Kia went back to shod :(

[Nik-n-Kia]

Hi Guys

I want to first thank you for your support in all our misadventures!!!

Yann and Baymare you were great along with others (you know who you peeps are!!!) the farrier was out and tried to trim and rebalance the back feet nut he said that there was little for him to work with so he would have to have shoes on again.

He was very tender and with the ground hardening again last week he was in agony even in the stable he was hobbling so shoes it was.

The good thing that came out of this was that he no-longer has large cracks in his feet from nail holes too close together and the hoof wall is more stable. I am treating the bacteria with hibiscrub and it is looking better (i think ;) )

Here are some piccies before he was shod. They were taken the other day before the farrier came.
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/Nik-n-Kia/DSC00125.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/Nik-n-Kia/DSC00126.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/Nik-n-Kia/DSC00119.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/Nik-n-Kia/DSC00120.jpg


Let me know what you think!!!!

Nikki xxxxx :D

Can peeps see them now???? I have taken the images off them!!! N xxxxxx

[teabiscuit]

can't see the pics hun, wonder if its my 'pooter?

[Nik-n-Kia]

Hmmmmm

I can see them......

by the way ignore the date in the corner it's wrong. I cant get my phone to change to the correct date. Kia has chewed it too many times!!!! :rolleyes:

Try refreshing them. They are photo bucket ones.........

Nikki xxxx

[sheryl]

I can't see the pics either;)

[CurlyWurlyRach]

nope, no piccies.

Curlys being shod soon too, we're back to expensive farrier bills and hunting for lost shoes in muddy fields!

[Iron Maiden]

Can't see the pix...

But anyway, I hope you don't feel like a bad mum. You are best placed to know what's best for your horse & if barefoot didn't work out long term, well I bet you found out a heck of a lot along the way & will be far better able to be an 'intelligent customer' in future for the farrier. IMO barefoot is a means to an end - the end being your horse being happier and more comfortable. If it's not working & Kia isn't happy barefoot, then you've done the right thing. You are a good mum!!!

[Wally]

Well, you have done your best for your horse, what more could a horse want from his owner?

[Nik-n-Kia]

thanks Guys!!!!

i did feel like a bad mum as i thought that he would be happier with nice no metal tootsies but it wasnt to be!!!!

Thanks for the support!!!

i hope that you can all see the piccies now!!!

Lv Nikki xxxxxxx

[MelanieD]

Can't see pics.

Great that he's more comfortable in his new footwear :)

Is he sore even on soft ground and on a bed/matting in his stable? If so I'd be concerned that there's more going on that just needing shoes, it's really not normal to be sore on soft surfaces just from lack of footwear. At the moment as well as the ground hardening up the grass is really starting to grow, and a lot of horses get footy when they have mild (or not so mild) laminitis. Not saying you should keep shoes off if he's very sore without, just that if the reason he's sore is diet related shoes won't make that go away just make him appear more comfortable until it gets really bad..

[Nik-n-Kia]

Hi peeps the pics should be working now hopefully!!!!

Nikki xxxxx

[Nik-n-Kia]

Hi Peeps!!!

Are the piccies working yet????

I have been fiddling to find out the cause and said comp is gonna be going on a oneway trip outta the window if not!!!!!

Nikki xxxxx

[Joyscarer]

Yah, working pics :D

[Nik-n-Kia]

Good!!!

Comp nearly went in an unexpected one way trip lol!!!!!

Nikki xxxx

[Wally]

Frances rode Piggy Porker out on Saturday barefoot and he was a very unhappy bunny about it. He has problem feet at the best of times.

She'd love it if he could go barefoot I'D LOVE IT IF HE COULD GO BAREFOOT! same with Iacs and Fákur and Ljossie and all. I shod Iacs and Hákon on Sunday and away they skipped jolly as can be. Happy and comfy.

Do for your horse, the very best you can, he'll tell you what you need to know if you listen to him.

You have and you'll have a happy horse for it.

[Scarlett 001]

Do for your horse, the very best you can, he'll tell you what you need to know if you listen to him.

You have and you'll have a happy horse for it.

Well said Wally. :) There is no need to feel like a bad mum. You tried something you thought would be beneficial, and it did not work. Obviously what you tried works for some horses/people but not for others - no need to feel bad/guilty about that. You are doing your best for your horse. Let us know how your horse gets on - maybe see you over in the shod part of NR forum! (skeeter is shod front, barefoot back so I keep an eye on both parts of the hoof forum!)

