Footsore barefoot horse... ideas?

[SarahandSam]

My horse has always been barefoot with one brief exception, and generally does well with it. But in the summer, he usually has a brief spell of footsoreness, usually right after his first trim once the ground has hardened. The pasture he’s in is pretty hard and rutted, and he’s out all night.

So he’s been fine up until two weeks ago, when he went suddenly very lame (at a show, of course, so I scratched–the warmup was on very hard ground in a field, don’t know how he would have looked in the actual ring footing). Since then I’ve been doing Farrier’s Fix every day and resting him, though he’s still getting turnout. Farrier tested his hooves and said he was sore all around, but no heat or swelling anywhere. I’ve hopped on him just to see how he is twice since then (he was jogging sound again) but under saddle he’s still off–no longer head-bobbing lame but definitely a little short and NQR.

So… I have a big show coming up in two weeks. I have Hawthorne hoof packing coming today so I plan to pack his hooves and keep him in for the night with that. What suggestions do you all have for getting his soles toughened and getting him comfortable ASAP? Obviously I’m not taking him if he’s sore, but if I can get him back into work in time and comfortable I am willing to try anything.

Should I…
…do more stall rest? I know the pasture isn’t helping his hooves but I also feel bad keeping him in, especially when it’s been so hot and the nights are cooler outside.
…use Farrier’s Fix under the hoof packing (the FF bottle suggests this) or just the hoof packing?
…use Keratex? The Keratex bottle says to strip with acetone before using since I’ve been using oils, but I don’t know if it’s a better bet than the Farrier’s Fix. The warnings on the side also slightly terrify me.
…try riding in hoof boots? I can borrow a friend’s and see how he does in them, but worry about if he’s sound and I work him if that’ll aggravate the soreness at all.
…turn out in hoof boots? Are those safe for turnout?
…bite the bullet and go with shoes and pads? Farrier’s coming on the 11th, so this is an option if he’s still looking sore by then, though I really don’t have the money to go from $45 trims to $200 shoes all the rest of the summer.

Any other suggestions that don’t involve magic? I’ve tried a variety of spells but none seem to be working yet… if anyone has a tried-and-true ritual I’d love to hear it…

[pluvinel]

Put front shoes on.

[SarahandSam]

@pluvinel

Put front shoes on.

I was wondering about that, because the one time he did need shoes it was just fronts, but then the farrier said he tested sore on all four so I was afraid he’d need shoes all around… If fronts only would help that would be at least a bit better on the wallet…

[Bluey]

May not hurt to have a VET look at him, maybe x-rays?

He may have a cracked coffin bone, a broken wing in there, some other going on that, addressed properly, will be fine once it heals.
Would save much time if there is something that, taken care of now, will get well faster.

We bought a horse from a fellow that could not get him sound, buted him up and sold him as sound.

When he was lame a couple of days later, our vet found a crack in the coffin bone, said turn him out for a month, then we will see what we have.
Horse eventually healed and was fine after that.

You just never know what you have until you look into it.

[kashmere]

X rays and go from there.

[pluvinel]

While I don’t disagree that a check by a vet would be useful to rule out medical problems, I have had 2 horses with “great feet” according to farrier, eg. strong, thick hoof walls that seemed to have ouchy feet. No medical problems. All problems went away with shoes.

[SarahandSam]

X-rays are certainly the next step if he’s still lame, but since he’s a) footsore under these circumstances every year, b) sore on all four soles, and c) responding at least somewhat to hoof hardener, going to go with that at the moment.

[S1969]

@SarahandSam

I was wondering about that, because the one time he did need shoes it was just fronts, but then the farrier said he tested sore on all four so I was afraid he’d need shoes all around… If fronts only would help that would be at least a bit better on the wallet…

Between carrying more weight on the front legs and stomping at flies, front shoes only might make a big difference this time of year.

I assume you are ruling out laminitis due to pasture grass? It’s a little late for it to be just showing up (since my pasture is pretty dry and dying now) but maybe the two issues - hard ground + grass - are working together at this point?

