need boots for Shaun!

bit · need boots for Shaun!

I know this belongs in the classifieds, but I'm hoping by putting it here ya'll will see it and we can get right on this. Not everyone checks out the classifieds. I need to get Shaun into some boots, at least part of the day. I think he's about a 1.5 in a glove. I have 1's I can trade, and they are in good shape. His hoof wall is just too thin to put nails in, so we are really trying to get him barefoot. I have word out to local barefoot trimmer, and wanted to check here too. If you can help, please pm me. Thanks!

PasoBaby_CarolU

YOU need to talk to ALAYNA.

bit

I didn't want to ask! She's brand new at her job and I didn't want to put her on the spot. I do have an email into them (easy boot)to see if they want to sponsor Shaun. I'm not sure what boots he'll need, and glove may not be "it". I sure need help on this one. He's very uncomfortable. Have a call into the farrier, and I HATE to try and put shoes on him. Any suggestions or help gratefully accepted.

calatar

Haha I don't mind. My first day isn't until Monday but I can let you know that based on my experience the fit kit is the way to go. Mm's make all the difference and with the half sizes, you can really be surprised at what size a horse needs. Do you have his measurements taken after a recent trim? Any photos of his hooves? Do the size 1's go on?

bit

Have a boot fitter coming out, so I'll KNOW what size he is. Trouble with gloves, they don't fit as the hoof grows, and I think his foot will be changing a lot now that he's out of shoes.
I was looking at the trail, which just may be the trick. That boot goes on easy, and is advertised to fit during the growth bits between trims. He will only wear the boot a few hours a day, just to give him a break from hard ground, although I swear I don't have any hard ground. Hoping Gunner will fit into them as well because I'll be pulling his shoes after the next trimming. I want everyone barefoot and toughened up before the ground freezes. Think I have time...106 on Thursday, near 100 today.

becdubie

Deb, is he pretty tender? Just wondering since you aren't riding him yet and he is on what looks like soft pasture, do you need boots yet? Maybe wait till the trimmer comes and assesses his condition, you may want to wait and get the right size after he is fully transitioned if you can.

bit

He looks a little better today. Yesterday he was limping. When I tucked him in last night, he had chosen to stay in the shelter on the sand while the other horses were out grazing. I brought him in some hay and he didn't want to leave soft footing. This morning he had "escaped" to the big pasture and was pacing the fence line when I got out there. I let him back in and he mosied on up to the shelter. Not such a bad limp this morning. Have been putting on hoof hardener. Poor guy. He is such a sweet horse. Wish ya'll could meet him.

calatar

You are right on the money about the gloves. IMO they work best on horses with more frequent trim cycles or owner maintained trims between pro trims. The trails or the G2's might work but without measurements and photos I can't really say. It sounds like the Rx's may be what you need to provide some real relief but they are not reccomended unless there is minimal turn out.

If at all possible I would reccomend you get radiographs of his feet. They can tell you a lot about a horse's potential to be sound and happy barefoot and that information is well worth the investment when a horse's comfort is at stake. Also if you can have a good vet do a lamness exam so that they can pin-point where the soreness is. It's always possible that it's not just his feet. Was he used to being stalled before you got him? If so, perhaps the reason why he prefers the shelter isn't because of the footing but because he feels safe there.

Going barefoot is definitely not for the faint of heart, and the more you learn the better prepared you will be. Easycare's site has some great education resources and I would also reccomend reading "The Welz Paradigm of the Hoof" in the latest issue of "The Horse's Hoof." There are many factors that will determine whether barefoot is ultimately "the right thing" for you and your horses as barefoot much more than just taking the shoes off, it's a lifestyle. If you ask ten different farriers or trimmers about feet, you'll get 12 different opinions... I just do my best to learn as much as I can from as many different people and based on that and the experiences I have had, I have developed my viewpoint...and that viewpoint is constantly changing as new information is available.

