January 2009

Nic · January 2009

Happy New Year everyone, and lets hope for another year of cracking barefoot performance Very Happy

Not much doing here, at the moment, I must admit, as we (like lots of you, I guess) are frozen solid - fields and arena are like glass, roads treacherous - of course no hunting, but on the plus side the horses are loving the dry weather, and revelling in cold, clear sunshine Cool

Have a great month, folks.

N

Yann

Actually still quite rideable where we are, went out for a new year's day blast from my friend's yard and much to our surprise found lots of good going which we made the most of. Tess was in her Renegades which performed perfectly even behind and my friend's horse rock crunched Smile

Rio's had her shoes off now and seems fine, did have an awful lot to trim off. Frogs have deteriorated a bit through getting too tall and her feet look long to me now but other than that nothing untoward, that won't come right over a couple of months.

Haven't touched Tess's feet for a while now and they're still pretty presentable, she's also looking comfortable over everything in hand and the concavity is getting more obvious. This time of year does have something to recommend it Very Happy

brucea

Our school thawed so it was quite rideable this afternoon so did some jumping with Link, I'm a bit of a wuss with jumping having had way too many encounters with the ground over recent years, but it was fun.

Shoes off day for a friend's rather handsome cob last weekend. quite a bit of broken up wall below the nail holes and that will just have to grow out. The owner was sharing the school with me today and commented that he no longer seems to slide into the jumps as he is taking off - much more sure footed - and not knocking the jumps with his front toes. Seems to be taking off more cleanly and picking his front legs up more. I'm no jumping expert, but the cob did seem to look much more confident over the course.

I've been watching a small number of horses in the yard moving just not quite right over the last couple of days - slightly uneven in front, slightly questionable soundness but nothing so obvious - I just wonder if the deep frosty nights and bright sunny days is making the grass a bit suspect.

Have been using organic cider vinegar to spray Brambles feet with daily for the last week - he tends to get smelly, thrushy frogs. They do seem a lot fresher and cleaner. Thanks to whoever suggested it!

hobnob

It was me !! Bet he doesnt try to lick it off though like my greedy neddy did !! Thought I'd bought fish and chips home for her!

brucea

Well - it works. Smells quite nice too - cidery (as if that is a surprise). Frogs seem to be drier than they were. Can it be used long term?

My barefoot TBxID stomped out for a couple of hours this afternoon over frozen rutted ground without much difficulty. I was trying one of his last set of shoes against his front feet today - there's a full 3-4cm of widening of the heels now, and the cleft between his heel bulbs, that I used to have to clean out with a gauze strip soaked in povidone because it kept getting infected, is now almost as wide as my thumb!!!!

The recovering hoof is a fascinating thing to watch happening. Sad anorak that I have become!

Chris Thompson · Barefoot Showjumping

Brego went Showjumping this monring ( Sunday 4 Jan) at Snowball farm.

He got a rosete for clear round and came 5th (out of 30) in the novice class. He did the jump off in 1min 33 but he fastest was 1 min 28. Sad

Not bad for his first proper competition, so well done Brego and well done Jemma - his Jockey Laughing

Sarah

Helen and I have been out and about over Xmas. Did a lovely road hack with Fox and Carly. About eight miles at a variety of paces including a good up hill canter for fitness. Must have been nearly a mile, Fox still finds it hard to believe that I want him to canter on roads.

I had hoped to hunt on New Years Day but the ground was like brick and in the morning the horses ears, whiskers, tails and manes had turned white with ice so no go for hunting that day.

The next day Fox went out with his mate Heather for a blast about on Heather's mountain with various stoney tracks which he stomped over in a very purposeful way.

Morris is about to get back into work again. He has had a few months off both to grow up a bit (hopefully a little less ditsey Rolling Eyes

) and because I have just not had the time. Last week he did ground work and getting in the trailer in preparation for a trip to the school and hacking out next weekend. Fingers crossed for a sensible brain when I get on. Shocked

Yesterday went to the beach again with Carly but this time I rode Fari who tinkled his way merrily down the beach wearing his Xmas present, from a client, of rhythm beads. Lots of fast work which puffed Fari out while Carly sailed along quite happily. Both horses had a paddle in the sea which makes you really giddy, the movement of the waves makes you feel most unstable.

