| Archive for uknhcp.myfastforum.org Natural hoof care resource forums for all those interested in barefoot horses |
| Nic |
JulyHey ho here we go again Its so sticky and vile here at the moment I'd consider taking July off and not riding at all...except we've got to do 260 miles in a couple of weeks...  EEEK!
N |
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| horsesfirst |
Good luck with the training - do you know who you are going to take now? | ||||||
| Nic |
Nope  I'm not making a decision till late next week  I may not even tell Sarah, she'll just have to see who walks out of the trailer on Monday morning
N |
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| Terry |
Can't believe it is July already, where is the time going, flat out busy with competing and training, have a horse in for the season who needs to be sold for a client and has to achieve 100 miles this season so as he only arrived Wednesday I am afraid will require front shoes as time is of the essence and I will not achieve a performing foot within timescales.
Medraar and Abu, doing very well, feet still continuing to impress me, Medraar now advanced Endurance horse, out doing 40 miles Saturday and hoping to race later in the season. Saqr, feet have changed beyond recognition, performing stunningly already done 3 25 mile rides and will continue at this level for the remainder of the season as only 5yrs old. Max and Bonanza, the babes!! Both been out showing and winning their classes, well impressed that Bonanza took first out of 21 horses last weekend and Max won his sport breeding class the week before, lovely pics which I will scan in. Max now being lightly ridden as 17h on mesure stick at just 3yrs old! Terry 
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| brucea |
Cooler up north now and a little more comfortable. Flies still a problem but less so than they were. Just nuisance rather than biting.
Hard to exercise the guys enough at the moment because they just get soaking and overheated - keeping up wiht the seaweed in their feed to replace the lost salts and minerals they are sweating out. Hosing feet to give them some moisture. Abscesses seem to be the thing at the moment - few of them in the yard. Just an observation and I have absolutely no evidence other than just what I have seen - but I think that horses who get mollassed feeds and have molasses licks appear to be more prone to abscesses. One of the girls who has a horse with an abscess at the moment (she's a nurse) commented that people with ulcerated sores get on better on a sugar free diet - so there might just be something in it. |
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| cptrayes |
Radar's feet are changing unbelievably again - he's going to end up with delightful little feet compared to the clodhoppers he came with four months ago. They are already more than an inch smaller than his shoes were, as you saw in June. They'll be another inch smaller yet at this rate ! He is rock stomping on unlimited grass all night and in 9am to 7pm. He is just starting fitness training to go on teh pre-season hunt rides.
Butkins the Shetland's feet are sweet and although he is a little porker with a great round belly he is solid on them. I'm going to muzzle him at night from now on though, we really can't have his waistline any bigger than it is now 
Jazz is better on his feet than he was last year , which I put down to the "in during the day" routine. Last year I muzzled him during the day and got away with it. In during the day with small bale meadow haylage is much better. Zippy has emigrated to Tenerife where the trainer wants him shod because "it will improve his extensions". This horse has unbelievable extension at five, even though he has never been trained to do it. No-one in their right minds would shoe him to get his stride even longer. Ah well 
C ps I have a source for upland hill meadow unfertilized, unchemical treated, late cropped low calorie value small bale haylage if anyone in Cheshire/Derbyshire/Staffordshire is interested. |
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| Nic |
So sad  I'd never seen a horse who moved as amazingly as Zip, when you trotted him up as a green 3 yr old - how arrogant of the trainer to think they can improve that...Hope the god of barefoot comes after the trainer 
Sounds like Basil our erstwhile Exmoor pony...he was so fat he used to wobble when he trotted but was never other than rock-crunching, little devil He and Bailey, the TBx waif with sensitive hooves proved to me it was more than just body condition which affected feet 
Yep - very pleasant down here too, by comparison. Lots of rain forecast (!) for the next few days, and the horses are finding it very comfortable. I am off to try the last leg of the BBR on Sunday, with a friend, so hope that it stays like this for the weekend
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| horsesfirst |
Snips persuaded her 'Mum' that it is perfectly possible to jump tyres at speed, barefoot and then have lots of galloping about without any foot issues at all (steering was another matter).
