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Post by mandal on Jun 15, 2009 11:25:48 GMT 1
Oh gixer... we all have frustrated times!! It's a hard journey sometimes and can feel very lonely too. Have you thought of trying the pads you have inside the boots to help with fit for longer walks? Just a thought, or there's Susan's slipper instructions that would be cheap to make to help too.
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laura
Grand Prix Poster
going for a splash
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Post by laura on Jun 15, 2009 12:00:19 GMT 1
I agree with gill gixer I know it is frustrating when you want to join in with others on hacks etc......if you ever read Taz's story you would know how long it took me to get Taz to the point where we could join our friends out and about ....... but in the long term it would prob be better to have rios feet sorted properly. You have started the process already ...... be a shame to waste the progress so far. Save the pennies you are spending on entrace fees and spend them on boots ........ in the region of £100 would get you a pair, maybe even cheaper ...... and whats that , 10 entry fees ? .. or five entry fees and the transpost costs to the shows ?
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Post by Susan on Jun 15, 2009 12:54:15 GMT 1
June, I wasn't aware (as you wouldn't expect me to be) of all the issues that had/have been going on. unfortunatly with Rio transitioning and my work restraints I didn't really have a choice but to change trimmer. I'm going to further reduce her grass as she is out 24/7 and I think that LGL is an issue with her. I'm going to stick out the barefoot thing. I'm sorry for my outburst there, it just gets so frustrating seeing everyone on the yard heading out for a lazy evening hack I wanna go too!! Gillmc Rio has just turned 8, I'm hoping she will have a very long working life and then a happy retirement with me I have NO plans to part with her ever! Been there got the tee shirt/book and the rest.. and it took near 4 years into it to realise it STILL was grass and LGL.. causing the iffy feet.. plus a hugely over weight horse.. see I was still learning and not always listening. You get out only what you put in.. and if your expectaions are higher then your horses feet at this time, you have a choice.. back step and go with his feet say they can do or give it up. There is not magic black and white answer to how soon a foot recovers.. I used to think there was.. you do xwz and you get abc.. soprry but ti isnt like that for all horses. I have stick to serious commitment and done all I was advised and still we hit issues.. large horse on feet not ready, did play a huge part in why we could not do as much as would have liked. It has been a learning curve all the way through and to be honest there are few quick fixes.. Boots do offer a good answer if they fit.. but fit is the operative word. I am lucky as after a few years I invested my money at last in The HoofWings.. and wish the hell I had done that way before. But we had come a long way in foot improvement by that time. I have done months in hand walking in solemates taped on.. and stick to it religiously.. I have ridden out in them and turned out in them. I have invested in the PHW wrap and had 4 sets of it.. both solemates and the PHW helped a huge amount.. plus combined with the work of exceptional trimmers. I have made those slippers.. and used sole mates inside.. I have had to recomsider what I did on my horse because of his feet.. because for me to return to shoeing was not the answer.. although I did nearly consider it last year.. I then realised it was LGL.. and shoeing would not have mended the problem only masked it. Thanks god I did that.. and not jump ship. Now I have these magic boots.. nothing stops me doing anythring I want to do. But Rome for Flynn was not built in a day. I have gone out and exceeded his foot quality and made a big error of judgement and then put him backwards. I am lucky I ride out with shod horse owners who always take into consideration what can Flynn do.. but it wasnt always like that.. I can only say how it has been for us and my own commitment to get his feet the best possible and seriously mend what man broke. I can say with hand on heart I have not only talked the talk I have walked the Walk. It isnt easy always.. if you want your horse to come good out of shoes you may well have to back step your plans.. you may have to invest in the best trimmer.. and invest in made to measure boots and invest in more time.. If you sit back and say No I cant do this, then to go back to shoes.. may well be your answer.. for your horse and you at this time.. nothing is set in concrete.. you can change your mind.. it is not for us to say you must do this.. or you must do that.. but the best advice it there ...