And just so everyone knows Carly also went on an EGB funride on the Monday between Xmas and New Year. Hopefully Helen will post whether it was a 10 or twenty mile ride Wink

S x

rose

Sarah do you mean you canter on roads with boots on or totally barefoot?

I understand the barefoot benefits on jarring and concussion etc but would still hesitate to trot or canter long distances on such an unforgiving surface.

I am interested in your thinking on this as we have some lovely quite roads which would make great canter tracks if I thought it would not do my girl any harm.

Sarah

"......do you mean you canter on roads with boots on or totally barefoot?"

Totally barefoot Laughing

Frequently and sometimes when I haven't instructed the horse to do so Rolling Eyes

That happens particularly on that new type of tarmac that shod horses can't stand up on, horses love it and just want to go faster on it.

There is a new patch not far from here and Helen said she hacked that way on purpose the other day just so she and Carly could have a good canter on it. I haven't tested it yet though.

One of the benefits of healthy hooves is that they enable one to take advantage of this countries rather vast network of previously unknown cantering tracks Wink

S x

Nic

Another vote for totally barefoot Cool

Mostly when hunting, admittedly, but before Xmas I had a visiting vet and his wife up here who wanted to ride barefoot horses, so we took Jack, Hector and Felix out for a blast. I wanted to take them for a gallop up some nice stony tracks - as you do Cool

so we had to go a mile or so up a road to join 2 pieces of bridleway across the moor.

I get very bored on roads, and this was a fast twisty one, so not a road to hang about on - plus, I will admit it, I wanted to show off what the barefoot boys could do when let rip Wink

So we belted up the first half mile or so in trot, but on the hairpin bends going up the hill we cantered - just to be on the safe side Smile

We talked about concussion, and I must admit I wouldn't do miles and miles of trot or canter work on a daily basis even on a barefoot horse (I have a neighbour who has had to have hips and knees replaced at 65 after too much road running), but now and again is absolutely fine, and even safer if its up hill Cool

N

Chris Thompson

Any feedback from visiting vet?

Nic

Chris, its a vet who refers horses here for rehab, so he is already on board and has taken the shoes off his own horses Wink

N

Chris Thompson

Helen N

[
And just so everyone knows Carly also went on an EGB funride on the Monday between Xmas and New Year. Hopefully Helen will post whether it was a 10 or twenty mile ride Wink

S x[/quote]

It was ten miles, near Shifnal in Shropshire. Lots of lovely canters on field margins (DEFRA permissive bridleways), some super smooth tarmac for trotting and cantering and a mile or so on forestry paths. Carly and his barefoot mate Baz whizzed round and their barefeet were commented on a couple of times. There was a lady there on a lovely black barefoot Friesian (farrier trimmed) who told us that Friesians HAVE to have 'high heels', we didn't comment at the time, but I wish now that I had asked her 'why?'. Rolling Eyes

Carly feels as fit and sound as he has ever been, hope he can make it past the first couple of endurance rides this season Rolling Eyes

hobnob

Started feeding unsoaked hay last night as all taps are now frozen solid. Nothing to report so far but hopefully lgl pone can cope with this. If so will keep on feeding unsoaked in the winter and soak Spring, Summer and Autumn !!

Terry

Well back in the saddle again following my operation to remove my prostate just 7 weeks ago, bet I get a bit of a telling off with the specialist next week!!

All boys doing fine as Amanda has kept them ticking over.

Rose. you really shouldn't worry about cantering on the roads, it is far better than an extended trot for concussion and jarring as the gait of canter puts far less strain on joints. I frequently canter on the roads both competing and training, Abu prefers to canter than trot, and when maintaining a rythm over 50 miles to conserve energy it is far better for him.

Sarah, will have to take Saqr out with Morris as he also has had a couple of months reflective time!!

Terry

Sarah

cptrayes

Awwww Sarah you never told me that you rode on the beach!! Can I come pleeeezzze?????

I'm another who canters on the roads. I have built it up gradually to see if Jazz has any problem and he isn't showing the slightest sign of concussion, but he is gleeful about being allowed to do it. I actually think it's probably much safer for his tendons than the mucky fields.

He is having issues with all this frost though - pulses at the pastern. I have doubled his Yea-sacc to every meal in the hope that I can dampen down his response. He's a huge horse and I can't see how it is right for the dose for him to be the same as for a 12.2 pony. Since I increased it the pulses have been getting fainter, not stronger, even though the frost has continued. I hope it's connected, we'll see.