Horn growth since being denied any grass is stunningly beautiful to a hoof fetishist. Perfectly smooth, tightly connected and fast growing. |
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| Terry |
Competed in 40 mile class yesterday with Medraar as part of his training to race later in the season so had to step the speeds up in the heat as well. As usual he was an absolute star finishing with a very respectful grade 2 when others in the class were spun lame as they went fast over what was in parts very hard going, but you can guess Medraar's frogs worked a treat in providing excellent traction, we completed at our target speed of 14km/hr.
2 horses spun were wearing pads and think sand from the beach may have got underneath them!!!!!
Only disheartening note was that farrier was a bit concerned about the distance I was doing barefoot, never had this before but he was very newly qualified which is a disappiontment, I had to be very diplomatic and luckily the ride organiser has a quiet word with him but he certainly looked in disbelief when I told him I trained over 50 miles a week on rocks, he also had to eat his words at the end but I truely hope he took some learning from it, Terry |
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| horsesfirst |
Terry, well done you - me very jealous! but give us time and we will be hot on your heels 
Disappointing about the farrier but hardly a surprise (unfortunately). At least you made him eat his words. I wonder whether he would have actually tried to stop you and what the outcome would have been? Snips got pulses all round after merely eating unsoaked hay. At least her Mum got to see it so that now she understands the severity of the issue and its not just me being paranoid.
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| SueH |
Terry - as usual you are an inspiration ! ..but dont be disheartened at ther farrier: you just met someone who NEEDED to meet you ! this guy needed to see how awesome your barefoot horse is, and you never know, you may just have set him thinking.
Jake just done second funride at Kinmel no boots. Jake's mate Taz also went without boots. One stoney section at beginning meant we edged onto mid-verge but otherwise fine. Did this in half the time it took last time - about 1/3 way round we ended up with 3 other stranger danger horses, which he actually LOVED and decided it was a race . Rather more bucking with this approach - bloomin hooligan but plenty of uphill gallops helped me stay in my seat and some awesome gallops where my little flatracer went like a stonk.
All in all, he coped amazingly well and popped over good number of smaller jumps like a trooper. So pleased with my boy .
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| Helen N |
Did the same ride as you today Sue, but you must have been much earlier than us. Carly and his new girlfriend, barefoot, Cleveland Bay x TB, Khali (rather confusing to say the least!) had a whale of a time. Carly even jumped over some small obstacles in the woods . A good opportunity to show off No problems over the stoney bits, so glad we had neither shoes nor boots on throught the thick muddy bits. Lots of fast grassy going, didn't rush but still did the 10 miles in an hour and a half. Rooster had a good fittening mountain ride yesterday in preparation for his first 64k next weekend in Lincolnshire (fingers crossed of course) which we are hoping to do without boots Did you get caught in the rain yesterday Terry? Well done on your grade 2. What are you doing next?
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| Terry |
It was a surprise about the farrier as I have never really encountered this before in the past 5 years of competing barefoot, even when I raced over 120km they didn't pass comment other than amazement at the end.
I am sure they took some learning from it though!! Helen, was really lucky it only rained heavily as I was loading to come home! Some nice drizzle on route which was welcoming to cool Meds down. Good luck for next week, Rooster will be fine, just enjoy yourself
I am at Ludlow in 2 weeks with Saqr, followed by Lindum with Izaak and Saqr again, pretty busy season really as Izaak with me for the season so trying to fit in competing 4 and training them
See you in the week I am sure, Terry
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| Nic |
A friend and I did the last day of the BBR as a test ride - 17.4 miles of which at least 60% was roads and stony tracks. The boys loved it, and look fresh and ready to go again this morning (which is kind of the idea in view of the length of the BBR ).
