Mini emergency!

[brigadier]

welly has had a few days off whilst I've been busy with the fence for the walker. He has enjoyed his turnout with Toudle and sometimes Floss if she breaks the fence! However in the space of a day his feet cracked terribly. I called my farrier who came the same day. He was amazed at the amount of horn he had grown after five weeks! Said it was like trimming a ten week horse. We think he has had a spring growth spurt and the last of the Irish horn has crumbled away. I had exactly the same thing with floss last year as her hoof grew out. I am totally convinced that foot health is diet, diet diet and as mine get hardly any hard feed its about hay hay hay!

[solomon]

Diet is vital to good hoof health. Petes feet look different after three days on lots of grass! He is back to his normal routine now so no harm done. I am always amazed at the dynamic nature of hooves. Glad Welly is all good.

[racaille]

Not surprised the Irish horn has crumbled away!

Bit obsessed about feet here, obvs. The exit hole that last autumn's abscess left in Sam's foot has now grown down to a critical level, just where the nails should be, so he will be starting some very creative shoeing soon (just in time for the championnats )

The poor lad, I should have given up on the barefoot idea long before I did as he just cannot cope without fronts, the biodynamics of the odd foot are just too weird.

The good news is that his other three feet are fabulous - especially for a TB. As you say, diet is everything.

[zara]

Diet is the key to good feet, barefoot or shod. I'm so lucky that both my boys have excellent feet although I constantly worry about lami with the Tordmeister.

[haffyfan]

Diet definitely very important and individual management is too whether barefoot or shod. Whats right and works for one won't always work for another kept in same way/place or for the same horse in a different set of conditions.