But he is also hunting regularly with his bare feet with no trouble at all, much to the surprise of the Cheshire Farmers Drag Hunt, who keep expecting him to go lame.

If you want a laugh at what happens when he manages to dislodge his curb chain on a hunt and is com-puh-letely out of control, try pedderz.com, CFDH 26th December, page 3 photo 116. That's us folks Shocked

!

C

Nic

hobnob

Posted on Wednesday that had started feeding unsoaked hay to my 2 due to frozen taps etc. Unfortunately lgl and obviously VERY metabolic pony has pulses, heat and footiness on rough ground today. Back to lugging water about I am afraid Sad

Edited Sun 9.20am
24 hours on soaked hay and OK now - and the hose pipe has defrosted - double whammy !!! Very Happy

sarahh

I'm another road canterer, Boy offers it and also lovea a good spanking cob trot. This from the horse who when shod would plod!
Have managed to exercise him quite a lot despite frozeness,the 40 acres at my livery yard have made a good substitute road! What I did notice is after leaving mins out of feed for a few days because a friend was doing feeds, we got some gimpy steps on ouchy stones, so am now making sure mins ARE fed even when someone else is feeding

Nic

SueH

My little navicular TB happy to canter on roads with his Renegades on.
Yesterday he did wonderful display of stallion prancing along road - for the ladies you understand - farmer watchin asked me if he was a youngster - v surprised he was 11 so think we have diet right finally (thanks to Clare Macleod and Sarah B) . I think he's feet are less of an issue now so he's showing his true nature (nutter). Not bad for another once shod plodder.

x
Sue

Nic

brucea

I have a friend in Cumbria who has a herd of exmoor and various native crosses.

One of them, Rag, is well into his early 40s' and hacks out three or four times a week in his chosen retirement job of educating young riders and teaching them to be polite and respectful!!! He chooses his riders now, and is out for 2-3 hours at a time.

Rag looks pretty damn good if you ignore the elk mouth, protruding teeth, and slight sway back...and best of all he is, and has always been, barefoot.
Very Happy

He has bright eyes and great feet.

One day soon I guess he will just sleep away in a corner of his field. I've known Rag since I was 18, and I'll be...well, ancient...next year. He was certainly quite a handful as a younger horse!

horsesfirst

Hey Nic

Were those 2 well behaved horses that Ghost was leading out my girls?

Because of injuries* my oldest gal is confined to roads and railway tracks or similar. Mud and schools are out. Regular leg scans show no sign of concussion injury. When in work she typically does 50+ miles a week on road type surfaces. We could do more but I don't have enough time.

Most of the work is in trot or canter, because owing to one of her injuries, lots of ridden walk work is uncomfy for my horse. When she needs a lot of walking I long rein her. I do ride her 'soft', ie I don't let her 'leg it' as much as she would like, I keep her outline easy and try to develop a steady rhythm. This can be quite tough what with the traffic and her 'up for it' nature.

*None of her injuries relate to being barefoot, on or off road. They are all related one way or another to really bad management practices and a bit of bad luck and rubbish driving and badly behaved dogs...........

Nic

Lucy, all 3 have gone out with ghost, not all at the same time!! They are all of them MUCH better behaved than him!!

N

horsesfirst

Thanks Nic Very Happy

Just make sure you tell them I expect them to behave when they get home Very Happy

Can't afford to mess around with a bus up your backside! Now if only we could get the OH in line too - although I am not complaining - for a non horsey person he is a b* star. And he's dug the drains in all that frost and snow.

Nic

horsesfirst

Nic, feel sorry for the poor loves. They all know that if they misbehave I'll start singing............. Laughing

If you want a hilarious but safe 'blast' find a willing cyclist, get on the 'well behaved' arab and yell 'get him!' with intent. She knows exactly what you mean and is like a terrier after a rabbit. The brakes do work, but require a slightly more serious approach than our usual fit of giggles. She will also recognise cyclist post chase and offer to take up the pursuit again.

Who knows it could be a new sport............ Very Happy

Re Ghost - be careful in jest - when I come back for George there will be a spare place on the lorry! Very Happy

And OH is feeling rather lost with only girls and George for company.

brucea

I wonder if we would have more of a chance of overturning the hunting ban if we switched the proposed quarry from foxes to bankers? Razz

Probably get nationwide support.

