If you do, take a look at what else you are feeding the horse… because alfalfa meal may be added to various feeds and/or supplements. They stick it in there to boost “protein levels”. You want LOW protein in the diet. Try for no more than 10% from ANY source. Stay away from soy protein as well… any source of protein. People seem to LIKE to feed “protein” to horses. Many can handle it, some can’t. They get cranky, miserable and sore. Just check your hay, and check your feed and supplement bags. Bland diet, high fiber is what you need to try.
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Now when I hear vets say “the horse needs shoes” what I hear is “the horse needs hoof support”. Today in 2023 there are so many more options to offer a horse hoof support than nailing on metal shoes. Personally I think boots are the least invasive option while figuring out what’s going on. I’ve witnessed boots go on a horse and within 4-5 days seen visible, measurable changes in the hoof and the horse get comfortable enough to go back to being barefoot. Of course I’m not saying the OP will see the same results in their horse, but it’s a starting point to get the horse more comfortable right away.
I’m not against metal shoes, but like anything, alfalfa, and gastroguard included, you need to weigh the benefits and possible side effects of everything against the very specific situation of the specific horse.
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I wish that farriers and vets were on the same page more often than they are.
This is mysterious to me, but it’s like farriers & vets are operating from two different knowledge bases, and neither has a look at the other.
The farrier and the vet can end up as two different sides to a discussion – two sides that don’t/won’t speak to each other.
Sometimes the farrier is in the right, sometimes the vet. And in between is a horse owner trying to figure this out rationally on the basis of data. But the data coming to the horse owner isn’t consistent between the sides.
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Thank you. I just had a long discussion with two trainers about exactly this. They know me well and you are spot on with what they said about my handling. I know this about myself as well and I think I unfortunately have a lot to do with it. Not that I’m going to stop getting him looked over physically but I think I really need to take this into account, take a step back and learn from someone more experienced. Really appreciate your input
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I didn’t pull the shoes just because. He had caudal failure, my farrier was very impressed with his feet otherwise and thought barefoot was a great idea and see what happens with corrective trimming through winter. His feet have improved significantly since then in shape and strength. All winter no soundness issues. Now on more hard ground and gravel I can see him being ouchy, and yes the flares now. So yes I’m considering shoes for sure. Worried about them causing caudal failure again like last time, but ok. Additionally, all the behaviors (inverted and hot under saddle, not liking brushing, etc) started immediately when I got him home. I didn’t remove the shoes until 1 month later. So yes I think this is an important contributor currently, but not the whole story. Thank you I appreciate your input!
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No mention of teeth in this discussion yet but do have them checked.
And agree with shoes/support as well as possibly gastroguard with a slow taper off.
Also, if you need a break you should absolutely take one and let him be a horse while you take a breather and reassess after making the obvious changes.
Caudal failure doesn’t happen with good farriers. Your horse’s feet hurt—put shoes on the poor creature before you drop another dime on anything else.
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As long as things are being checked, take a look for wolf teeth. Not common, but some males have extra teeth just in front of their molars, known as wolf teeth. In addition to the usual canines.
Found out about this when they were located on my gelding. An equine dentist filed them down flat. Horse stopped shaking his head and was finally able to settle with a bit in his mouth. 
However, since the horse was going well in the previous barn this probably isn’t an issue. But of course everything is worth checking.
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Yeah, if the alfalfa was started immediately and the behavior started immediately, I would be inclined to at least cut it out for a week or so and see if the behavior improves. Whenever my own horse has a major behavioral change that is out of the ordinary for him, I immediately think about what changes in feeding I have made most recently and that’s the first thing I’ll address to see if it was the cause. It doesn’t matter what other people say about alfalfa or soy or carbs or whatever. You have to deal with your horse as an individual. Cutting out alfalfa for a few days is the easiest step.
It sounds like his feet and his behavior are separate issues that are just now creating a perfect storm. If shoes aren’t an option, maybe get him some hoof boots. I’m about to get my barefoot horse some. We do a lot of riding in the woods over stumps, roots, and branches. He does pretty well, but I’d like to give him some protection as he does have sort of thin soles and bruises easily if I’m not careful.