Fantastic weather for it - cool, breezy and cloudy which was a big help in keeping flies under control. The double whammy of SSS and a Devon wonder-remedy based on neem oil seemed to be a fairly good way of keeping the little bastards at bay, though we had to thwack horse-flies on a regular basis. Vid clip is up here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poDS1dkxGIA N |
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| brucea |
Had a lovely ride yesterday in the sunshine - went all the way from the farm to the strawbery farm, collected four punnets, then went back tot he house to deliver them to the kids. Must be about 10 miles but in the heat that was more than enough for both of us.
Only problem was getting him past the big sign of a smiling strawberry! It did look a bit scary.
Met some folks up there who have horses and they were commenting how they couldn't ride their horses without shoes on the roads - apparently they just wouldn't cope...well, if they can't walk out on Tarmac without shoes then you have some issues to examine - the evidence that a healthy horse can do it is right here. I could see the message passing through her mind without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind.
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| Jo Mitchell |
Terry: I love your posts... you are so busy with your horses and I always look forward to reading what you guys have been up to. Well done with the farrier....
Did a Level 1 Trec in Mansergh Cumbria with Pie and a friend who's pony is barefoot but young and green and only done 2 bridlerides before, so we wanted a nice gentle introduction to competing for her. Gorgeous countryside... Pie got 7 10's out of the 16 obstacles, 3 zero's (what do you mean I have to stand in this circle for 10 seconds and NOT eat the grass.. foolish woman!!!) and he got a 10 for his Control of Pace Canter and a 0 for his walk (let's piaffe on the spot on the way down to my girlfriend who's calling me!!!... don't I look handsome???) Barefoot for the COP & PTV and booted up for the POR, which was a 12km.... did lots of cantering, lots of gates, 3 checkpoints on the way... found the ticket and remembered to mark the card with it..... nearly unheard of that for me!!! Rained on in big thunderstorm for 20 minutes.. lovely weather the rest of the day.... hideous horse flies... Really good day and the little palomino was a superstar, very chilled, very fit and lovely lovely feet. |
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| Sarah |
Morris and Fari did the same ride as Helen N and Sue H. Lovely ride, Morris was as keen as mustard, left my face behind again on a number of gallops and he was really enthusiastic about the jumps and did lots of the bigger ones.
Fari was on top form racing Morris and trying to drag my sister into jumps she wasn't keen on doing. He managed completely bare although trotting over a pile of bricks was left to Morris. He has been much better of late after I started to give him a probiotic and liver and immune support. The change in the angle of his growth is quite dramatic. Encouragingly I counted up about 15 barefoot horses at the ride which is not bad considering in the olden days it was just me and Helen N. I think Morris is well up for 260 miles now and he will think it even better if there are some cross country jumps in the way too I am tending to wonder now if he can be my hunt horse for this coming season
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| hobnob |
Start of July report -
Something really weird happening to front hooves !! The heels are needing no trimming what-so-ever after they have kept popping up time after time the last few months (many months really!!) Also said heels are widening loads and really quickly too and frog is getting huge too !! Wow !! Said pony has been grassless for just over 3 weeks now and was put on Hilton Metabolyte 2 weeks ago. I have just started allowing TEENY amounts of grass by moving elec fence and so far so good. No pulses and bad footiness we had a couple of weeks ago as gone. She also looks really well in herself and her coat has taken on a real shine. The Metabolyte has Milk Thistle in it to detoxify her liver along with Goats Rue herb and Artichoke to help her insulin issues. I like what I'm seeing so far !
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| Nic |
Oh Bruce, how often that happens to us all Great description of the self-editing that goes on when most people see a barefoot horse out on anything other than an arena!
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| cptrayes |
I think that's one of the reasons why, contrary to my expectations, hunting folk seem to be some of the most open-minded. They don't just see you for a few minutes doing a dressage test, a showjumping round or one or two cross country fences. You're in their faces for hours trotting along the road, cantering up hardcore tracks and jumping from impossible take-offs onto appalling landings, right beside them. I guess that may be why long-distance riders "get it" too. Had that vet donemany long distance vettings Terry?