Tally

So far so good, everything good here (touch wood).

Just wanted to report unexpected success with treating mud fever. Front leg was quite bad by the time I realised she had it : hairs falling off at the heels and all scaby, scabs all along the coronet band and creeping towards the pastern.

I managed to shift in less than a week by :
- thorough drying (towel off the mud and brush when dry or rinse off legs + towel dry)
- spraying purple solution (contains same disinfectant as hibiscrub minus the soap) and rubbing in with fingers.

Horse was kept in and dry overnight but turned out in deep mud during the day. In the past I used the wash the legs with hibiscrub but somehow it was more of a faff and did not seem to work as well.

brucea

Tally - glad you got it sorted, mud fever does just appear from mowhere doesn't it!

We had horrendous mud fever problems at our last yard. Different things work for different folks - for me, I found getting the legs really clean and dry every few days (I used clean straw and stable bandages to thatch them dry!) and then using Keratex Mud Guard powder - worked a treat. Got to really work it up under the hair. It was the thing that fixed it for us. Only caution, just don't get it on concrete, makes it like an ice rink! But at least you won't have to explain your purple fingers! Very Happy

Back home now after being abroad for work, our guys all great. Hooves pretty good. Bramble was out for about an hour hacking on forrest tracks today and coped very well without his boots. I guess the next thing we have to watch closely is for any hormonal changes in the spring that might trigger him towards laminitis. There's clearly another hoof coming down at a much steeper angle.

Little b****r escaped from his paddock yesterday and went haring round the field with all the mares competign for him, and it was an hour or so before he could be caught. Of course he stufed as much grass as he possibly could - but seems to have got off with it so far. Rolling Eyes

Linkwood is just getting happier in his paws all the time and we rarely use the boots now. He's also much happier jumping than he has been for a long time.

horsesfirst

Good news re the mud fever. I've never heard of using purple spray before.

Anyone else out there use Heel 2 Hoof? I use it on the neds legs, minor scrapes and my chapped hands (and it smells lovely so no problems at Tesco) Smile

SueH

Jake (Navicular rehab) - OMG I have a new horse:l v forward - Lessons now a matter of calming him down to give impulsion not impulsiveness, whereas it used to be getting him to go

hacked (booted on fronts) mountain with Sarah and Helen on Saturday. Jake very giddy cos ridin with 2 boy-horses he didnt know so lots of adrenaline silliness and bucking if he got behind. Faster pace than we normally do (still slow for S and H of course Smile

- anyhow Jake managed wonderfully over varied terrain and was incredibly foot sure.

funny joke on way back: perhaps I should put shoes back on my navicular neddy and he'd go back to being sensible shod plodder. Makes you think eh.....

Other thing came to mind was Mag - friend who events asked what I gave J for his feet. I said Mag but she said she couldnt give Mag as didnt want her mare any calmer cos needed more umpf for eventing.....I know, dont go there Rolling Eyes

I thought J might be tender next day but as usual my attempts to nanny my horse are shown to be silliness: happily did an hour and a half champin at the rope halter

x
SueH

gordonhutchings · Progress

Hi all, not posted for sometime, but to update on 2 years of transition from farrier trim to barefoot trim. My anglo arab 7yrs, NEVER been shod but trimmed by farrier until 2 years ago. WHAT a difference now! after following aanhcp guidelines. Both rears have wonderful concavity both fronts now developing v good concavity, ALL four have deep grooves showing thickness of sole and currently training for full season of endurance, over 8/10 miles ALL roadwork. He absolutely LOVES to canter uphill on the road, but must be sensible with it.
Must remember that it IS all about lifstyle. My two horses NEVER stop moving, Diet is vitally important. They have as close to wild conditions as possible. NO Stabling, All on Tracks most of the time,No Clipping,No Rugs, NO SHOES!! and Best of all now NO BITS. I use Dr cooks Crossover bitless bridle.
It is all about COMMITMENT and Damn hard work but, VERY VERY much worth it all to experience what a natural horse is capable of.

Only downside is the STRANGE looks from the Non Believers to whom we seem to be the Visitors from mars!!

When my A Arab achieves Gold at the Golden Horshoe then we will see what they say folks.

