Sarah
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March 2009So! Morris is in training to become a horse that can cope and perhaps do a fun ride or many this year.
On Saturday Helen and I were out for about 3 1/2 hours with Morris and Rooster, both barefoot and blasting over everything. We must have done abour 12- 15 miles mostly road and forest track with a very short stretch of treacherously slippy sheep nibbled muddy grass. Lots of hill work and puffing from Morris. Rooster had his tail in the air as usual.
Sunday Morris rolled out again for a hack probably about 8 miles, this time with Helen on Uncle Carly. We trailered to a lovely place on the Clywdian Hills. Morris wasn't quite so enthusiastic but still managed to do a couple of really long hills and have the energy to canter some of them. Had a spot of bother coping with both sheep and walkers and looked like this  for a moment but managed to keep his cool so he caught up with a racing Carly. Earlier a person rustling in the back of a car meant the need to charge off up a stony track just in case the tigers were coming  . Uncle Carly whizzed past him ignoring the stones and determined not to let a young wipper snapper get in front.
A very successful weekend with lovely weather, lovely views and lovely boys.
Helen's comment of the month  "Well Carly went over everything today and ...... at speed"
S x
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brucea
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Turned cold up here again - it's 2C outside and windy. Lots of greening up happening.
Trimmed all 4 on Sunday. Noticeable that they are growing much more hoof now as the spring is coming in. Even the two not on grass are growing more. All frogs seem to be shedding and I'm just leaving them to get on with it as they are all relatively clean. Polly the cob has feet so hard that I need a wee rest between doing them!
Bramble's feet are looking great and he seems to be quite comfortable in them. Now the snow and slippery roads are gone we can get him back out in his gig and start building his fitness up. In a few weeks it will be a year since his bad lami attack. However we will have to clip him cos he's a wee wooly mammoth at the moment!
Link seems to be improving - he's not showing any real signs of pain apart from the odd step in trot. Still daily tubbing and he seems to really like the warmth of the water - just using ACV. No sign of egress yet.
My friend's little black cob is doing just great and his feet have now grown out all of the ravelled stuff from his shoes coming off. He's turning out to be largely self trimming so it's just a tidy up job. Since going on the seaweed his coat has glossed up and his mane is growing in beautifully.
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Terry
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Hey spring is on the way!! Until last night, a tad cold!
Medraar, Abu and Saqr all now started off their training.
Medraar, due to new hardcore this winter has no heel problems this year, as usual stomping over everything and better with hills and bikes this year!
Abu, well I just don't know how this little man stys so fit, went out on Saturday and thought I would ride in rope halter as a treat, never, never again. In the past 12 years this is the one occassion I thought we may die! first 4 miles fab, then coming down a nice quiet lane he decides to go for it, broke out of trot bucked and off he went, I though the steep hill would stop him, but no, this was a challange and he got his second wind, 2 miles later and thank god no oncoming traffic and friend was out on a youngster up the road and acted as a block after seeing a white flash travelling at speed towards her! A very naughty Abu!
Saqr, 5 year old going really well despite having sore wolf teeth we are using the hackamore until he has his treatment later in the month. He has the most strange looking feet, but better than they were but they are as tough as old boots, I call him Robo cop as he just goes forward all day long.
Max, the big baby, 3 this year just starting his education with Amanda. Lunged in tack at the weekend and then she popped on board, he was an angel so will have a summer of very light hacking as he will be too big to leave until 4 year old , he stands at 16.3 as a 3 year old.
Bonanza, 2 year old enjoying life as a colt and terrorising the others!!
Terry 
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brucea
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Took Link out this morning for his first hack since he went lame - sunny, but a bitterly cold wind up here which went through all the layers! On the whole he was OK and strode out quite happily in his great ground covering walk, but one or two (that's all) ouchy steps on the way back to the field - may just have been stones.
So - good progress I guess. He's landing nicely on his fronts, but watching very closely this morning - there is a slight difference in the gait but I'm just not sure exactly how to describe it - just like the landing on that foot is less smooth an action than the other foot.
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horsesfirst
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Little QH mare went jumpies on Saturday. First time over water tray for her and her Mum. Should I be worried? They refused twice but when I said 'pretend you are coming to kill me' they cleared it no problem... 
