OTTB with ouchy feet

[Horse1]

Hi there–

I am depending on the wise subscribers of COH to help me with a slight conundrum. I recently purchased an OTTB. He is six years old and was raced for three years. He came off the track last November and has been tossed around to different owners since then due to him being a bit of a complicated ride.

He has had sensitive feet since coming off the track. When he pulls a shoe he tends to get sore for a while. He is currently in pads and those don’t seem to be helping. I recently started him on Farrier’s Formula and Keratex three times a week. I have consulted a farrier to try something different shoeing wise.

My question-- has anyone else come upon this issue with their OTTB? Any other suggestions on how to work with the issue?

Thank you!

[Proffie]

You’re FAR from alone on this! Typical OTTB issue. I’ve owned mine for 6 years now, and he started out just like yours. Lost shoes, sore feet. Mine abscessed several times and had several sole bruises.

It took years of gradual transitioning from pads, to wide web shoes, and so on. I also put him on Kaufmann’s Integri-Hoof (highly recommend it) and use Keratex regularly. When he does lose a shoe, I keep Cavallo boots in my trunk so he can stay protected until the farrier can get out. Today, he has nice, solid feet, wears a plain steel shoe with side clips and no pad, and holds shoes for the full 6 weeks. But it was a long road.

[Peggy]

In Skipper’s case (TB, but not OTTB) it seems that he cannot tolerate sole pressure. The shoer at the rehab place (where I sent him because none of the diagnostics were consistent and the vet said to give him a year of tincture of time) got his feet larger, eventually replaced the bar shoes with regular shoes, and determined that the packing under the pads couldn’t be the regular stuff as that was too much pressure. He is still in pads, and frog support pads at that.

But at least he’s barefoot behind!

[nu2u]

yep to keratex also MAGIC CUSHION and just call the vet now and have basic xrays done to make sure the angles are correct and the bones inside the hoof are aligned…it will save you money and stress in the long run.

[CFFarm]

It usually takes OTTB’s a long time to toughen up their feet because they are kept on the best, groomed surfaces all the time. Pebbles and stones are avoided at all costs. The sole is usually packed with either poultice or clay every night. It has no chance to adapt to the real world. Keep up your treatment and I would ask to farrier to leave the sole alone for a while (just keep the bars in line). Most usually toughen up. JMHO

[Skip_s_Rider]

[QUOTE=Peggy;8322697]
In Skipper’s case (TB, but not OTTB) it seems that he cannot tolerate sole pressure. The shoer at the rehab place (where I sent him because none of the diagnostics were consistent and the vet said to give him a year of tincture of time) got his feet larger, eventually replaced the bar shoes with regular shoes, and determined that the packing under the pads couldn’t be the regular stuff as that was too much pressure. He is still in pads, and frog support pads at that.

But at least he’s barefoot behind![/QUOTE]
Peggy, I seem to be having the same sole pressure issue with my horse but haven’t yet figured out what he needs. If you didn’t use the regular packing material under the pads, what kind did you use?

[Peggy]

[QUOTE=Skip’s Rider;8323175]
Peggy, I seem to be having the same sole pressure issue with my horse but haven’t yet figured out what he needs. If you didn’t use the regular packing material under the pads, what kind did you use?[/QUOTE]
Text from shoer. “I normally use sole pack or a combination of sole pack in the front and EDS in the back.” EDS is the normal packing. She puts a thin strip of that at the back (heels) to keep the other stuff in. Apparently the frog support pads are key too. He had bad pedal osteitis and extensive demineralization of the coffin bone.

[nu2u]

My horse recently was changed from wedge pads(his heels did not like them) to frog supports…I was warned it was a big change and he may be ouchie for a few days, like really bad so do not panic on the first day but definitely call if it not improved after a few days. Yep the horse definitely wondered what the heck was going on down there in the beginning, but as he moved around he felt better and has begun to stretch his neck and shoulder now that the heel is starting to feel better, with a lil help from Magic Cushion. Big fan of sscccchmmmearing a lil magic cushion on with no wrap, just let the foot plop into some clean shavings and it will set a bit…stay around to work it’s magic and fall out on it’s own…sort of like a gradual easing back into reality for the foot