Well bye for now Endurance Gordon

SueH

wow - very inspiring update Endurance Gordon Very Happy

.

x
SueH

Dawn

Indeed yes! Very inspirational! I shall put a bottle on ice for when you get that Gold! Sadly you'll be too far away to share it - but it's the thought that counts Wink

Well, we are just halfway through our first winter on a track system and WHAT a difference in my two. I was fretting that the track would turn to mud but as they don't tend to hang out in any particular spots other than where I cunningly placed the gravel and hardcore it absolutely hasn't.

Small pony with EMS has never looked better or sounder and large grey one of rather portly proportions has dropped weight significantly and looks great too. I went the whole hog and didn't rug or clip and despite my worries and having "Rambo" (rug - not Sylvester) ready to deploy, we've got through the worst of weather without a single shiver. I have little hills and trees on my track and a run in shed and they are very sensibly making use of all the shelter spots available.

Hopefully this summer we'll be able to put in more areas of gravel, it's my birthday next week and when asked "what do you want?" I keep saying "hardcore or pea gravel please" but no-one is taking me seriously!!! Laughing

D

brucea

Endurance Gordon! Another bloke who doesn't use bits!

I use a simple soft rope headcollar with clip on reins - or a Parelli hackamore. My horse goes soft, relaxed and is happy. He always had his nose up in the air with any kind of a bit, bolted, and was a horrendous headshaker. He had poor topline before and has great topline now. My ponies ride in the parelli hackamore - and it's great because the children can't bang them in the mouth and they learn to be accountable for their own ballance... Bits are probably neuteral, riders hands, unfortunately are always the problem.

I do get a lot of people stop me and say "wow, I would never dare to ride my horse out like that!" hmmmm...makes you wonder. Smile

Nic

hobnob

All still well mid month. Trimmed small pony today for the first time in weeks. He is always the one with no foot problems and no diet restirction (we do have sweet itch though !!) His feet are brilliant and I only needed to redo the roll and round off the quarters as his toes had become square. He is one tough little cookie at only 36" high !!
LGL pony still 100 percent and very happy. Trying to find a feed lower in sugar and starch than Hi Fi Lite to swap her onto so we can get a wider margin with the growh of the Spring grass soon-ish !! Anyone any ideas - its only to mix her additives into. See my Fast Fibre post ! Smile

horsesfirst

I feed Alfa A oil for same reason. No added sugar (molasses). Madam has tiny bit just to put vits/minerals in.

It is a loose forage packed in a bale - long fibre so good 'natural' chew.

All the laminitic trust fibres are too sugary for the Arab.

Tally

I found on this Forum that Dengie do Alfa pellets - they contain no molasses / no nothing.
You just need to soak them like speedi beet for ~ 30 min. Fab to add min & vitamins / linseed etc...

Jane

Hmm, not done January yet!

All boringly good round here - new bedding (like aquamax wood pellets but MUCH cheaper - see blog!) is a godsend to us not able to use pea gravel. It turns from pellets to very fine sawdust that when damp packs in their feet to form a perfect, slightly drying dirt plug, that seems to stay in on turnout in the bog.

Their feet look the best they EVER have in the winter! Dan's concavity has gone through the roof and everyone stomped around on the frozen stuff like it was a feather mattress. Even the old boy hasn't noticed the hard ground or the bog.

Even Max with his shocking feet is doing well - having splurged out abscesses in both front feet, he is now running around unstoppable!

rose

I use Dengie alfalfa pellets which are great as no suger and low starch but if I feed too much my girl gets a bit too lively.

Having said that she gets up to 2 kg per day along with 2kg (dry weight) unmolassed sugarbeet when she is off grass in the summer and she is fine on this.

She does tend to get a bit too thin in the summer months and won't eat more than 6 leafs of hay per day. This is a lot of food for a 14.1hh but it only just keeps her at a moderate weight. She is not a do-gooder execpt when she is on free grass, which of course she can't have in the summer.

Horses for courses!

Nic

Jane, fascinating about your wood pellets - I've only come across them as fuel before Laughing

I did a crude version in one of our yards, borrowed a neighbours industrial size chipper and literally stuffed 3 fir trees into it (!) to produce rough wood chips. Probably not quite as good as your pellets and is now starting to pack down, but is brilliantly antiseptic and doesn't shift even in gale force winds.