Then 9 mile hack over Downs. Apart from being somewhat shattered they both seemed fine. Mare getting better at stony bits.
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SueH
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Well, as documented I took the boots off a few weeks ago, and hearing of our situation Flintshire County Council kindly re-surfaced one of the quiet lanes I use  . Top draw FCC !! well, OK they didnt do for me but talk about good timing. My favourite lane all nice and new tarmaced - and boy does Jake stride out on this route Beautiful heel first landing on this, and floaty-lite trot.  .
first time we saw it I was chunnering to jake all the way " yee ha Jakey how about this tarmac eh boy !!" - thank goodness only the sheep heard us
Interesting local BHS newsletter came round recently saying that horseowners could write to FCC and object to new tarmac surface which slippy for shod horses. - thank goodness no-one did !
x
Sue & Jake
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cptrayes
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Jazz hunted for three hours on Saturday cantering up tracks made up of broken bricks. He needed a bit of a trim when he set out, but not by the time he finished, his heels were perfect Saved me a job!!
Zip keeps popping up high heels and I keep taking them down. He is totally rock crunching whether they are high or low.
Little Butkins is developing the sweetest little Shetland feet you ever saw. In a two inch foot - a wide ground-bearing frog and a lovely toe-bevel. He's the only Shetland I have ever seen walk like a tart and overtrack by four inches. I still think he may have a dressage career ahead of him
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brucea
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Spoke with our vet this morning about Link. Reasonably happy.
He made a point of saying to exercise caution with our lads - over the last two weeks he has seen "unprecedented numbers" of laminitis cases. He said that he's never had so many in such a short period.
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horsesfirst
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Hi Bruce - good to hear that Link is improving. Did the vet have a view on why the extra lamintis cases?
Both girls shedding sole. QH losing one hind sole in one large chunk - in my head I know its ok, but my heart is in my mouth a bit.
Any tips on finding white line when it merges completely with hoof wall and sole of exactly the same colour? I'm not completely batty - I can find a bit near the quarters but then it disappears as it goes forward to the toe. Just two feet of QH. No problem with Arab who has dark feet with a clear distinction between hoof wall and sole.
QH apart from having rather flat feet which are in transition, has no other real problems and has increased her stride length enormously, so I guess she is feeling ok.
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brucea
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He said it was just with having had tha really cold snap and then sunshine and warmer weather - the grass really flushed within a few days - the dangerous kind of flush that you don't really notice until it's too late!
He also commented that horses that have not lost enough weight over winter and are coming into spring more heavy seem to be at greatest risk.
He also said that last year was bad and seemed like a record year for both laminitis and grass sickness for some reason - this year has been "unprecedented" for laminitis.
Everything growing up here inthe milder weather. Good rich dairy and cattle land in our area, not so great for horses though! I'd love some horrible dry scrubby heathery stony ground with a stream running through it!!!
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horsesfirst
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Thanks Bruce. I hope Link continues to improve.
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hobnob
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All going well and still on field 24/7 although grass growing
Brucea - my heart goes out to those grass sickness cases. I lost one through it 5 years ago - dead in 72 hours - really nasty.
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brucea
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It is very sad to see them go down so quickly isn't it. My friend Fiona lost a little pony to grass sickness a few years back and it was pretty awful. Shared a field with Bramble. He was absolutely fine, the other pony Fleecy got it and was gone in three pretty terrible days.
Well - we clipped Bramble today and there is quite a svelte handsome little pony under that amazing wooly coat - at just the right weight too. He looked like a little puff-ball! It's interesting - since starting on the magox not only has he lost his humpack whale crest but his coat has definitely changed colour in a few places.
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horsesfirst
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I've never seen grass sickness and I pray I never do. I hope no one on this forum has anything so horrible happen to them this year.
My battered old Arab although technically a bit of right off and frequently unsound managed a 3 hour hack out on the Downs today - including a quite good passage on flints (her idea not mine). She really wanted to buck and canter but I managed to persuade her that a stonking trot was good enough.
Little QH kept up in the rear, but tended to stick to the kinder going at the sides - still did well though.
Oh and a cow gave birth just as we went by. Girls slightly gob smacked.
