[AliCat518]

My 19 yo Tb X gelding has had front shoes since I bought him 12 years ago. 3 months ago, we decided to take them off. He is not in work (maybe one walk trot ride or trail ride each month) and is always on pasture.

He seems ouchy still. Any sort of gravel is very uncomfortable for him. He seems okay walking in the ring, but trotting, he is definitely off. Have i given him enough time to adjust? I don't mind putting shoes back on. We are in between farriers...the last one was not up to par. New farrier is coming out June 6

[EqTrainer]

That is too long IMO.

[AliCat518]

I read an article that said you should give it one "new hoof capsule" before putting shoes back on or judging the tenderness. The only reason I haven't pit the shoes back on already is because he's totally comfortable on pasture...and he's out 24/7.

[ThirdCharm]

Some barefooters will tell you that it may take up to a year for a horse to recover from all the damage that being shod has done to your horse's feet and meanwhile you can expect the horse to be lame. Wtf

Personally I think any period of lameness is unacceptable. Some horses may require some additional protection until they grow stronger walls/soles, such as casting, packing' etc. Some horses will not be sound barefoot no matter what.

Jennifer

[Frizzle]

I certainly don't think any amount of lameness is acceptable. If the horse is fine on pasture but off when ridden, why not try some boots/pads while riding and see if that helps?

I would also look at the trim. Are the hooves properly balanced? Are the frogs and/or sole being pared away at each trim (that will definitely cause sensitivity)? Are the bars impacted? Lots of stuff to consider.

[SAcres]

As someone who has to barefoot horses, I agree, a month is too long.

It took my very sensitive, overdramatic QH gelding about 2 weeks to be sound riding w/o boots. The first few days he had boots on 24/7 but his turnout consisted of rock hard dirt, rocks of verying sizes, and ditches. Not the most newly barefoot friendly environment.

However, if your horse is in nice lush not rocky pasture 24/7, don't expect him to be sound walking over gravel. A horse's foot will only be as tough as its environment.

Have your trim evaluated by a competent farrier, the right trim makes a big difference. Also, keep in mind that some horses just won't be comfortable barefoot.

[NBChoice]

We took my mare's shoes off a few years ago and she was very ouchy. She wasn't better after 2 or 3 days and her soreness was getting worse so we put her shoes back on and she wasn't sore anymore. I think your boy may need some shoes again, or at least some boots.

[fivesocks]

I wonder how long or short the OP's horse's feet were trimmed when he first went barefoot. That could make a huge difference in comfort.

My horse only wore shoes for 5 months of his life, but when the shoes came off, he needed boots for a few days and was def tender. After his tootsies had a few weeks to get acclimated again, I moved his water tub over to a gravel area so he HAD to walk on the rocks, which I think made a big difference in helping his feet toughen up again. It's crazy how wimpy he acted after having had tough feet his whole life then being shod for only 5 months.

Maybe your horse will always be too uncomfortable for be barefoot, but OTOH, if a horse's bad steps are only when walking over the gravel (and I imagine most people's entire farm/riding arena/etc is NOT a gravel surface) then is it really necessary for him to wear shoes 24/7 to maintain comfort when he is really only walking on gravel for a few seconds or minutes each day?

[Ambitious Kate]

Adjust to what? Honestly, think about what you are saying. How long to adjust to pain? Why would you ask that of him? If the horse is sore, shoe it. why would you ask the horse to 'adjust' to hobbling around when the ground/rocks/gravel hurts him? Then add your 1 to 200 pound weight on his back with less balancced and control over where he puts his foot. why would you do that? Shoe the poor animal

[Tom Bloomer]

Adjust to what?

The horse needs time to absorb the BS dogma of the BUA. Meanwhile it suffers for the sake of the cause.

[Rick Burten]

The horse needs time to absorb the BS dogma of the BUA. Meanwhile it suffers for the sake of the cause.

ROTFLMAO!!

In the mean time, Durasole is your friend........

[alice1212]

I think your boy may need some shoes again, or at least some boots.