Best of luck to you. And as others have said, take care of YOU right now too. The most out-of-his-mind my horse ever acted was during a period when I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and depression myself. His anxiety was making me anxious…my anxiety was making him anxious, and the barn became a place I felt horrible almost panicky instead of relaxed and happy. This was 30+ years into horse ownership, having my own farm, running other people’s farms, raising, training, and showing my own horses, etc. I didn’t realize how stressed out I was from some major changes in my life, then I discovered my horse was as stressed out as I was! I got help for my own issues and it truly helped my horse as well. At least when he had meltdowns I wasn’t having one too, LOL. I could be the calm, reassuring leader that he needed instead of a fretting basket case (not saying you’re that, but I was!)
Take a breath and remember…it’s just a horse.
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Agree with what others have said re: adding the shoes back on and switching to a farrier who will work with your vet.
By the way you are describe it in your post, and I could be misinterpreting this, but you don’t seem overly pleased with the care, training, or environment of your barn. Would it be worth it (even if it was just for your sake) to find somewhere that you feel you can trust more? Just a thought.
If nothing comes after adding the shoes, and I would give it a bit to allow the soles to heal, I would take him for a full work up. Neck and back x-rays, blood tests, etc.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this!
Use 3d frog support pads to prevent caudal failure if you’re so concerned.
Feet, alfalfa. Then stop changing stuff and wait two weeks and see what you have. If at that point he’s still being reactive I’d test for Lyme and EPM. If both of those come back negative, he’d be on the trailer to a vet school/large clinic.
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What exactly do you mean by caudal failure?
We often talk about “underrun” heels - but was there something more? You said that the horse was sound on purchase? I assume he was shod then?
Even barefoot horses can have this problem if the trim is bad. So I am not sure why you would be worried about shoes - they don’t cause the problem. I get that it might be easier to correct a poor trim without shoes for a period of time, because you might want to trim more frequently than a shoeing cycle would allow. But that might not be comfortable for the horse.
Again - not sure where you live - in NY, the worst time of year to pull a sensitive horse’s shoes would be winter because walking on frozen slush or frozen mud ruts can be painful even for horses with great feet.
You say he wasn’t unsound, yet everything you describe points to discomfort. Does your farrier shoe horses or are they just a barefoot trimmer? As mentioned above - boots can be a good test if you are still working on corrective trimming.
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I haven’t read through all the replies yet but I did just want to take a second and say that babies, esp. this age are HARD. They’re figuring out who they are, how big they are, what they like/don’t like, etc. My gelding’s 5 year old year was one of the hardest I’ve had in my lifetime of horses. He just turned 7 and he’s a cool dude now, so I promise it DOES get better. It’s just so hard when both their bodies and brains are growing and not always at the same rate.
IIWM, I would try to get your vet & farrier on the same page re: putting shoes back on. Do another round of gastroguard. And I don’t want to armchair qb but asking about PSSM probably isn’t a bad idea either. I’ve known a few QH (I know your boy is an OTTB) with PSSM and they were just absolute uncomfy crankypants & for good reason.
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Before reading other posts I’m going to say out shoes back on and test for Lyme. Good luck!
I have a Lusitano who grows very little hoof. He has been on Farriers Formula plus for over a year. No difference. If he doesn’t have shoes on he literally walks on his soles and gets sore. Not all horses are candidates for barefoot.
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We are born the way we are born. I wish I had thick curly hair but I don’t. It’s fine and mildly wavy and breaks very easily. I have to be careful with hair dryers, hair products, hair ties/clips, etc. Something like Farriers Formula for humans (basically hair/nail vitamin supplements) can help, but they will never give me long, luscious locks.
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Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry for your struggles. I’m not in your shoes, but I have a very difficult situation with a lot of similarities.
As for the touchiness, it sounds like my boy and ulcers. And EPM.