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rose
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Well my girl is in her small bare paddock overnight and in the big field with a muzzle on during the day and ridden about 5 times a week. She is getting lots of hay.
Today she had mild to moderate pulses all round but appeared fairly comfortable. I rode her out bare all round which is unusual as she usually needs front boots on and over the last couple of weeks she has been sore even in boots.
Each year in the spring I tend to bring her on to a small paddock and have to gradually reduce its size as the grass grows. This year I have started small and will play it by ear to see if I can increase it gradually or not.
As the grass grows I will stop her going out in to the big field as it is too risky in case she gets her muzzle off and gets too much new grass.
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rose
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PS Our yard owner has just put up our DIY grass livery to £162.50 per month!!!!
For that we get the field and use of a small school which gets very wet and somewhere to store out tack, rugs and feed etc. I also keep my trailer there at no extra cost.
How does that compare to other livery yard charges?
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sarahh
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Eeek!
Rose, I'm in Wiltshire and pay £20 per horse per week for stable, field, hay and straw. Previous yard was £25 per horse per week for stable, field and use of indoor & outdoor school. Grass liveries there were £60 a month.
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brucea
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Wow...Rose, time to move! Shop around.
DIY Grass at our yard costs £20 a week in the summer and £25 in the winter including hay. discount for more than one horse. No indoor school, but two outdoors, one HUGE. There is now a full time yard manager who will feed, rug, take in for the farrier/vet, all at very reasonable prices and she also organises yard events and shows (not really my thing, but they are well attended) - that adds to the overall cost of livery but it is well worth it.
We get our own stable block with 4 stables, a shared tack room, two outdoor schools, free trailer and lorry parking, good lights, a dry lot and hay for 3 horses on quite a good deal that I can't complain about - but on the other hand I'll help out when the need arises and the farmer's one of my good mates anyway - went to school with his dad! Lord, how sad is that...
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horsesfirst
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In Tunbridge Wells and surrounds DIY is typically between £110-£150 a month with hay, straw etc all extra. This usually includes a very old, lumpy school that is slightly too small and with various 'hazards'. DIY grazing with no facilities at all, bar maybe a trough is usually around £15 a week. I currently rent c.6 acres at £45 per horse per month and I supply everything, including shelter, drainage and fencing. Unless I want the ponies cavorting up TW High Street. We hire a school which is just down the road for £8 a session for as long as we want within reason. But no jumping or lunging because it is the typical bearly holding it together affair. So jumpies takes place in the local woods and at clear round events.
Back to performance. Girls were stonking this weekend, including my battered one legged Arab who went like a train. I got a black eye though (and not nearly enough sympathy  ) Arab's sugometer is up, but no heat or pulses.
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sarahh
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This morning Boy cantered happily along rough hewn track covered in various things including bits of brick, loose gravel, tile, big rocks...
I'd say he's back to rock crunching!
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brucea
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Horsesfirst
A "battered one legged Arab" and a rider with a black eye.... goes by the name of "lucky"
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horsesfirst
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Oh thanks Brucea - you gave me the only and the best laugh of the day
Took other (four legged) horse to vet for wave mouth rasping and it collapsed in a heap. Possibly too much sedative? Or a bad reaction maybe. Seems ok now, although it took several hours (rather than the normal 30 mins) for it to look anything other than spaced out. I will be keeping the (good) eye on it over night.
I wish I had stuck to my guns and said 'no'. My preferred vet got swopped out and replaced with one I have known to over sedate in the past. I will be tougher next time.
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hobnob
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Just a quickie as we dont want to clog up the "performance" thread, but wouldnt it be a giggle if we were all on the same livery yard !!
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brucea
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Glad to have brightened your day!
How did you get a black eye anyway?
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horsesfirst
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Gossiping - totally stupid - I stood in doorway of One Leg with her hay while nattering with Snips 'Mum'. OL shoved door to grab her hay (and who could blame her because we had been out for hours) and it swung back and caught me in the face with the metal edge. Like I said totally totally stupid!
Trouble is we all take OL for granted because she is such a sweetie to handle it is easy to forget that she is also a horse.
Yesterday when Snips was thrashing around trying to get up after collapsing in a heap (and scaring us all) OL just stood there calmly and let us get on with sorting it all out.