And as an aside, how on EARTH does your bum cope with training FOUR:? ????
C
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| Terry |
The farrier was very traditional and worked in partnership with a popular veterinary clininc in Cheshire who have a dim view of barefoot, it was his apprentice who was more concerned, trouble is is I just don't think he had seen performance hooves, which we all know are shorter than shod horses.
Training 4 horses and bum in the saddle, it's quite easy really my bum is hardly in the saddle the speeds I train at Fortunately I am well lets say jockey size which gives me an advantage apart from carrying weights when competing FEI. My partner, Amanda schools the boys and builds on their lateral work, as this isn't my favourite work but I am getting better and believe it has improved my balance no end
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| cptrayes |
Well you must have legs like iron to do all those miles
I have a picture of you in my head now - did you ever see Willy Carson on that Shetland pony? (I think Lester or someone was on a Shire in the same photo). C ps I think "that" practice was forced to pass the horse I sold a month ago. It was certainly through slightly gritted teeth! |
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| Helen N |
[quote="cptrayes"]
I have a picture of you in my head now - did you ever see Willy Carson on that Shetland pony? (I think Lester or someone was on a Shire in the same photo). You've met Terry then
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| Terry |
Yes you have the right picutre
But Helen can talk, she could be Mrs CARSON They say all good things come in small parcels and I'm always handy for backing shetlands!!
Terry
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| Helen N |
Sorry Terry , I know I'm a fine one to talk, I just couldn't resist it though!
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| cptrayes |
Did you read the comment by Michael Bercow's (The new Squeaker) wife - "Michael is short and I am not. Get over it"
Love it!! C |
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| Sarah |
Mr and Mrs Carson!!!! ROFL
Mrs Carson has done well at a 65km ride barefoot this weekend, way to go Helen, need a ride report when you are back and have five to spare. S x |
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| Jo Mitchell |
Took Pie showjumping yesterday... Double clears both courses... but just not fast enough in the jump off...
In one of them there were 6 of us out of 29 who had gone clear and I was 6th as I forgot the jump off course and had to circle before remembering... The judge over the tanoy actually shouted, "turn left, it's jump 4 you're looking for"... that was very helpful.... but still finished 6. The judge gave us a "Special" rosette... Let Pie down badly with that, just goes to show that inexperience will help you loose sometimes no matter how good your horse is.. ho hum. On the plus side... totally barefoot and bouncing about like a stag... |
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| Sarah |
Te he takes me back to the first time I took Fox show jumping. In the jump off I took one of the fences on a hell of an angle at a hell of a speed so I could turn quickly to get to the next one. As I went over I thought bloody hell it's still up, landed and was so chuffed I only asked him to turn when he was on the ground. He locked on to the jump in front and before I knew it we were in the air again, over it, and eliminated, if I had been a little more experienced I would have turned in the air whilst thinking bloody hell 
Well done Jo, way to go Pie. S x |
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| SueH |
Just a quick post to say Jake noticing what's under his feet less and less. Stomping trotting ahead of shod horse on worse 'lumpy' lane which was boots-only or get-off route in May. Its odd, he stomps ahead and even though he stumbles here and there if he hits stone on hard ground, he appears not to be bothered as his pace is unaltered and he feels relaxed and free at the shoulders througout.