I’d probably put front shoes on him to start, and also consider fly boots if you don’t already use them.

ETA: maybe next year shoe him at the beginning of summer and see if that doesn’t prevent soreness entirely.

[SarahandSam]

Yeah, he barely got grass at all this year, sadly. Flies definitely annoy him a lot…

[TCA_Arabians]

Try some pine tar on his hooves. Ground is dry and very hard here. The pine tar helps. You might also create an area in his paddock where he can stand in mud … not if laminitis is a possibility. If he’s sore all around, I’m not sure what x-rays could show unless you x-ray his back. I would also have him shod. It’s $90 for all four here.

One of our mares went lame once. Drove us nuts trying to figure out what it was. We went over every inch of her legs and hooves. Called the vet. He took one look and pointed out an abscess high on her shoulder. We were looking down - not up.

[Texarkana]

I second the fly boot suggestion. I swear by them.

I also agree that if this is beyond normal soreness from stomping, you should investigate laminitic or navicular changes with xrays.

Hawthorne’s Hoof Freeze is a product that can sometimes help with soreness. I’m not familiar with Farrier’s Fix, but I find the Hoof Freeze to be more effective than Keratex, pine tar, turpentine, or DuraSole for soreness.

Some people swear by Magic Cushion. My results haven’t been as “magical” but it may be worth a try as opposed to the Hawthorne’s packing (which is what I personally use too).

I turnout in hoof boots when needed. I use my Old Macs or my Soft Rides. Sometimes even just wrapping (like you would for an abscess) helps.

Fiberglass casting is another option that your farrier or vet may be able to help you with. It’s cheap, relatively easy to learn to use, and pretty neat in it’s uses.

I really hate to put shoes on horses, but if you are trying to salvage your show season, it may be the only option. I’d be surprised if you need pads. I imagine just the support of standard keg shoes will alleviate his discomfort. If your farrier is capable, you may investigate glue on options, which will help maintain the integrity of his hoof and ease the transition if you would like to return him to barefoot after this bout of soreness.

[Scribbler]

First, IMHO it’s a no brainier. If a barefoot horse is getting at all sensitive to the footing, put hoof boots on them. A performance hoof boot will not mask an injury, it doesn’t have enough cushion. It just takes the pressure off the sole if the horse doesn’t like the ground. Yes, there are horses out there that can go barefoot on tough ground year round. IME the barefoot horses I know personally all benefit from having the option of boots for some days in the trim cycle or some seasons of the year, if you want them moving out fast outside of the arena. Cheaper and less permanent than shoes, and easier to transition back to barefoot.

Second, if you bruised his soles he is going to take some time to recover. The one time we got a persistent bruise off broken ice in the snow, it didn’t clear up until the trimmer was able to take out some broken heel and bar. So perhaps have a look at the foot to see if there are chunks on the sole that will be causing pressure.

Hawthorne hoof packing is pine tar. It mositurizes and claims to sooth. Farriers fix is Venice turpentine with added ingredients. Said to toughen soles. Hoof freeze is iodine basically. Toughens foot and knocks out thrush. Perhaps the acetone base has a cooling and analgesic effect?

Keratex is formeldahyde. It preserves the sole and keeps it from chipping off, therefore eventually giving you a thicker sole that isn’t shedding it’s dead later. It also makes the sole harder.

None of these truly make the sole thicker except as far as the keratex increases retained sole. Keratex also fights thrush as it kills the fungal bacterial agents.

I think it is not unusual to have barefoot horses become less comfortable at certain points in the year. It’s worth looking at your trim cycle, care, and riding habits to see what is happening every year at this time.

In addition to the ground drying out, maybe you are in the saddle more in the summer, competing more. You might consider getting horse a less aggressive trim going into the dry spell and leaving a little more foot.

But really hoof boots are your friend here. You can’t compete in them but you can warm up in them and train in them.