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brucea
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It is all too easy to forget they're horses!
I was once knocked out by Link about 7 years ago - we were standing at the field gate companionably watching some mares be incredibly stupid in the next field when he just suddenly swung his head round to look behind him - caught me on the side of the head and I woke up in the mud a few minutes later, with an aching neck wanting to be sick, with him standing over me wondering what on earth happened. I think it hurt his head too. Bone meets block!
We have a bit of white line separation suddenly appeared on the left hind - along the quarters - gap between sole and wall trapping dirt and small stones. Anni tells me a few of the horses she is seeing are showing a bit of separation at the moment. There's a small crack appearing at that section. I've unloaded that section of hoof wall and cleaned it out. In the meantime have opened it up a bit to make it easier to keep clean and packed with cotton and chlorohexidine. Will use something stronger if we need to. (his periople is also very dry - all four hooves are at the moment)
Wonder if I should groove and round the top of the crack to stop it travelling upwards??
It was bitterly cold with snow, then very wet, and now very dry ground...not surprised some odd things are happening.
Click to see full size image
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horsesfirst
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Oh good not just me then.
We have a bit of separation in the quarters too, esp the old Arab.
Although they are on very limited grazing they are definitely getting some grass (poo is darker and slightly more claggy!). Still eating in excess of 12lb of hay each though and I find they give up on the hay if there is much in the way of grass about.
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brucea
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Well - there is certainly quite a bit of fresh grass! Link and all his palls in the field usually come trotting up to the gate en-masse when I call - and they've suddenly stopped in the last few days.
Just heard sad news that my friend's horse who moved from our yard last year has crashed back into laminitis. He's 24, cushings and on Pergolide. In heartbars and stable bound.
Yard manager has put several horses onto restricted turnout becuase of concerns about L.
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horsesfirst
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Sorry to hear about the laminitis - it seems to all be brewing so early this year.
Speed on hacks is dictated by how fast QH can go (or me if I'm walking). Today she averaged over 4.4 mph on our standard 5 mile circuit. Great improvement on the days when she only got to 1.9 mph if I walked behind and pushed. Much longer stride and very confident on the road and needs very little encouragement (although competition with Arab who is being led helps.)
QH was well out of sight when I called Arab (who was nearby) over for tea. QH arrived first.
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brucea
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Great day today - very windy but not too cold up here.
Had Link out for a long hack over Kirkhill forest this morning - about an hour of roadwork, two hours in the woods and an hour back - so 4 hours in all. Absolutely fine - hobbled once and that was due to a lump of granite wedged in his foot! Real happy to be out on his long hacks again. Didn't use the boots, didn't need them - am not using them now (thanks Nic..!)
Bramble went out driving in the afternoon with me and Ben - and he was just fine. Breathing and feet great. Only did about 5 miles, but most of that was stepping out at a good forward trot. Little chap then went in the field and we cantered the slalom round the bales - complete with the gig! Boy he can shift when he's doing something he's excited about! Again - no boots, and he was absolutely fine (thanks Nic...). Looking forward to working him up to the longer drives now in time for the summer picnic season
Polly has a lovely new saddle - a western looking endurance thing with lots of straps - fits him beautifully as his Ideal Highland and Cob didn't fit him very well (he's sort of tubular with no withers to talk of...) He looks rather handsome in it.
We have no frogs - they have all shed! Nice frogs coming down, but the old ones are gone. All my guys throwing out a lot of new hoof.
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Yann
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Rubbish here, and much earlier than the last couple of years, can only put it down to the proper winter and 3 weeks of lying snow we had. Tess has been struggling with arthritic symptoms in one foreleg, we seem to have got on top of that, but she went lame on the other leg with heat and pulses in that hoof only. I presume she's been favouring it and the combination of extra load, weak hoof and spring grass has tipped her over the edge. Turnout in boots, pads and a muzzle seems to have fixed it for now.