Mine was treated with a compounded omep/miso paste for 30 days, and was much happier. I have him on Nutrena Empower Digestive balance. Vet has suggested Resolvet Relyne GI.
Weight and muscle loss with weird behavior? Had that last summer after 3 months in a new home. Major life change to high altitude and very limited turnout after 13 years at one farm with long days in pasture. Lots of stress, he tested with sky high, off the charts EPM titers. Six months after a 60-day course of Protazil, he retested sky high again. Weight back on, but his behavior can be problem and may be brain lesions.
I’m at the best boarding option in this area, so changing that would require a move to another state. The monsoons here messed up his feet, but getting him on biotin 25/day helped immensely.
I’ve had days where thought I should give up. It’s hard being at barns with so many opinions, especially for training. Ugh. My horse doesn’t feel well, I just want to do right by this horse!
He’s also on SantaCruz natural E, Cosequin/MSM, Lysine, Omegas, Magnesium/B1, (and as recommended by Cornell, Protazil 1scoop/week).
Hang in there! Listen to your horse and your gut, give your vet info on what you observe, and keep asking questions. You’ll get there, it’s a frustrating process of elimination. You’re doing great!
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I agree w/others that starting with feet might be the best thing. Sore feet can make them sore all over.
I am in a barefoot group on FB. Not completely 100% all horses must be barefoot, but a lot of experienced trimmers. And they welcome farriers who don’t cop an attitude, and are the sort who won’t put every horse into shoes just because. Someone made a comment today, to someone who wants to take their horse barefoot - when horse also needs a whole lot of proper trimming and rebalancing of its “bad” hoof. She reminded everyone that it can take a long time to get some formerly shod horses to barefoot, like 6 to 12 months. And even then they might need boots all the time. And sometimes, no, owners are not willing to put their horse on R&R for that long.
(Personal experience: I hoped to keep my own mare barefoot when I retired her. I get it; keeping a horse shod is expensive! She did reasonably well as long as I put boots on her for the little work she could still do. I used Keratex religiously. But then she turned up footsore, and X-rays showed that this horse, who had lovely thick soles when shod with pads, had become very thin-soled. So she got boots except when she was in her stall. I moved her to 24/7 turnout when I fully retired her, and then we had a very, very dry summer, and she got footsore again, at least partially from stomping at flies (even with Shoofly leggins) on very, very hard ground. BO who is otherwise excellent didn’t want to deal with boots every day – the taking them off, cleaning them if needed, leaving them off for an hour or two, and then putting them back on. I couldn’t be there for this care either. So she is back to front shoes with pads, and much happier. Still thin-soled though, she has only gained 1 mm in sole depth, and I may be switching farriers to someone who is open to more options than traditional steel shoes.)
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I am a believer in barefoot, any time it is feasible.
But it isn’t always feasible. My current horse has demonstrated more than once, at length, that he needs shoes to keep his TB feet a) useable; b) in correct shape and angles; and c) pain-free.
That last one before him was barefoot during most of my 10-year ownership. He had shoes while actively eventing but that’s all. He had the best feet, the feet I wish for every horse.
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Honestly, I would probably sell rather than make yourself miserable. You have tried a lot of different things and he may just be a grumpy horse.
Horses can be particular about who they like and don’t like. A friend has a really nice gelding. I caught him by the halter and the first thing he did was try to nip me… Apparently, while he likes men, he is nippy towards women. Another friend has a gelding that is very moody and you have to watch him, because while he can be great most of the time, if you don’t pass his test, he will act up. You either pass his test and are considered an acceptable rider, or you don’t meet his requirements, in which case he will make you miserable (rear or buck). I actually wish he was mine because we get along fabulously.
If you are wanting a cuddly, sweet, affectionate horse, this horse may not meet that criteria. Most of my horses love brushing and all have preferred itchy spots. But none of mine are particularly sensitive. I do have a very sensitive dog and she hates being touched… Has been like that since she was a puppy. It’s very rare that she asks to be petted. She prefers verbal praise to touch. Touching stresses her out for some reason and she’s a bit anxious to begin with.
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