I am shoeing this bugger next week, thought I would get some insight. I don't have a lot of experience working with club feet. I have never seen this horse.

Comments form the owner in blue.

"I have a gelding that I just started conditioning to get ready to start running him on barrels. I have used a barefoot trimmer for the past 6 months or so since I spoke with you and thought his feet were looking good. Well we noticed since we started riding him that he didn't want to pick up his right lead, and when he did, he will switch leads in the hind end(cross cantering or crossfiring I think is what some call it). Well I had him worked on my a massage/chiro and he was sore, but after he was worked on he was still having the lead problems. I just noticed on his back right hoof, he has bruising on his sole(see attached picture). I now have his hoof packed with a poultice and wrapped. Not sure what to do next. I believe the cause of the brusing is due to the sole not being level with the hoof wall(so he was walking on his sole on one side and obviously not balanced). What sort of action would you take on a case like this?"

I have been trying to come up with a plan by email.


I am figuring on setting the horse up on a deep seated eventer, with a pad/support material.:confused:

I am suspicious with the heals shaved off that clubby foot it has a toe first impact.

What do you think?

I forgot, I also may get down there, clean that sole up, cover it in sole-gard (vet tec) and let the horse grow some foot. Looks to me like that hoofwall is shaved down to nothing.

Looks to me that both hinds have issues. And I'd bet a dollar against a donut hole that you are going to find problems/issues with the front feet too.

Your shoeing protocol is quite reasonable. You might want to consider shoeing the horse with rim pads so that the soles can be treated with Durasole.

Before you begin any work on the horse, do a lameness evaluation including walking and jogging in-hand, circling on the lunge line, and use your hoof testers to evaluate where and how sore he is. Since you know in advance that this horse has problems, take your camera with you and document the horse before, during and after you work on him.

Thanks for the input!

I'm thinking your right about the problems in the fronts as well.

Just for the sake of discussion.......

I was thinking of rim pads but.......(you know nothing useful ever comes from a but)

....... with the frog trouble I was hoping to get it more support. I have had some luck with putting Magic cushion in the front 1/3 of the foot and filling the rest with Vet-tec CS.

What do you think?

Post legged?


Ronald Aalders

Hi Ron

I was hoping you would pick up on this one.

I don't know yet, can't really tell from the pics she gave me.

The pasterns seem steep to me.

I asked her for some pics of the legs, and the rest of the horse.

i am sure that you weren't planning on having any input from a punk like me, but, he looks to have quite a bit of retained sole to me. i bet those feet grow at least a size after you get him trimmed. also wouldn't an "extra EZ" be a little better shoe choice than an eventer given he will be turning cans?

Justin

I wouldn't consider you a punk!

A rookie like me needs all the input I can get.

I sometimes use extra EZ on the hinds of my can chasers depending on how the horse runs.

The girls around here say that shoe leaves the hind end feeling loose. I don't know, I have never ridden a 1D barrel horse.

Its been all I can do to get them away from short shoeing with rims all the way around.

I had a couple that amazingly, we went to eventers and put the support closer to where it needed to be and the sore stifles cleared up.

I'll probably never know on this horse, I just got an email and my price scared her off.

"Ya know the guy down the street charges half as much and knows exactly what he is worth" unknown LOL;)

I would appreciate any discussion on shoeing barrel horse. I only do a handfull.

Most around here wont pay what I charge. We have plenty of shoers around here that will nail keggers on for $55.00 - $75.00.

Not that I don't use lots of keggers. I just shape them before I nail them on.

I suppose I should be nicer than that, I'm just mad about it today.

Jason RoTramel wrote:
Jason,
I had one of my long time clients lease her barrel horse out to another lady...stipulation being that only I could do his feet and the owner would still pay me. This new barn/facility is in the lady's back yard...barn is probably 300K, house about 750K, full rodeo arena behind, all the toys everywhere. Lady happens to mention that she is actually looking for a new farrier and asked how much I would charge her. I told her. She said, "OH MY GOD! Well, you won't be getting my barn." I said, "No ma'am. I guess not."

Anyway,
Rick Burten wrote:
This is golden information here...I would also add that you should document and discuss with the owner everything you find...this one looks/sounds like a complimentary lameness ghost chase/train wreck.

I probably shouldn't say this but sometimes being one of the most expensive guys in town helps ya dodge a bullet, like on this one.

Notice I didn't say best! LOL:D

I have plenty to learn before I will be a CJF.

But it doesn't take much math to realize charge twice as much do half as many horses, and do the best job you can on every horse, instead of trying to do too many a day.

I have noticed the clients that are serious about getting a quality job don't scare easy with price.

Probably shooting off my mouth too much!!!!!

This just gets frustrating after a while.

Jason RoTramel wrote:
Not to disappoint or dissuade you, because I think any/all certification is a great opportunity, but once you get it you will realize that your knowledge base is a drop in the sea. Every time I learn something new I get a better appreciation of the vastness of my ignorance...knowledge is sometimes quite humbling.

Jason RoTramel wrote:
Easy to realize, harder to affect. I would say I am a 'high average' with regard to price...but thanks to Jaye, I am working on my 'rate increase fortitude.'

Jason RoTramel wrote:
Yep...and sadly, you won't find many of these clients own rodeo stock...unless you get to NFR level...and then it is not as as bad. It is just a different mentality.

I don't know how to quote yet.. but that is cool.

The never ending supply of things to learn is one of my favorite parts of this job. I quit the corporate necktie bit, because I would learn a job then get bored. That and Shoeing has a bit more flexibility for my Preaching habit.

I'm pursuing the CJF first because it is an education goal. Second, I hope it adds a little more credibility to my wanting to shoe horses correctly instead of like bucket shoer, shoeing for beer money.

You know this but, just getting the certifications also doesn't mean people use what they learned.

We have a couple around here that are AFA CF but shoe like cowboys.

Unfortunately, when I started out rode with and learned from a couple of these guys. So I had/have a lot to unlearn.

I am hoping to start moving into cutters and reiners but still lots to learn.

Jason RoTramel wrote:
Hey now I take offence to your comment about Cowboys, cuz I r one! This Cowboy also shod a couple World Champion Cutters and some good reiners too!