Rio's feet are looking good but in the last week or two she's gone short on rough stuff and needs boots again. She's in all day and out overnight and there isn't a lot more I can do that's going to fix it. I can't face another summer of broken easyboot gaiters, so suspect we will be falling off the barefoot wagon again until the autumn
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sarahh
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The boys have been out 24/7 for the past week and so far so good (touchwood)
Took Boy out on a hack today that took us 2 hours the other week with shod friend... Boy was offering canter along all the lanes & when I didn't let him he was doing a massive, ground covering extended trot. I could see his legs right out in front of me. Not bad for a 14.2 almost-cob! Am reckoning he feels pretty good on those toes right now
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horsesfirst
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One legged Arab going well - coping well over broken flints although I keep her to walk on those as they are so sharp! But will bounce over everything else - for nearly 14 miles on Saturday - so my legs are a bit sore even if hers are not.
QH not doing so well. Finds tarmac no problem, gravel is ok, but chalk and flint cause some hobbling. Have put on 'spring circuit' and hope that the extra movement and very restricted grazing will help. They are eating their hay on the track. Will probably resort to boots very soon (or wiring her jaw). 
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SueH
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Navicular TB Jake still without boots and coping quite well. Dislikes stoney tracks but to be expected as its early days for Jake and I know it will take years to build his feet. If the surface gets too much I guide him to soft bit or get off.
Hocks bending nicely in lesson on Wednesday so bone spavin not causing too much jip. the longer Jake can go without joint injection the better and I'm sure barefoot is helping him.
2 and half hours yesterday on varied terrain: mud+big stone tracks, new tarmac, grass verge in order of comfort. Seemed less keen on stoney track than previous rides. Not sure yet, could be that muddy bits harder with dry weather so less cushioing or is he getting footy. Does not mind grit too much unless its big (say 1 cm and over) AND lands in particular place under the foot - cant gauge where - then he assumes ouch position. Descending hills is his least favourite thing + he is less keen on grit so I'm thinking its heel sensitivity since heel more engaged, so I'm thinking its not footiness due to grass, just weak heels which we are working on.
Still out on long bare (ie bit of grass which does not appear to have much growth) paddock but I'll monitor closely. Have created grass free zone with hardcore and extended it to mud area covered in shredded bark which my chum gave me for free (yippee).It will save Jake wallowing in mud - have left his favourite roll patch though - boy's not happy unless he's wearing mud rug.
I'll have to check my old photos but I'm sure the central sulcus is opening up on the fronts. I need to take measurements etc. but I'm hoping we are seeing signs of improved decontraction now we've got boots off.
x
Sue
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Nic
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| Quote: | | Descending hills is his least favourite thing + he is less keen on grit so I'm thinking its heel sensitivity since heel more engaged, so I'm thinking its not footiness due to grass, just weak heels which we are working on. |
Sounds very likely Sue, and you are right, typically with these "navicular" horses its the back of the foot which you need to work on, and it can take a long time to rebuild. The only way to improve it is with work on better surfaces, so you are doing everything you can
N
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hobnob
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Rebuilt my paddock paradise track the other day. LGL pone still fine but we were expecting sun and showers this week and I chickened out of her being on the whole field! So now on track around 2 acre field with hay. When clocks change next weekend I will be able to do more longreining with her in the evenings after work. My aim this summer is to build the back of her foot up as it is quite weak and try to stay boot free in the process. Hopefully I have now got her diet, trim and living conditions right we just need to work her more !!
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Jane
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All going great here. The fields have been rolled and now look lovely (from a distance!). 6 ponies have the run of 8 acres but not for long if the grass grows!
Lami rehab hasn't put a foot wrong since before Christmas, he's stomping over everything. He's merrily hacking around the countryside with his owner.
Max, Mr Navicular went to his first party this week, a RC lesson. For a very green 4 yr old he was great, and very sound. It bodes well for the future. He's great on all surfaces and can now do hills (up and down) and backwards and corners with the same ease.
I now believe you CAN rehab navicular horses pretty fast even without peagravel!  Although his youth probably helps my cause somewhat.
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brucea
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SueH - great to hear Jake is doing well. Just an observation from my own lad who has had spavin - I tried lots of things that didn't work for him (and came in very expensive fancy tubs).
We didn't go down the injection route, I spoke to several folks who had done the injections, and it seemed to give short term relief but thay all said it wasn't a long term solution.