[LookmaNohands]

Put some boots on him and stop riding for a while. Renegade boots are great!

[Tom Bloomer]

Boots just cover up the problem . . .

[LMH]

If a horse is healthy there should be ZERO time to 'adjust'

My horses (and the horses of my friends) can regularly go in and out of shoes as needed without no issues, no adjustment time, no transition.

[Daydream Believer]

Personally I think any period of lameness is unacceptable. Some horses may require some additional protection until they grow stronger walls/soles, such as casting, packing' etc. Some horses will not be sound barefoot no matter what.

Jennifer

I agree with what Jennifer said. I'm predominately still a barefoot oriented trimmer/farrier but I now shoe with Eponas. No horse should be sore that long in any sort of transition and he should not have been left to limp along while trying to adjust. That is a hit on your farrier for not suggesting options up front when those shoes came off.

Boots can be a very useful tool to allow a horse to work comfortably as can packing and casting as Jennifer said. Durasole, keratex...tons of options. Sometimes no matter what you do, some horses can't adjust or be comfortable bare and just have to have shoes on.

[SAcres]

The horse is not adjusting to being crippled. The horse's feet have to toughen up! As farriers, I would assume you would know that...but maybe not.

I can tell you right now that my QH did not adjust to being in pain. He went from shoes with full pads to no shoes, so the soles of his feet had to toughen. He is now sound and walks out fine on trails and gravel roads, as well as preforming beautifully in the ring (or until his latest issue). The horse is not in pain, he is a huge wimp about pain.

People go barefoot all the time, walk on stones, pavement, etc with no pain. However if someone that has worn shoes all the time decides to walk on gravel barefoot, they will be in a lot of pain at first. Then over several days-weeks, their feed toughen up, get callouses and then no more pain.

I'm not someone who thinks every horse should/needs to be/or can go barefoot. However telling someone that just because a horse is a little ouchy walking over gravel, he needs shoes, is stupid IMO. You don't know what the trim looks like, it may be a bad trim. You don't know what his pasture looks like, which is where he spends 99% of his time.

OP-ouchy for a month isn't normal. Have a farrier out ASAP. Someone competent that will evaluate his movement, his feet, and go from there.

[Posting Trot]

You should definitely try hoof boots. The designs and the range of options have gotten much better over the past couple of years.

I'd also consider the possibility that something else, or some underlying problem may be contributing to the lameness. The horse is semi-retired for a reason, no? It would be worthwhile to have the vet out to discuss the problem and look at the horse.

And, if you're getting a new farrier anyway, you should discuss the horse's condition and the condition of the hooves with him/her as well.

[AliCat518]

Horse is not by any means living in pain. He spends his days on 100 some acres of great pasture, and gallops around soundly. He occasionally has to cross the gravel driveway or gravel in front of the tractor barn, and that is when he is visibly ouchy.

He's fine walking around in the stone dust ring, but if its a little hard/dry, trotting seems tender for him.

I was unhappy with the trim job (and shoeing of my other horses) that my last farrier was doing, and we have the new guy coming out in a week. He's highly recommended, so hopefully he can help us sort it out. I'm likely just going to have him put shoes on. I dont mind paying, and want my boy to be comfortable.

Horse is semi-retired due to surgery 3-ish years ago for an infected tendon sheath. He's completely sound and cleared for flat work, but I bought a new show hunter, so Charlie Brown has been somewhat retired (and is LOVING it).

[Tiger Horse]

Some barefooters will tell you that it may take up to a year for a horse to recover from all the damage that being shod has done to your horse's feet and meanwhile you can expect the horse to be lame. Wtf

Personally I think any period of lameness is unacceptable. Some horses may require some additional protection until they grow stronger walls/soles, such as casting, packing' etc. Some horses will not be sound barefoot no matter what.

Jennifer

^
This. I still regret our barefoot experiment - it lasted about nine months and was eight months, 3 weeks too long!
Luckily, my horse forgave me and there were no lasting ill effects.