Dont know whether its increase in brewers yeast (2 x heaped 50 ml per day) or grass less nasty or moving around more (see below) or combination of all three factors. Had to enlarge day pen to house new horse as well as Jake. So now there is more room and much more movement. Negative is that there is small grass patch although this its very trampled + almost bare so they tend to eat hay instead. Jake is definitely better on his feet at the moment so this compromise workable. Clay is a hay lover bless him - I open up pen at night for them to get more grass but also put a bit more fresh hay in and Clay choses hay everytime. Full report on Clay's feet will come soon but in short, they are flat, underrun heels, tiny frogs....evidencing compromised digestive system. Diet is as for Jake + immune, liver and probiotic support. He needs to grow proper new feet ( with new diet which is loves bless him) before he can do anything but for now hes happy mooching around and was galloping round paddock with Jake last night so life aint so bad. Bless him though, Jake looks like a body builder compared to Clay. Clay trotted off cheekily but briefly yesterday as I tried to have a look at his feet - no malice and he halted quickly and we carried on with him offering each foot in turn very relaxed. Its probably not coming across very well but it felt like special moment as a shut down horse starts to open up and express an opinion.
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| Helen N |
Hi to Sue H, good to hear that Jake is doing so well Good luck with your new boy I look forward to hearing all about how he gets on.
Big news on the Rooster front. As Sarah mentioned we have just got back from Lincolnshire having done Rooster's first ever 65k competitive ride AND he did it completely barefoot I am chuffed to bits with him. This season so far he has successfully completed 187k worth of competitive rides barefoot and 168k competitive booted. He has also completed numerous barefoot pleasure rides and does most of his training at home unbooted. He has been barefoot for the four years that I have owned him and although he has done a fair few competitve rides in that time he has finally come out of Carly's shadow and is my number one endurance horse
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| Sarah |
 
Blimey falls over in complete shock, well done you! S x |
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| horsesfirst |
Ok, not exactly 'performance' but we were out 'training' when this incident, which I just have to share happened.
The other evening I was out exercising Snips. We are in Tunbridge Wells. Man pulls up, says: "How far to Uckfield?" "About 12 miles," I say; "20/30 mins depending on the traffic." "But its just at the end of this road." he says, glancing at his sat nav. "No." I say, "Its miles away, you are in Tunbridge Wells". He looks back at his sat nav, then at me and says: "Are you sure?" |
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| Helen N |
Love it That's exactly why I refuse to have a Sat Nav
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| Helen N |
H x |
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| SueH |
ah Helen well done to you What an inspiration
Riding with you and Sarah in Feb really changed things for me - Jake bucked his way round the moutain but as you both said, no big deal just acted like a young horse who hadnt been out in company so much - so that's what we did this summer and its paying off. Other thing was seeing Jake cope at faster pace without me nannying him along. Let me be clear, its not about forcing him bootless over horrid ground, but that I dont try and decide how he should negotiate the ground - he can walk after all, he doesnt need me to tell how to do that.
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| Helen N |
Thanks Sue. It's all about just getting on with it I know that can be easier said than done sometimes though. You and Jake really seem to be getting it together now, well done to you Are you going to the ride on 26th July?
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| cptrayes |
If you follow a Satnav to my house you'll end up in the wrong valley at the wrong farm - won't you Sarah ?
C |
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| SueH |
Hiya HelenN
Yeah, its about JFDI a lot of the time. Yup going on 26th but as usual pretty early so its bit quieter when we set off so bit less bumpy ride. Last time he was darn site less fizzy at start and its just about doing more and more of these isnt it. |
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| hobnob |
Mid July report:
LGL pony been on Metabolyte for a month now and have seen a few differences. Her coat was looking quite rough and she still had patches of winter woolies. It is now sleek and shiny - it looks amazing. She also had a pot belly look about her which has completely gone. She seems slightly more tolerable to grass as I have been letting her have a tiny bit now and then. She has had NO pulses now for 3 weeks but still not 100 percent on the rough stuff. Saying that, I would say she 'looks' where she is going rather than being short striding and footy. So all in all I am quite pleased with it. Definate change in hoof angle when I stopped the Hi Fi and started Fast Fibre a few months ago. Heels staying down by themselves. Soles went flat a couple of weeks ago but are now concave again. She is in a much better mood also ! Still mostly on mud. Weather - er... very wet... de ja vu 2007-2008. 