Now that you’ve bruised him up good, he will need a rest to recover first

[jnel]

My horse usually does ok barefoot in the summer with hoof boots, but last summer it clearly wasn’t enough. I put front shoes on as soon as I noticed the soreness and it took a month for him to be comfortable again even with shoes. There often isn’t a quick fix, he got bruised and it took awhile to heal.

[crosscreeksh]

“Jim Rickens” hoof paint…available from Amazon, Big D’s, eBay (higher $$) Will draw the soreness out almost immediately and toughen the sole. Honest!! We’ve used it for YEARS and am using it right now on a tender footed horse and an EXCELLENT cure for thrush!!

[Scribbler]

@crosscreeksh

“Jim Rickens” hoof paint…available from Amazon, Big D’s, eBay (higher $$) Will draw the soreness out almost immediately and toughen the sole. Honest!! We’ve used it for YEARS and am using it right now on a tender footed horse and an EXCELLENT cure for thrush!!

The ingredients are disinfectants that would deal with the thrush, phenol and menthol that would possibly have an analgesic effect, and acetone which interestingly is also in hoof freeze and I’m assuming might have a temporary analgesic effect?

If the stuff is numbing the foot a little that’s not really “drawing the soreness out.”

[SarahandSam]

Can you use hoof boots for turnout, or just for riding?

[shayaalliard]

when my TB was trimmed too short he went out in his hoof boots. He wore them 24/7 in the stall and out in turnout for 4 weeks no issues. I chose the easyboot clouds because he could go out in them in turnout- we didn’t ride in them.

He was so lame he could hardly hobble without them, trotting sound as soon as I put them on. He gave the biggest sigh.

I still have them if he needs them, but so far he’s sound bare since his feet have grown out.

[Buckshot1]

There’s a lot of things to look at with a footsore horse - number one being diet. There may be an underlying mineral imbalance, maybe he does have low grade laminitis. It could also be that the trim is not quite right for the environment at this time fo year? It’s really hard to say without seeing the feet.

Also - hooves generally grow slower in winter, faster in summer. If I were trimming him I’d try taking off less foot for the first summer trim, and then having shorter trimmning cycles to cope with the extra growth. This means the feet are more comsistantly balanced, without going from ‘all or nothing’ - ie: sole is far off the ground because of the long foot, then right on it after a big trim. But that’s just one idea.

Definitely invest in some boots. Few horses can be expected to go 100% barefoot all year round, but that doesn’t mean you have to switch to shoes - there are heaps of options out there on the market to fill the gap.

If I were you I’d find a reputable barefoot trimmer in your area and contact them for advice. Or, do your own research on keeping horses barefoot (not on a forum ) - there are lots of good resources available (books and websites). Pete Ramey’s Hoof Rehab facebook group may be a good place to start.

[Guilherme]

@SarahandSam

Can you use hoof boots for turnout, or just for riding?

Yes…but…they require attention and, depending upon the environment, regular checks. If the horse is in a reasonably prepared area you might be OK. If the area has mud, water, or “rougher” ground you have to make sure the boot does not hold water or become the home of any “trash” like small twigs, rocks, etc.

G.

[BeeHoney]

Right now, you need to treat what you have in front of you. Rest the horse in a stall or on very soft turnout only until the worst of the soreness subsides. Use a little bute perhaps to make him more comfortable. When the soreness has subsided, get some shoes on your horse. He may need pads at this point. Or, he may need even more time and your show may not be in the cards. If you have any doubt as to the cause of his soreness or anything doesn’t add up, get the vet out.

Next year, try to be ahead of the game. This problem that you are having is exactly why all of the rest of us who have horses that show put shoes on them–so that we don’t get halfway into the season and have our horse go lame from hard summer ground or rocky footing. Personally I vote “no” to the “find yourself a barefoot trimmer” suggestion and I’m not a huge fan of boots either because that is a temporary fix that is probably not the best choice for your particular scenario.