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Post by beenawhile on Jul 20, 2015 8:41:29 GMT
Good morning everyone,
I have recently purchased a Connemara mare. She appears to have been out on some incredibly rich grass since I viewed her, and she's now resembling a barrel. Her entire body is solid, and she's become footsore. Her feet look as though they've been trimmed too far back (I think the farrier has made a bad attempt to rescue the hoof from further cracking), but the cracks are continuing to form up her hoof wall (it's not HWSS, just poor maintenance). The school at the yard is in need of re-surfacing, so it's not currently deep enough to exercise her in with her sore feet. I have placed her into a starvation paddock for the unforeseeable future.
I was wondering if anyone has some advice they can offer me regarding shoeing/barefoot trimming/hoof boots? Due to the state of her feet, I wasn't sure if I should consider having some plates put on, or would this make her feet worse? I'm also concerned that her obesity mixed with poor farriery and the stress of moving may bring on Laminitis. How can I avoid this? Any thoughts on the best way to exercise her at the moment? Would walking out in-hand for an hour a day help or hinder her?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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Post by lucynlizzysmum on Jul 20, 2015 8:56:29 GMT
I would say treat as a laminitic to start with - soaked hay, don't starve - give a hoof support supplement. Get a good farrier to her and follow their advice re trimming/shoeing!
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Post by beenawhile on Jul 20, 2015 9:28:53 GMT
Thank you Lucynlizzysmum - I have an issue with this though. She has the choice of a starvation paddock or a paddock with an awful lot of rich grass. She refuses to be stabled at present.
I'll certainly look into hoof supplements though. Are there any in particular that you could recommend?
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 20, 2015 9:41:17 GMT
My fatties go into what looks like a totally bare paddock but it's amazing how much grass they can get off it - and my grass is managed anyway to look rubbish, but means in practise that it is very low in ryegrass species and high in herbs (or weeds, as farmers would call them!), and they don't get any hoy, soaked or otherwise. I feel though that they are better like this as they get lots of exercise while eating, and a slow trickle of feed. I have recently done some new fencing, one line of which serves to give me an area 20 yds wide and the length of 3 to 4 arenas, long and thin makes for more exercise than square paddock. If she does need hay in your paddock, depends on the size, then soak and put in small piles spread out to get her walking as much as possible.
In your situation I'd definitely second feeding a hoof supplement, in my case I'd use Top Spec AntiLam to be on the safe side, or ask your vet for a recommendation. You do need the advice of a good farrier, but wouldn't she have to grow some more foot anyway before anything else?
I think too I'd take it up with the vendor, of course I don't know the exact circumstances but I'd expect to get a pony in much the same condition as when I saw it. If she does tip over into laminitis as a result of their treatment, things would go better if you'd made the point to them first that she was too fat and her feet in poor condition when she left them. And take photos. Sadly it's often about watching your own back these days!
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Post by lucynlizzysmum on Jul 20, 2015 9:54:02 GMT
Agree with Sarah P re Topspec Antilam - whilst agree with Sarah about needing foot to trim, I would be speaking to a farrier to start with. Under no circumstance would I be putting her onto the other paddock. You will be amazed at what she will get out of the starvation paddock! As long as her gut is working and she is wandering around, the weight will start to come off. Just a thought, she's definitely not in foal is she?
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Post by beenawhile on Jul 20, 2015 11:01:25 GMT
Thank you sarahp - I don't want to drag her previous owner over hot coals, I'd rather just deal with what I have. But I'll certainly look into the Antilam supplement. I also hadn't thought of placing her hay around the paddock - I'll start doing that from this evening!
Of course I wasn't thinking of having any more of her foot taken off! I'm thinking about the future, I'd heard about some glue on shoes that are meant to be helpful to a horse/pony with poor feet?
And she's definitely not in foal (well I hope not anyway) - the weight is covering her all over and it's solid.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 20, 2015 11:16:17 GMT
I think re her feet we're all really singing off the same hymn sheet, talk to farrier first about what to do when you can... my farrier will put a horizontal line across the top of suitable cracks if they are growing up from below to stop them increasing any further. I for one am not up in glue on shoes, hoof boots and the like so can't help on that one. But whatever, she will need to grow good strong hoof horn in the long run.
I had a guest laminitic pony a few years ago come to live in my old sand school. A Welsh A, and I was under orders to feed him one slice of hay per day and nothing else, which I did. He lost weight, which he didn't really need to do, he'd had laminitis and his feet were in a mess but it wasn't active, being in my sand school was precautionary while he got sorted out. But what did happen was that he grew really rubbish hoof horn, obviously my hay was deficient in some micronutrient or other. Once he could have a little more hay and I was allowed to give him a balancer (can't remember which one) the horn changed beyond belief, with the new stuff growing down from the coronet a huge contrast to the previous growth, much harder and healthier.
The previous owner is up to you - in your place I would have mentioned the subject!
Just a late thought - perhaps using a weightape to check her progress would help you decide if she does need extra hay or if she's getting enough off the field without it?
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Post by bubbles1822 on Jul 20, 2015 11:46:58 GMT
I would maybe feed a lamanitic balancer, ive used a happy hoof and a supplement for her hoof instead of hay. Otherwise talk to a nutritionist at TopSpec or whichever feed company and they will advise on how much to feed based on your situation.
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Post by beenawhile on Jul 20, 2015 13:05:21 GMT
Thank you all for your help...
I've contacted a local remedial farrier who has agreed to come out to assess her tomorrow afternoon. I've just emailed Top Spec's nutritional helpline to ask for their advice on supplements. And... I've got myself a weightape so I can keep an eye on her progress.
Any further suggestions would obviously be welcome!
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Post by fanfarefan on Jul 21, 2015 19:40:08 GMT
i would definately recommend hoof boots , they have been the saving of our 2 EMS/ cushings ponies,,, especially after foot trimming ,,, as above treat as alaminitic,
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Post by titch on Jul 21, 2015 23:24:20 GMT
I love my hoof boots I have old macs 2. These have helped me get my laminitic back in the ring at county level !! Stones made her foot sore so couldn't walk her out in hand until we got our boots.
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Post by beenawhile on Jul 22, 2015 9:35:49 GMT
Thank you fanfarefan and titch - my farrier recommended some boots yesterday. Everyone who has commented has been very helpful, and I really appreciate the responses
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