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| brucea |
Much the same up here HobNob - we were camping up the west coast in an idylic place called Clachtoll last week http://www.clachtollbeachcampsite.co.uk - let's just say there were a couple of nights when the tent was rocking in a force 8! But I parked the 4x4 on the guy ropes on the windward side and tied the tent on to the roof rack and we were fine!
Had a few nice days though and kids spent all the time they could in the sea (in their wetsuits of course). Horses seem to have survived the week without me and Link is carying a little more weight than I'd like. Bramble's breathing is a lot better after another course of Sputolosin and Clenbuteryl - but he does find the hot humid summer days challenging. Am hosing the hay thoroughly each day, but may have to start soaking it when I can get organised to have something to soak it in. Rain here - lots of it. Vertical and horizontal. |
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| SueH |
Jake did section of RIDEBARE with Sarah & Nic, accompanied by Terry, and 2 Helens. I've posted on other bit under Ridebare update. But logging J's foot performance here.
Jake v v happy in company and v forward on all surfaces: mostly roadwork I would say + flinty paths where the rain had dragged stones across the road plus a deep river crossing (gulp) and a few grass sections. On all these surfaces Jake was beautifully relaxed at the shoulders with nice extended strides. So impressed with the boy ! He does look carefully where he is going on very knarly paths, very goat like. He does notice sharp stones on hard ground and picks best route, but does not seem so bothered by them, his body remains very loose and relaxed even if he hits one. I find it best to let him pick route and pace over such ground. On this ride he didnt slow down so much or show other sign of discomfort, if he did, I'd hop off and lead him. Long trot and canter sections on both grass and road as we returned from 3pigeons pub, Jake really enjoying himself at faster pace in company, with few manageable excited bucks. This was a fab experience for his "stranger danger" pony training and what a great feet building exercise. |
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| brucea |
Lat July already - where has the year gone?
Our lads all fine on the whole. Link getting a bit too fat on the grass and I have to try to find a soltion for him - there's just not room for a third horse in the dry lot so need to be creative. But he's laid back and happy. Bramble just tickety boo - there is a small shetland cross mare in the paddock next to him, she's in season, so he's been standing up as tall as he can on the boulders preening himself for her! What a laugh they are. Apollo was footy on the yard surface earlier this week - and still is slightly - not sure why as he is on a zero grass regime. He did however have a little bit of thrush in his fronts so have treated that and we'll see if it gets better. It's a bit of a problem with the dirt paddock - they pull hay down and pee on it, and then they stand around in it and get thrush! I clean it every day - but the top layer of the dirt just gets impregnated. Yesterday I sprinkled around the hay rack with rock salt to try and kill off some of the bacteria/amonia smell. What does everyone else use? |
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| SueH |
Post Ridebare miles Jake very loose in hocks - flexing wonderfully. two short (6-8K) fast roadwork sessions Tues and 2nd Sun with 2 canter sections.
Friday-long walk 8k with mate. Loads of big stones had been washed on to 'lumpy' lane so Jake didnt walk so fast as last time but still very relaxed as he traverses and seems unbothered. Sat-trailered solo to Mountain for ride saturday and he quite forward from the outset. Performace on the whole excellent and frogs looking good. I'm still finding that Jake does not generally head to grass verge, unless path very stoney and then he does so leisurely, not seeminly worried if he cant reach grass patch. EDITED to add On ridebare, Sarah noticed line on hooves which correlates with about Feb when I - took him off winter paddock and onto diet paddock; - began riding without boots. - upped seaweed ? [not sure if Feb. I thought I upped Mag then but records show my mind is spaghetti and that I did this 2008. I do recall increasing seaweed to 2 x 50ml scoops earlier this year after talking to Sarah, but stupidly didnt log the date. |
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| sarahh |
Was away this week at the Haflinger Breed Show at Moreton Morrell. Noticed some awful feet! Also saw some bare behind and a couple completely without.