Maybe wood is the new gravel Wink

N

hobnob

Nic - I think you know where I work you came in ages ago and trim my colleagues horse Bill. We do wood pellets if you are interested !

Nic

Thank you

Actually I love my pea gravel, and will probably stick with it as I am too lazy to shovel up wood chunks once they are rotted down Cool

I tried the fir trees because I can never resist trying something new, but pea gravel is for life, not just for a fw months Wink

Hope to see you again before too long!

N

Jane

The pellets turn to sawdust with water - so deffo wouldn't work outside - but they are definately my 'pea gravel' of choice for indoors barns etc

Laughing

hobnob

My 2 would think they were pony nuts and eat them !!

horsesfirst

Sorry no wood pellets to talk about. Did put wood/chips/bark into the field shelter with mixed results. One horse refused to have anything to do with them - standing wedged into the corner on a rubber mat. Another decided that they required digging up (terrier like) and carried on digging through the foundations. George decided that they were cat litter and made long trips specially to poo on them, even though he had six acres to choose from Sad

In this weather I am only half joking when I say I'm going to clear out the kitchen and bring them in..........

Speaking of which. Anyone having any grass/sugar issues yet? Our grass has been frozen for two weeks solid (plus) and then snowed on. But now after several days of torrential rain and hailstones new grass is peeking though. Not a lot but its very jewel like and bright and the girls are either very very slightly footy from that or because I was slightly cowardly and in the peeing rain chose the disused railway rather than the road. - In TW the worse the visability the faster the cars go.......... ditto the more difficult the bends the faster you go... well no one else would be on the lanes would they Rolling Eyes

brucea

There are new shoots in the grass up here and a couple of the more sensitive horses in the yard are questionably sound (if you get what I mean).

Added: Well there definitely are green shoots and a bit of a flush - most of the geldings in Link's field have loose runny green poos today.

The green stuff at our yard is amazing - grows very quickly and even after the most severe pounding by the horses over winter.

Days are getting longer now - slowly, but most welcome! Very Happy

horsesfirst

Thanks Brucea its good/bad to know that others are feeling the sugar already - means we are not alone Sad

which is not good for your guys but makes me feel better!

But sugar or not the girls did 2.9 miles on the road in about 50/55 minutes today. We are very proud of them because Snips has never been known to walk faster than 2 miles an hour before. We did do a bit of trot but not heaps because I am short and round and was on foot... and a quarter of the ride was uphill (a proper hill). Hopefully soon my gluts will also be short and round.........

brucea

Ha Ha! Who needs a gymn membership when you have horses (and young children) ????

horsesfirst

All this barefoot stuff is proving very expensive. I am spending a fortune on shoes.......... mine that is. Very Happy

Trolling round after my mare trying to wear her feet out is getting through a pair of trainers a month!

And unfortunately I am still short and round. Sad

5.3 miles on the road today and horses still sound (me not so much) and still no ***** wear of the horses feet. (can you hear my teeth grinding?) Smile

sarahh

Trimmed both boys last week and both looking good apart from squidgy frogs, but then thats no surprise as they are knee deep in mud every day! Moving them to a new yard on Sunday where fields are not bogs. We shall see what changes occur, grass has not been grazed at all this year so very different to the stuff they are on now.
Hopefully i will be able to convince the farmer to let me create a mini track system, with time
Laughing

Sarah

Have finally got Morris back into work after a break since August. Spent three days at a clinic with him where he stomped up and down the very horrid sharp rocky track to get to and from the arena. Then went out for a hack with Helen N and he was very enthusiastic and quite happy to trot on all the stones on the tracks.

Plan to try to get him to an endurance ride this year if his brain seems able to cope.

Sarah

Nic

brucea

Maintenance trims this afternoon and all looking just tickety-boo.

Working Bramble's toes back all the time and there's another new angle coming down which at a guess looks like it puts his toe a good 5 mm or more behind where it is now. Certainly there was no hint of footiness when he was careening round the school the other night leaping over anything in his way!! Little nutter! Smile

Time to get him driving again, we've had a break for a while with all that frost.