In the end of the day I've found he's done really very well on the linseed meal and that seems to be giving him the resources he needs to cope. He's seldom stiff unless he has been standing around in a box for hours, and he's moving pretty well really. Gets two tea mugs a day (scientific eh? )
Cold, wet and miserable up here in Aberdeen. Ponies and owners all rugged up.
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hobnob
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End of March report:
First proper 'hack' out today with lgl pone and her little chum in tow !!
And for the first time in 18 months we wore no boots !!! Wow I thought I would leave them off to see how she was and she was fine. Tarmac, gravel and and few big rocks where the winter rains have washed bits of road away. I am absolutely delighted !!! Now need to keep going to strengthen back of foot !
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brucea
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Today started with a dusting of snow and bitter cold wind, by 10 it was a lovely spring day and this evening bitter wind again. After the rain of the last week and the cold snap it will be interesting to see what the grass does.
All our guys OK. Hacked out with Link this morning and had a few "pheasant moments". The sheep stuck in the fence wasn't too good either! Then there was the horse gobbling gas tank.....
What's got into them all this week? Everyone in the yard is complaining that their horse is a few hazlenuts short of a jar of Nutella. Must be spring.
Big milestone today - Becky drove Bramble all the way from the farm to the shop in the village and back - about 9 miles. He got to meet some of the village kids who haven't seen him for such a long time! Little guy loves going to the shop becuase there's always someone with something nice to eat!
Didn't wear his boots, and apart from a couple of stumbles on bits of gravel he was fine. Had to take it easy because his fitness is not built up yet, but delighted that there were no problems with feet or breathing.
Interesting - he had built up a good toe callus, but has worn that right down today. We'll see how he is over the next week.
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cptrayes
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!! 
ONE DAY!!!!!!!
ONE, just ONE day of sunshine, and Jazz has come in with pulses raised. That's it, off the grass daytime for the whole of the rest of the season unless we get a long dry summer and the grass gets burnt off.
Bummer!!!!
C
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SueH
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Brucea - absolutely agree on linseed. Jake gets 500g a day and I'm sure its this + barefoot which is keeping him flexible. Been speaking to lovely lady from Sweden - at least where she came from they NEVER trot shod horses on roads cos its thought to be so bad for joints. She arrived in UK to find everyone 'fittening' their shod horses by trotting them on the roads and was horrified.
As for navicular fronts I've been pondering /in two minds as to whether jake was getting slightly more footy due to spring grass growth or whether I was just asking too much too early on since taking boots off and he needs more conditioning work to harden up soles, heels etc. He does try to get onto grass verge sometimes e.g. if there are stones in the road but not always - in fact sometimes if I put him on verge he takes himself off it as he has a preference for flat smooth tarmac over lumpy turf - suggesting its not grass sensivitivy rearing its head but just heels/sole being worked and having a break.......?
Well I'm playing it safe for now, I've taken him off grass and onto grass free pen during day. He as access to his diet muddy grass paddock at night. I think he has improved slightly as he did 2 hours of mixed surfaces sunday and my companion said he looked better than when we did this last time 2 weeks ago PLUS on soft surfaces he's getting pretty swift, and we've started jumping again
x
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Sarah
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Join the club! If the others go in the field Fari just watches them, tiz the only way to stop him being a grass affected cripple. I don't even do the night stuff with him anymore. Thanks for the flame gun tip, got one and am about to start burning my verges ;0)
S x
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brucea
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Sarah had a fringe and eyebrows this morning....
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horsesfirst
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Girls been on spring circuit for a couple of weeks. No particular signs of grass problems, but keen to stay ahead of the game, especially with the QH.
Had a weekend in the NF. QH had a great time, demonstrating just how long she can trot uninterrupted for and how fast she can canter. One leg can't really cope with that much trailer travelling (hips) and struggled a bit so I got a really really long walk for two days on the trot...
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SueH
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VET visit [for vaccination] and what a pleased/surprised chappie he was to see navicular bone spavin horse sound enough to jump.
as per usual I get my freebie lameness check as he's keen to see how bareoot is suiting us. Sticky moment when he trotted off a bit unlevel on off fore - but then after fetlock flexion test (no problems felt in joint) he went off sound phew and no whiff of toe first .
