on hard ground. I only work him and turn him out in the arenas that are used for spreading manure as this is the only surface that he is completely sound on. This started out as sole bruises about 6 months ago, the bruises were completely visible on the sole of his foot. From what I can see now, the bruises are gone but he continues to have problems. When I have him trimmed, we do not pare out his sole as we're trying to leave as much as we can so he has some sort of protection. My vet has told me to put shoes on him, which I don't like the idea of putting shoes on a yearling. He is going to be a very large horse (he's already 1000 lbs at 16 months) and I would rather him be left barefoot and his feet given time to grow and spread. My farrier trimmed him the other night and told me that he just has really bad feet and I am going to have nothing but problems with him. His feet also are starting to chip really bad. I am thinking about ordering some "Hoof Rite" supplement for him and was wondering if anyone out there has any input. Also, he is kept in an inside barn stall which I beleive may be contributing to his soft feet, as inside stalls tend to harbor moisture and dampness. I'm trying to move him outside but at this time there are no available stalls outside at the barn where I'm at. I live in Tucson, Arizona so it is very dry out here and I thought maybe by moving him outside on the dirt this would help toughen up his feet. I'm looking for any advice or suggestions from someone that has worked with a horse like this before. I don't want to be stuck with a horse with constant problems so my only other option would be to sell him but before I do that I want to give him a chance! Please help!

Also:
I have been using Rickens on the bottom of his feet and I apply Hoof Alive about every 3rd day.

[Rancho JD]

[QUOTE=CarissaJ]. I only work him and turn him out in the arenas that are used for spreading manure.

what is this manure arena???

[huntseatndressage]

I am a huge fan of Keratex Hoof Hardener.

Can you post pics?

[Gary Hill]

Lets see 16 months old and already 1000 lbs? I just wonder what the problem is?

[caballus]

I would LOVE to have some dry ground for the hooves right now! Here in New England we're under water! If he were mine I'd get him out and have him moving around as much as he can. Encourage the movement on hard, dry ground .... that will toughen up his feet more than anything else will. I'd be sure that his walls are down to the sole level so the weight bearing is shared between the wall and the white line. If the walls are chipping its cause they're too long and they're just trying to self-trim. Get him OUT and moving! A young horse NEEDS to be out and moving around to grow healthy hooves and limbs!

-- Gwen

[HoustonFarrier]

My vet has told me to put shoes on him, which I don't like the idea of putting shoes on a yearling.

That sends off 2 alarm bells ringing in my ears (figurativly, that is ).

#1 - If the vet is telling you to put shoes on him, why aren't you listening???? If you don't trust your vet to make the right decisiosn, why are you using him ????? Did you get a second vet opinion??? When my vet tells me to jump.....I'm asking how high? I trust her explicitly, and never question her judgement...she'll forget more tonight about equine health than I will probably ever know.

#2 - WHY don't you like putting shoes on a yearling???? If your going to try and tell me that it's bad for them.........I'll tell ya your dead wrong. I've said this time and time again.....I've got now 7 horses in my pasture....ALL were shod as yearlings..in fact...they were all shod as weanlings. Now, they weren't shod ALL the time, but they were shod, mostly for show. NONE OF THEM HAVE HOOF PROBLEMS. If you don't trust your farrier to shoe them correctly, then why are you still using the farrier?

Some horse do well without shoes, others need them. If your horse is sore, STOP MAKING HIM SUFFER, listen to your vet, and get some shoes on him.

Steve

[CarissaJ]

[QUOTE=CarissaJ]. I only work him and turn him out in the arenas that are used for spreading manure.

what is this manure arena???

We have a couple of old arenas that we use to spread the dried, ground up manure which is then mixed with the dirt making them really soft.

[CarissaJ]

Lets see 16 months old and already 1000 lbs? I just wonder what the problem is?


Yes I know, he comes from a line of halter horses.

[JMPalmer]

Carissa,
I agree shoes aren't the answer and you are right to question that prescription for a yearling. While shoes can be protective and necessary for some horses, a yearling's feet need to grow and mature. They do that best barefoot on dry ground where they can move around as much as they need to along with regular correct trimming to correct any imbalances.

He needs to get out of the barn and out of the soft, manure mulch paddock. You are not doing him a kindness. Please be sure your vet and farrier have ruled out thrush & WLD. Not much worse for horses' feet than continual soft footing and constant exposure to the acids in urine and manure.

He also needs adequate amounts of high quality protein (soy and alfalfa are good choices) along with at least double the minimum daily requirement of copper, zinc and manganese to grow good strong hooves and legs. Most grass hays and pastures are very deficent in these nutrients.

So, my suggestion is to get him out on firm dry ground as much as possible and evaluate his nutritional status.

Jan

[Roy Amaral CJF]

I don't like the idea of shoeing yearlings either.

If your horse has just worn his feet to short to get around comfortably your farrier could make a shoe out of Vettec "superfast". It won't last real long but it could be used to help let growth catch up with wear.

There are some pictures of this over on the Vettec site.

I'd stay away from the hoof moisturizers. They make things worse.

[Rancho JD]

From moist stall to manure turnout to hard ground. What did he do to deserve that? I do believe he'll have a much better chance at soundness if you find yourselves a boarding facility with more consistent foot friendly ground. good luck

[vthorseshoe]

I agree with Roy on using Vettec super fast applied as a bearing/wearing surface on the bottom of the hooves, in the form of horse shoe's. ( I have done this a number of times) and it will protect the hooves long enough to allow healthy growth of the walls and it will raise the hooves off the ground to give the sole some protection also.

1000lbs and from a long line of halter horses, Let me guess. Tea cup size hooves on this animal.
I ask folks all the time, "would you put a volkswagon tire on an 80,000 lb tractor trailer and expect it to hold up ?

The hoof has to be able to carry the load of the horse it is fixed to.

Tea cup feet came into being because it really looked great along with a beautiful body on a halter horse. Breeders started breeding this in to MAKE MONEY AND SELL HORSES !! Not to better the breed.

Owners and breeders who show tend to by pass the needs of the horse for the thrill of the ribbon and the sale.
Tea cup feet on halter horses.
Huge shoe's way to big than necessary along with out of control flairs causing untold weakness in the foot.
I shoe hitch horses with scotchbottom shoe's, but I also make sure the foot is in proportion to the horse.
I have had this conversation with Will Lent and he also states that many foks take this type of shoeing beyond what it was meant for.

If a lttle is good then a lot has to be better. Balony !

oops got off on another bandwagon. Sorry