On Saturday evening took Ty & his barefoot mum out for a hack though the village. It was that funny stoney road surface. They both strode out nicely and when we got back you could see the wear on heels and frogs, so both are clearly loading heel first most of the time. He was on wood pellet bedding there & it made me realise how much i miss it (was on it at old yard), his feet were dry and non-smelly, whereas at home on straw (included in livery price) they are a bit thrushy and always wet. bah. |
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| Jo Mitchell |
Took Pie to a 2 day Trec Event near Ashbourne in Derbyshire.
Travelled on the Friday, corralled overnight and then competed in the POR on Saturday, 20km trec with alot of roadwork but some wonderful canters. one over a racecourse training gallops!!! what fun.. only got very slightly lost when alot of the Level 3 & 4 turned up at our checkpoint and I completely lost my bearings and we set off in the wrong direction. However got 60 penalty's for missing one unmanned ticket point and one deviation from the map which I had marked but had not kept checking my map to know how far along the ride we were. We were more or less on time for the 4 checkpoints although collected about 15 penalties for either being under or over the time slightly. Sunday is COP and PTV day, however by this time Pie had totally pair bonded with the pony we brought with us to compete with and who we had corralled together, that he completely lost the plot and could NOT concentrate on doing the PTV.. however I now know that he is very capable of rearing, bucking and and leaping off the ground on all four feet with a rider on and without any boots... and it doesn't seem to bother his feet.. So that's good know. However, it is VERY embarrassing to have to be rescued by the friend and her pony who had to come ont he course to get us together with the GB technical delegate to help me get a very panic stricken and dangerous horse off the course. Norty norty pony... Next weekend, 2 day Skipton Trec Event... Pie will be living on his own and NOT touching another horse at all!!!! Feet coping very well and trimmed yesterday..... |
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| brucea |
Out on hacks tonight. Beautiful evening.
My cob, who has always been stomping on all surfaces is still slightly footy on the stony track, still not sure why - he is on a dry lot and nothing else has really changed as far as I can tell. Other two are fine. Bramble walked rather than being ridden as he is still slightly wheezy. Can't understand why Link has a big problem with tractors when I am riding him, but stands calmly when one passes when my lad Ben (10) is riding him. Bizzare. |
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| hobnob |
End of July Report :
Has been really wet here over the last 2 weeks. LGL pone still not up to the stonking standard she was in May. She has been on the Metabolyte for about 5-6 weeks and I have not found any pulses since this kicked in. She is having small amounts of grass which doesnt seem to be making her worse. She is careful on large stones but OK down hill. Still not been doing an awful lot of work with her, the back of her frog is really spreading out and over the last couple of months her heels have remained short and in no need of trimming. I am therefore thinking as no pulse and small bits of grass not making her any worse, that she may just be feeling the back of her foot on the ground for the first time !! I am hoping when weather drys up she may not be so sensitive. |
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| brucea |
End of July report from the wild north...
Raining and blowing a gale up here. Weather horrible. Fed horses this morning and turned them back out with rugs. So I spent the rest of the morning in the kitchen making strawberry jam with the kids. 12 jars won't last long with my two! Nice way to end July.
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| SueH |
End of July report
Jakes barefoot performance decreased over last 2 weeks slightly with all sun and rain making grass grow more. When weather was dry the grass didnt grow and he didnt bother with it much - now even the grass patch in his day pen has some in which is tastier and sugary
Still happy to go forward but given how fab he was when weather v dry and grass intake minimal, it again confirms that grass-free summer will unlock this horse's barefoot potential. I am thinking of giving dietary support in periods of sun/rain e.g. protexin. Clay, is still pootling around on his rehabbing feet. Trots up for his supplement loaded breakfast bless him. I buff round the edges to keep em smooth and barring the chunks he lost when the shoes came off, they dont look too bad in terms of holding together. The hoof angle is HORRID and shally, frog non-existent but he improving slowly and steadily. His coat is improving and he has settled in v well. it would be nice for him to go for little walk out to in boots but I wonder whether it would be too much too soon so will seek advice before doing anything. |
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