[Shadowlark]

My goodness! There should be no guilt in making what you feel right now is the best decision for your horse!!

Kudos to your for trying and for knowing when it wasn't working and that you needed to change your avenues!

I love barefoot, I have had tremendous success barefoot and my horses are thriving. If I felt I needed to put shoes/boots on thogh I would do it in a heartbeat.

[Ptaty70]

Hi

I too went back to shoes at the front... this afternoon! I haven't ridden him for 2 weeks as he's so ouchy, and after 8 weeks he should be better. I took time off work to talk to the farrier and he said the feet were pretty worn down and he has always had small frogs which may be contributing to it.. no bruising, nicely hardening in all places, yet still footsore...

had a conflab, shoes on. He is still barefoot at the back and really does have small feet. When his shoes went on, there is a gap between the shoe and the hoof... cos the farrier couldn't take off any more foot to put the shoe on. Just shows how worn they had got on just riding twice a week, gently, on as many soft paths as i could find!

I have an inner **phew** going on right now... .feel so much better. He's never had problems in the feet area and I didn't realise how much it can pain the owner seeing them hobble around - not lame, just ouchy.. It just didn't work out... pity, but it wasn't meant to be.

I tried, didn't work and now feel pleased we have moved back to a stage where he was happy. He still **ouched** his way round the yard with shoes on, but the farrier said it would take a time for his brain to clock that there's no pain anymore (oh and he cantered down the field quite happily before the farrier came.. so it's just a hard ground thing)

update us as to whether Kia gets better with the shoes. I shall be keeping a close eye on your posts!!

[Scarlett 001]

He still **ouched** his way round the yard with shoes on, but the farrier said it would take a time for his brain to clock that there's no pain anymore (oh and he cantered down the field quite happily before the farrier came.. so it's just a hard ground thing)

The hoofwall on a shod horse will take a lot of the load, but the sole can presumably still make enough contact with the ground on certain footings to bother him (esp. if gravel or anything) or maybe could passively feel some of the pressure etc. Just a thought. His frogs might be a bit sore too maybe after all of this. I would not be surprised he is still a bit tender on certain ground until a bit of time passes.

His muscles may be tense too from ouching his way around walking for that time too. Maybe a nice massage would be nice thing for him (no, your horse did not pay me to write that!!! ;) ) :D

[Ptaty70]

Hi Scarlett

He will have the rest of the week off to get used to his new 'heels'.. but yes, his frogs are feeling a bit sore as he occasionally flinches when i pick at them. Being scrubbed with Betadine every two days

oooooo massages.... he MUST have communicated with you on a strange horsey level. He would LOVE that!

(he also loves snuffling the farrier's bum and 'wibbling' it.. plus an unhealthy interest in the furnace! maybe he was 'welcoming' it back after his pain. He LURRRRRVES the farrier)

[Nik-n-Kia]

Thank you guys!!!!!

You've made me feel loads better!!!!! Kia is still a bit hobbly on the gravel but in the school/field and on the road he seems to be doing great.

thank you for all your support and I'll defo let you know how he is doing!!!!

And he will like to massages lol he loves a good scratch as it is!!!!

Lv Nikki xxxxxxxxx :D :D

[Bebe]

FWIW I spent half an hour printing off farrier details from the FRC website yesterday, just in case Bebe goes sore next winter as I'm not prepared to go through another winter with a lame horse and soggy, disgusting hoof boots.

She's fast on the mend now and the ground is drying out so hoof boots don't pose so many problems (I worry about putting them on over wet pasterns, worry about washing hooves every day in order to put the boots on, worry about the boots twisting, worry about them getting muddy and mouldy........). She's never been unsound on her feet in winter before so I'm hoping it's a one-off thing but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead.

Of course, this is assuming that any farrier gets past my interview process (they'd be getting asked for clients that I can visit and assess their horses hooves) and that any who do can put up with me!

I'm glad that your horse is feeling more comfortable.

[Nik-n-Kia]

Hey BEBE

My farrier was trained down your way!!!!

He is fairly new but he is good and Kia feet are looking very good apart from the flat footedness lol

I imagine that you will find a few to mmet your needs and happy hunting!!!!!

Hope your horsey has a better summer!!!!!

Nikki xxxx

[Bebe]

Thanks Nikki :)