Please help

[Jolie123]

I really need some help with my farrier. My horse was diagnosed with minor navicular changes last fall. She had her Toes "rocked" and a 3 degree wedge pad. I and my coach and felt for a while that her toes were too long and this shoeing arrangment solved her problems completely. The jury is out on if in fact this was true navicular or not and current X-rays show no further damage which was very minor in the first place according to the vet.

On the weekend she pulled one of her shoes in the muck. When her farrier came out to replace it, he only replaced the shoe that was off and the pad he used is thicker than the pad that is on the other hoof. The shoe on the other hoof is well worn at this point (we were going to replace both shoes on his next visit) When i questioned him on the this, he bit my head off saying she would not be out of balance at all. Of course she is and is off now when on the right rein. The pad is a least 1-2 centimeters thicker than the one on the other hoof.

My feeling is he should have replaced both shoes and the pad should be the same size.

Can you please let me know if this is acceptable??? My feeling is that it is very poor practise. I need to get the situation resolved and my inclination is to get a new farrier

thanks and sorry for the being long winded

[Dances with Hooves]

"She had her Toes "rocked" and a 3 degree wedge pad. I and my coach and felt for a while that her toes were too long and this shoeing arrangment solved her problems completely."

Glad to hear that a rocker toe shoe and a 3deg wedge pad is working well for your horse.

"On the weekend she pulled one of her shoes in the muck. When her farrier came out to replace it, he only replaced the shoe that was off and the pad he used is thicker than the pad that is on the other hoof. The shoe on the other hoof is well worn at this point (we were going to replace both shoes on his next visit) Of course she is and is off now when on the right rein. The pad is a least 1-2 centimeters thicker than the one on the other hoof."

Pads are commonly available in 1 2 and 3 degrees. Are you sure that the pad on the shoe that was reset is really 1-2 centimeters taller than the 3 degree wedge pad on the other foot?

"My feeling is he should have replaced both shoes and the pad should be the same size."

Generally if one shoe comes off mid shoeing period farriers will replace that shoe and not the other. Most of us rocker or roll toes which (your horse is rockered you stated) means there should be no significant differance from a new shoe and the other in terms of breakover. The pads should be the same size as that is what was working for your horse. You might want to measure again as Its unclear to me what kind of pad would be 1-2 cm taller than a 3 deg wedge pad.

George

[Jolie123]

thanks for getting back to me.

The height of her new pad is significantly "higher" than the old one. You can see it as plain as day just by lifting her feet and comparing them. The difference in the height of pad is definately a least one centimeter. When I questioned this he insisisted the degree was the same. This makes no sense to me.

Her hooves look different just looking at the angles head on. It seems to me if the height of shoe and pad are different then it would be impossible for her to be level and balanced which i think would throw her off when circling??

Or am I completely wrong here

[Phil Armitage]

Can you take some pictures and post them here? From your description, it sounds like he put on a higher degree wedge pad? I am also confused by what your telling us. Photos might help.

[Jolie123]

Thanks for your help. I have another farrier coming tomorrow to fix this.

He feels as well from my description that the pads are different degrees. He also felt that both shoes should have been replaced as the old one was well worn.

I did measure the pads. The new one is 1 centimeter and the old one is 1/2 a centimeter. Sorry my estimation was off originally on the height of the pad. I was a little upset to say the least

I appreciate your time and imput

[handandhammer]

Why do people ask for advice when they have already made thier conclusion!?!?

[Jolie123]

Just thought I would check back to see if there was some constructive advise here. Obviously I have to make a decision for the benefit of my horse and had some helpful insight from people who have seen her. I have expressed my appreication for the thoughful advice received and it did bear weight on my decision

Sorry to put you out handand hammer and have a nice day

[Phil Armitage]

Thanks for your help. I have another farrier coming tomorrow to fix this.

He feels as well from my description that the pads are different degrees. He also felt that both shoes should have been replaced as the old one was well worn.

I did measure the pads. The new one is 1 centimeter and the old one is 1/2 a centimeter. Sorry my estimation was off originally on the height of the pad. I was a little upset to say the least

I appreciate your time and imput

Hi Jolie, when a horse throws a shoe, it is not commen to replace both shoes, in hind site he probably should have and he should have charged you big for it. Why pull the shoe off and replace it? If your horse had not lost the shoe would you have called him to replace the worn shoes? No you would not. Besides a worn shoe does not hurt the horse, it actually benifits the horse as the foot grows the toe is worn easing breakover which is what a horse with caudle heal pain (Navicular syndrome) probably needs in the first place. Sounds like your Farrier helped your horse and he does something that your suspicious of and your ready to fire him. Sounds like he is better off not haveing you as a customer. Also higher or thicker pad that is only a small amount different is not going to cause a problem. The new Farrier that is agreeing with you is only being nice and polite to appease you, just to get your buisness. In reality there is probably something else going on with your horse totaly unrelated to the shoeing your going to get a Farrier that tells you what you want to hear so that he does not cause a problem with you and your horse most likely will miss the real problem becuase everyone is happy with new shoes and pads. Maybe your horse sprained his leg when he pulled the shoe, who knows how hard that shoe yanked on his ankle when he pulled it off. Try pulling a shoe off some time and see how much force it takes without cutting the clinches. Probably has soft tissue tear that will heal up in a few days and your new Farrier will look like a hero until you and your Trainer see something that looks odd the next time your horse is off and you will blame the new guy. I have seen this many times and man I am so happy to see know it all owners and Trainers take a hike. Good luck and Have a nice day.