Link's feet great, hardly anything to do, there never is really. Nice "cloggy" wood like sound. Polly - cob feet! Need a new rasp now. Despite being on a grass free paddock and measured hay, he's not lost any weight really - despite regularly escaping in to the mares field and having a grand old time with them Rolling Eyes

Everything quite muddy up here. We're lucky though - our ground dries out fairly quickly. Couple of the yard horses with heat in feet and puffy coronary bands.

hobnob

LGL pony's feet are great. Took her heels down about 3 weeks ago and they havent grown back. Can now not fit fingers under back of foot when she is standing on concrete! Sounds crazy but this has been my way of monitoring it over the last 13 months (must get a life)! Her frogs are beefing up again and have a wide diamond shape clefts and for some reason are quite hard even though she stands in wet mud ?! Confused

I have been waiting for this moment for months - so happy !! Shes also very very sound - yipee Very Happy

brucea

Great...

Link's gone lame in one foot over the last 24 hours - another abscess brewing I think - probably in the same site as the last one. Pointing his toe, big pulse, bit of heat...but the vet couldn't pinpoint where with the hoof testers so wants to leave it for a few days to "brew"

So wet poulticing and tubbing for a few days to try and draw it. He's not the most accommodating patient I've ever met. Been quite muddy and there's been some new growth in the grass.

I got the anti barefoot vet today...I am always polite, but firm about them being unshod, but it does get your goat sometimes.

On a brighter note - my other little project - a lovely old fashioned cob transitioning to barefoot - is going just great. He's decontracted a whole 15mm in front in the last 6 weeks and seems to be really happy in his paws. Going much more forward than he was, and the toe first action on the right front is simply just gone. Smile

horsesfirst

Oh, that's grotty news. Cross fingers and hooves that it clears up quickly.

I am starting to believe that the anti bares can be found wanting in other areas too. Maybe they lack sufficient intellectual curiosity and openess to make them truly good vets?

maggiesmum

Nic - how did Hector get on???

horsesfirst

Today Snips the QH and Pics the busticated Arab did 7.23 miles. Mostly on the road - with 1.34 miles of bridleway. Both are in transition, both started to fade a bit 1/2 mile from home, but are otherwise fine. Front toes on both squaring off, no real wear on the underneaths. Now fretting about getting the toes rolled properly.

Having trouble getting enough grub into the Arab. She is having mega calories with Alfa A oil, cooked linseed and veg oil (no sugar), plus supplements, but is being somewhat hassled by the QH. So having to put them in at night so the Arab can eat in peace and get a bit of rest.

Nic

Very well thanks! Have a look here: http://uknhcp.myfastforum.org/about892.html

Cool

N

brucea

Well - still toiling with Link a bit. He's actually OK at walk and trot but every now and then puts in an "ouch" step and he doesn't like sharp turns to the right.

As the vet instructed, I've been hot tubbing with epsom salts and povidone for the last few days, and keeping a wet poultice on. This morning I could just see a slight cream discolouration on the poultice beneath the remainder of the hole the vet dug the last time and thought it might be puss. Hopefully it will begin to drain. Amazing - 8 years with never an abscess in any of ours and then we have two in four months.

Have the vet coming to Bramble tomorrow to check on his breathing - so will get him to look at Link again. Bramble isn't really impressed about having "big ginger bossy grump" in his paddock, but it's the cleanest place to put him at the moment.

Was hacking Apollo in the woods today and there is quite a bit of fresh new green growth appearing.

Hope you're all OK in the next few days - looks like the weather is going to take quite a turn for the worse.

horsesfirst

We have hefty snow. About 6 inches and counting. Seems to work like a charm on tired tootsies though. The girls did 10+ miles over the weekend about 2/3rds roads and other hard surfaces (like road planings) and I thought they may be a bit ouchy or stiff this morning. But not a bit of it. Maybe snow is a comfort pack - at least until it gets too hard and balled up in their feet.

Arab not rideable at the moment - her car injury is playing up - but she joins us on all our rambles and loves every minute. She is actually easier to take for a walk than a dog. She doesn't run off and her heel work is exemplary. Don't believe that all Arabs are wimps, the stuff we did this weekend had me, Sally and the QH worried, but Pics just got on with it.

Nic

horsesfirst

Thank you Nic - that is reassuring Smile

I am trying hard to trust the girls judgement on these things - but it is difficult bearing in mind how much trouble Pickles got into when she was little. Confused

January 2009

Barefoot Showjumping

Progress