Generally Jake's fetlocks are a bit stiff, more noticeably on diagonal off fore/left hind - once they've been flexed a bit they loosen up. He is managing 2 hour hacks on roads, (we pop on to verge if stoney), jumping on grass, schooling in rubber/sand arena. Without boots, I now see slight changes in robustness of the fronts whereas I didnt ever see this in boots. I think they masked it all. So now, he's done a fair bit over last week in terms of intensity, and so I think he's not 100% (hence bit of unlevelness at vet visit to begin with) , so we'll keep in to walk for few days until I feel him get stronger.
What was great was to have a proper discussion about barefoot with a vet: about Jake's performance without boots, opening up of back of hoof and beefing up of heel, proprioception, playing by ear, if unlevel then ease off on intensity, pea gravel etc.... NOT unlike discussion I would have with trimmer
Vet was grinning ear to ear about a case he was treating where hoof growth of severe laminitic was outstandingly better without shoes.
...thing is I cant gake credit for getting this vet to be open minded about barefoot. well done Sarah
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brucea
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Well interesting Sue.
Our vet has now recently seen another "big" TB type horse like my Link who has gone barefoot over the last 18 months - with the same hard to diagnose lameness around the same time - with the same kind of radiographic changes - high P3 position in the hoof capsule, proliferation of new bone growth in the palmar extensions, bony changes round the circumference of P3 etc.
Our bet is that this is just bone remodelling going on to provide a greater stability, more support behind. Perhaps contraction and decontraction is something that happens to P3 itself as well...is this a silly thing to be thinking? That extra bone growth must be there for a reason.
What has been noticeable is that his heel bulbs have changed shape over the last 4 months - more prominent and plumped up, and the area between the lateral cartiliges is more plumped up too
Would be fascinating to find a study that followed the radiographic changes over time in a group of horses as they transition. Has anyone found one?
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brucea
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Well, me again...we're seeing it all this last week. Hot feet, pulses, hives, grass glands, loony mares and potty geldings!
Our little chap actually had pulses over the last 2-3 days and was a bit footy and has rubbed his tail quite a bit - he isn't on grass, has had no variation in his diet, he and Polly are working through the same bale they have had for nearly 2 weeks - I can only think it is hormonal with the days getting longer.
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hobnob
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We are still pulse and heat free and longreining without boots ?????
On track with hay and you can see how much the grass has grown in the last 2 weeks on the inside of the track. Scary !!
Ay - do you think 'they' will let us have an April thread !!!!!
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evie
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H has moved fields into one that is tinged very slightly green rather than totally dead mud, but it is just a tinge and she hasn't been observed grazing at all, still has her neb in the hay all the time. My nerves are just about coping! Fingers crossed she'll go back into a completely bare paddock when the summer grazing/lami paddocks are sorted out, YO is very helpful and there are lots of lardarse ponies that don't need the lush grass.
We have hoof wall growth big style in front, hinds are still just about OK but will need booting for any more roadwork for a few weeks. Hacked her out for 75 minutes the other day, mostly in that well known gait 'jiggle', 1.5km roadwork in total - couldn't see any change in front at all when we got back, but I don't want any more off the backs.
She feels fantastic at the moment, very 'upferit' - her backs have no visible angle change but fronts will be another 6 weeks before the last angle change (from adding msm & glucosamine for wonky front legs) is grown out enough to go when the roll is applied. Once we have tight growth top to bottom some of my promotion money will probably be going on renegades!
Mum's been riding her as I've been away lots in the last 7 weeks and she's (mostly) been behaving her little ginger self - butter wouldn't melt! 
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Terry
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Well spring is here and the new growth in grass, fortunately mine don't appear to get effected, I think a large contributor is the level of work and fitness they are at, but I am also very vigalent and flexible with their diet.
All horses in full training, completing an average of 50km per week of road and stone track work, just competed at 50km in Notts at the weekend and had to walk a mile with Medraar to bring my speed down and complete at 16km per hour.
Terry
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Helen N
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Well done Terry and Medraar, the early start was worth it Where are you going next?
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Terry
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Thanks Helen, yes it was worth getting up in the middle of the night!! Medraar is off to RAF Cranwell next for 80km.
Just looking at schedule to fit Abu and Saqr in as well.
Terry
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