[WashingtonBay]

Yeah - I see that. But I'll wait for the more qualified opinion to actually say that. I know I have a hard enough time judging if I'm getting good work on my own horse's feet.

The boot will be good.

[PeggySue]

Wow those feet are more then long enough to trim and get some new shoes on IMO not a farrier but learning the hard way ... .

As for the diet

Why Equine senior at that amount?? the way I am reading your horse is in steady work which means most likely he is lacking nutrition... You can doctor the hoof for now but a good hoof wall comes from teh inside out ... all the goop in the world will nto help the hoof wall... sole you can harden to a point but not wall...

if you go to a more nutrtion dense feed he will be able to get more out of it.. sugars and starches have been proven to cause hoof related issues.. so you will want to look for a low or no grain formula that is much higher in nutrition then what you are currently feeding

Where's JB to draw up these feet ??

[2horsestoride]

Looks to me like the toe is way too long and the reason that the foot broke up so badly is because the hoof was growing over the shoe. If he wasn't due for a trim (which I believe you said he wasn't) I would have to question the job the farrier is doing.

Enough hoof, not enough hoof, either way something has to be done before your event (if you still go). They would never let you out of the start box with his hooves in that shape.

Just my opinion, but I am an eventer and have evented for years. I would never ride a course in boots, allowable or not. Trail ride, yes. Flatwork, yes. Eventing - no way.

Good luck with your boy. Hooves can be terribly frustrating.

[MIEventer]

I've been talking to my friend in British Columbia and I showed her the pics of his feet. She is a Natural Barefoot Trimmer - and she drew this for me to show to my ferrier:

She said this is where it should be:

[MIEventer]

The hoof wasn't growing over the shoe. He was stomping due to the bugs, and the shoe pulled back whenever the foot would land on the ground. The nails were going inside through the holes.

I would never event my horse with his feet over growing over the shoe. He isn't due for another 3 weeks.

[PeggySue]

You seriously need to find a new farrier ... find one that is current on his knowledge and up to date ...

[2horsestoride]

Originally Posted by MIEventer

The hoof wasn't growing over the shoe. He was stomping due to the bugs, and the shoe pulled back whenever the foot would land on the ground. The nails were going inside through the holes.

I would never event my horse with his feet over growing over the shoe. He isn't due for another 3 weeks.

Just to clarify, I never thought you were going to. I was just agreeing with your assessment that something had to be done. I reread my post and that wasn't clear.

[MIEventer]

Well - my friend said that the Purina Senior could be causing allot of the problems as well - so you are correct Peggy Sue.

The reason why he is on that particular feed, is because for the longest time we believed he was in his late teens. His papers were lost in time and his previous owner told me he was about 17 when I first started riding him and that was 2 years ago.

Now that I've contacted his first owner and found out he is actually 16 and not 20 something - I guess he really doesn't need it now eh?

The Mollassus could be the issue? She said that a horse with good nutrition shouldn't be growing flares like my boy is.....so that makes me feel really bad

Can anyone suggest a feed that is good for a hard keeper, 16 year old with good nutirional value for him?

What about Buckeye?

So I think I will either have to tell my Ferrier what he is going to have to do - or fire him.

He needs to shorten those toes and his heels and balance out those feet. Bloomin Heh! I had no idea!

I've been trusting him all this time.

I have no clue about feet - but I now see where the faults are. I think I'll have to print out that picture and show it to him when he comes on Thursday and say "I WANT THIS!"

lol

[Asfaloth]

Wow these look familiar.....

Ok first look at his hoof walls before you gooped them.
Notice the healthy tight horn in the top 1-2 inches of his foot? You have already made some changes for the better.

Notice the "growth rings" how they dip down in front? He has had laminitis possibly mild founder in the past four to six months and it appears by the shape of his toe and the ongoing old rings to have have been a continual condition he was dealing with.

All that old nasty weal hoof wall will eventually be replaced with that nice tight healthy horse you see up top. But in order to achieve this...

1) maintain those feet. Regular and I mean no more than six weeks between trimming.
The toe can be backed and rolled quite a bit more to relieve pressure on that lamellar wedge he has while it grows out.
2) get a set of x-rays and get a look at where things are in that foot. This will be really valuable for your farrier.
3) keep a close eye on his feet for any heat or other signs of inflammation. If his feet are hot at all get him off pasture immediately and start antinflamitiories and cold hosing.

[RickB.]

Originally Posted by MIEventer

I've been talking to my friend in British Columbia and I showed her the pics of his feet. She is a Natural Barefoot Trimmer - and she drew this for me to show to my ferrier:

She said this is where it should be:

I think that if you trim the toe to those parameters, your horse is going to spring a leak or at a minimum, be really sore. That said, how much is actually trimmed will depend on what the bottom of the hoof presents, and how it all maps out.

Regardless, I think your horse is due for a trim and reset right now. Can you post some photos of the bottom of the feet? Since one is shod and one is not, it will make for an interesting comparison and help determine what kind of trimming/shoeing advise we can offer.