Although barefoot works for me and my horses, and I do belive it is beneficial to many horses, I don't think it's fair to make a horse go barefoot just for the sake of doing it. I believe every person should evaluate their horses history, hoof conformation, genetics, diet, living conditions, etc. before making a decision.

bit

I agree! I have no problem keeping him in shoes, but he has no hoof wall. He was starving and in very poor condition when he hit the kill pen. I have no idea where he was, but he was very dirty when he was dropped off. I am assuming he was in pasture. He was shod. He's on a good diet, supplements, and footing here is pretty soft. I can't imagine him on frozen ground right now. Trying to get a farrier to look into Epona's. Good winter shoe and horses do so dang well in them.

Mandy'sMarty

Deb--Sent you a PM.

bit

Got boots, pads, and pastern wraps. On the way out to see which boot will fit. My friend gave me two sizes to try. May be working with easy boot, and that would make this so much easier. They are going to try to help him. Great company.

calatar

bit

Ok, I traced his foot on some cardboard, cut it out and inserted it into a boot. It fit the size 4, not so much the size 3. I fit the pad, sprayed it with some powder athletes foot med until Amanda gets home with the gold bond, and threw on the pastern wraps.
This is a horse with horrendous ground manners. I asked for a foot, started with the sore one, and he gave it to me! Getting him to lift a foot is like trying to lift the world. It was like he knew I was trying to help him. The pastern wrap is like trying to put on wet jeans, but he was patient and let me sweat, pull and finally get it on. This is in 103 temps, fyi. I slipped on the boot, he stepped down, I velcro'd it up and viola! Same thing the other side, from a horse that just doesn't want you to mess with his feet or legs. Hmmmm, could it have been pain? Then...he started walking. A lot. Came and thanked me four times, and if you've ever been thanked by a horse, you know what I'm talking about. He walked with Eclipse, he walked with me, he walked and walked. Kinda clumpy at first, but then he found his stride. He's out there practicing and getting better and better. Great boot, easy to use and perfect for riding when we get started. Now I can get to work on building some muscle on him! Did I mention, great boot?!

carefreegirl

so what boot are you using? or did I miss where you said?

bit

http://www.easyboottrail.com/

Blue Flame

Looks just like the G2 but without pastern strap or rear buckle.

I know what you mean about those pastern socks - they get easier after they've been worn a few times.

bit

Our "schedule" is 22 hours on, two hours off. He was very fussy about lifting his feet to take them off. It gave the boots a chance to dry out, got all the dirt cleaned out and gave Shaun some time to be barefoot. I left the pasturn wraps on. He was very, very cooperative when I asked him to lift his feet to put them on. I was sitting on the three wheeler, cleaning his boots out, and he came over to see what's up. He saw one of the boots I had just worked on, picked it up and mouthed it. Yes, I know. Just a minute. He stayed right there waiting until i got the gold bond in the boot. He was great with his feet while I cleaned them out. They were wetter from walknig around bf than they were in the boots. Slipped his sore foot boot on first. sigh. Then the other. Then I got thanks several times, soft eyes, more nuzzling and more thank you's. He's out there happy as a ...horse!

becdubie

I like those new Trail boots. Take a picture of him with his new boots.

Hertha

That horse is sure getting you to get good at a lot of things!

Pedestal*Pony

bit

We've got rain about two counties away, and it's supposed to keep coming all day and night. Once it starts drying up, I'll get some pictures for you. It's been a balance between keeping him comfortable and keeping his feet from staying too wet. With high temps, those feet have been a little thrushy.
Just to be able to give his toes a break has made a big difference for him. He doesn't look like the same horse. He has arabian eyes! They are so huge! T touch books says it's a sign of intelligence. This guy must be a genious! I'm going to paint some hoof hardener on him this morning, and get the boots on if the rain misses us.
What do you think, Marty?

New boots!

Hertha

Hi Deb,

Boots is prone to thrush in the wet season down here. I find that spraying her frog, especially into the grooves, with apple cider vinegar half diluted with water clears it up nicely.

I try to do it every second day or at least twice a week for maintenance and every day if the black smelly stuff is present. The ACV changes the pH of the area, which the bacteria don't like.

Copious_Amour

Deb, you've done an incredible job with him. He is very happy and in great weight.