Thin, flat soles and trail riding

[LovieBird]

I’m fortunate enough that the place I board has wonderful trails. However I’ve noticed that my horse goes lame (sole bruise, abscess) after we go out on the trails sometimes. Not always, but it’s enough to make me think there’s some connection there. I’d say there are some gravel/rocky spots but most of it is hard packed dirt. I am SO CAREFUL to make sure he doesn’t walk on the rocks, and if he has to, I make him go slowly and micromanage his steps.

I’d love to be able to utilize the trails maybe weekly/biweekly. Most of the time we’re working on dressage, but I do something different each ride to keep him fresh.

He already has regular shoes up front, always has. He also has thin, flat soles. I started him on tri amino to help his hoof quality and I use keratex hardener on the soles and wall weekly. I would get hoof boots, but it says they aren’t for shod horses. I wish I could stick some Magic Cushion or something in his feet to give him a little protection, but I know it’ll just fall out.

Has anyone else had this issue? Any ideas?

[JB]

@LovieBird

He also has thin, flat soles.

diagnosed through xrays? Do you have those to post? can you post pictures of his feet?

[LovieBird]

The thin part, no x rays, just estimated using the method where you measure the depth of the frog.
The flat part, you can see they’re not convave. It wasn’t until I got my mare that I realized how flat his feet were in comparison.

I’ll try to get photos tomorrow if he cooperates. He was a “mood” today.

[wildlifer]

Thin soles are always worth investigating & trying to improve (especially one who is so easily injured, as it sounds like yours is). For a quick “band-aid” of protection, you can have your farrier add pads to his shoes. There are many kinds, I like the “pour-in” type, but you can discuss with your farrier & vet which is right for your horse. Also be aware that some horses are very sensitive to the sole pressure of pads too - sometimes they just need a day or 2 to adjust, sometimes it’s more complex, hence why you want to involve your care team in thoughtful conversation.

[S1969]

@wildlifer

For a quick “band-aid” of protection, you can have your farrier add pads to his shoes.

I wouldn’t consider that a band-aid - some horses simply aren’t built for trail riding as well as others, and there’s no shame in putting pads on that horse.

OP - definitely talk to your farrier and ask his/her opinion. The trim might be a factor, but all horses are different with regard to concavity, sole depth and hoof hardness. Yours might just need 4 shoes or pads up front.

Also, consider your trail rides - are the longer than your typical arena ride? Is it hilly? Even if you’re letting your horse walk a good deal, maybe the lameness isn’t related as much to his feet as to the work. Maybe you’ll need to do some different work to build up his endurance.

[prudence]

Good advice on the pads. My boy is padded because of thin soles - he’s had pads since day 1 of endurance training and has them now in his 20s. The soles benefit from an airing out sometimes in winter but he’s gone all year with them often.

[Postandrails]

Does he have prominent bars?

[candyappy]

You could have pads put on or try Durasole.

[Incantation]

A friend has had great luck with Hoof Armor for her thin sole guy.

[LovieBird]

That’s a very good point. It’s not very hilly here. Our trail rides are usually about 30 minutes maybe. All walking, not even on contact. Though, sometimes he gets a little worked up and it turns into a power walk/quasi piaffe. I wonder if the hard packed ground is making his suspensories sore.

[LovieBird]

Not terribly prominent, but they need to be trimmed occasionally.

[LovieBird]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply! There are many good suggestions here.

I think a conversation with our farrier is in order. My horse has struggled with abscesses/stone bruising more than I’d like (a few days each in September, December and now January), and it may be time to up our game by adding pads. He is 21, so I want to keep him moving and as comfortable as possible.

I was ambivalent about pads (thinking they wouldn’t let the foot breathe), but after some research, I feel more open to it as a possibility.

[Scribbler]

Hoof boots on barefoot horses also give great sole protection.

[Garythesquirrel]

@LovieBird

I think a conversation with our farrier is in order. My horse has struggled with abscesses/stone bruising more than I’d like (a few days each in September, December and now January), and it may be time to up our game by adding pads. He is 21, so I want to keep him moving and as comfortable as possible.

Seeing his age and the time of year this is happening, I would wonder about Cushing’s/PPID.

[enjoytheride]

OP appears to trail ride whenever the weather is good. It’s not uncommon that in some areas shoes alone aren’t enough for certain terrain. It’s simple, especially with a horse that is thin soled (and no I wouldn’t fire my farrier! I have 1 horse I trail ride barefoot. I have another horse who isn’t sound in a groomed arena with a full set of shoes, wedges, pads, and equioxx. I’m not firing my farrier because the one horse is a walking vet bill.)

Assuming the horse has regular vet visits that would catch any issues that might lead to extra sensitivity and OP likes her farrier, just put pads on and enjoy the horse.

[FjordBCRF]

I was going to suggest Hoof Armor too, I know a lot of people having success with it in situations like described.

[OzarksRider]

@Scribbler

Hoof boots on barefoot horses also give great sole protection.

Ditto this. @LovieBird, could your horse go barefoot? Would he be sound barefoot in the pasture? My horse is barefoot and wears boots on the trail, and he travels better than shod horses over rocks.

[MorganMaresVT]

@LovieBird

My horse has struggled with abscesses/stone bruising more than I’d like (a few days each in September, December and now January), and it may be time to up our game by adding pads. He is 21, so I want to keep him moving and as comfortable as possible.

Not sure the rest of his health situation, but given the seasonal connection to his abscessing and sensitivity, and his age, have you investigated Cushings and/or insulin resistance? It might explain why it’s happening, and if so, with medication and diet you might have a horse that can be made a lot more comfortable. Just a thought, and obviously I don’t know the full picture.

Edited to add: Posted before I saw that @Garythesquirrel had suggested similar.

[goodhors]

Best to get the Vet involved, get X-rays so Farrier can see what inside the hoof is like. Guessing is going to make fixing take longer as you work thru ideas, instead of KNOWING what issue horse may have.

Full pads are definately a step in the right direction for protection. Is he always having problems, lame, abcess, in the fronts? Do issues turn up in both front and rear?

[wildlifer]

@FjordBCRF

I was going to suggest Hoof Armor too, I know a lot of people having success with it in situations like described.

I have used Hoof Armor & liked it for some things but wouldn’t recommend it alone as a solution for this horse. HA is essentially epoxy - I think of it a bit like dipping your fingertips in glue or candle wax - you can’t feel as much so you might move more comfortably, which can have benefits for a horse by speeding up the development of a better foot via better movement.

However, HA does not actually stop a bruise from from happening- that mechanical impact/injury to the foot can still occur since a layer of epoxy cannot absorb shock or act as a cushion, no matter what marketing tries to claim. Since OP says this horse is experiencing bruising & abscessing, it needs additional protection from those impact forces to break the cycle of injury.