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gixer
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My lil dressage superstar
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Post by gixer on Jun 15, 2009 14:15:36 GMT 1
thank you susan your posts are always fantastic! I think there are a few things holding me off getting boots, 1 I'm limited to about 3 types due to her odd feet shes 2 differemnt sizes and not many are sold in singles! so the xmas pressy list has hoofwings at the top! everyone knows I'd like a pair for her and hopefully by xmas we'll have more cinsistancy in her foot shape so they wont be useless another 6 months down the road!
I WILL get those soul mates to fit better!! she is going to be in a coral in her field from about 7.30am until 6pm at least 5 days a week now to sort her grass intake out, IF I can get the pads to stay on may see if she can wear them in her coral during the day a few days a week too.
going to start doing some clicker training too so hopefully I can make her the perfect horse to stand and be trimmed rather than waving her legs about like a twonk!
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Post by maggie555 on Jun 15, 2009 14:30:01 GMT 1
Talking about LGL - I've been monitoring my horse's pulses, just to learn how to do it, and to know what's normal for him. Most of the time, I'm having a real hard time finding them, which I now take to be a good thing. But initially, I was a bit unsure if I was doing it right and asked to check on my friend's (shod) horse. I could really feel those pulses right off! This horse appears to be perfectly sound on all terrain. Goes to show how much shoes can mask. Personally, I'd rather stick with my barefoot-and-booted combination and have my horse show honestly what terrain he can cope with at the moment. Still, I know those frustrated moments and I also wish my horse was doing better without the boots. It just spurs me on to learn more and find better ways to cater to his needs.
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Post by Susan on Jun 15, 2009 16:44:59 GMT 1
There is a knack to taping them on and it isnt diffcult... and best to not be too mean with the tape.. Tell me what you have done with the pads from start to finish.. including the taping on
Anyway.. why do you want to go without shoes.. "really" want to do this..
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gixer
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Post by gixer on Jun 16, 2009 9:34:03 GMT 1
I wanted to go shoeless for a selection of reasons in the 1st couple months of owning Rio I was not happy with either farrier that handled her she threw 4 shoes in that time too and I started to really look at her feet, and look at other options. the fores were a glaring difference and both farriers had said "thats just how she is" without looking any further than the foot in their hands. I wasn't happy, I didn;t want to go from farrier to farrier as no one in the area could recommend anyone! So I started seeing posts here and elsewhere about barefoot, so I started reading up and it made sense, so the shoes came off (well the 3 she still had on anyway!)
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gixer
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Post by gixer on Jun 16, 2009 9:35:43 GMT 1
as for pad taping I had a X of tape on the bottom of the pad ready to come up around her hoof, and then taped around them, then accross the sole and up and around that over and over! I think part of the problem is I left too much excess pad and I need to trim them closer, just getting madam to stand still for 3 minutes is easier said than done!!
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Post by barbararob on Jun 16, 2009 11:30:00 GMT 1
Could someone design pads with velcro fixings??? Derby house sell boots individually - cavallo seem to be the most popular with people I speak to.
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Suz
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Post by Suz on Jun 16, 2009 15:32:25 GMT 1
The secret to taping pads is to make a mat of tape on the wall/your leg by putting 4-5 bits horizontally then the same number vertically to make a solid square. Put the pad in the middle of this- there should be lots of excess tape round the pad. Stick 4-5 long bits of tape to you leg/wall ready for next step!
Place pad on sole, stick tape up round hoof capsule, grab tape from wall/leg and wrap round the hoof to hold it all in place.
The vet taught me when Domino was padded all round with lammi in January- seems complicated the first time but easy to get the hang of and kept his pads on for walks and all!
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gixer
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Post by gixer on Jun 17, 2009 9:11:08 GMT 1
I've moved her to a small paddock during the day, I do agree with diet being an issue, I left her on too much hard feed with the spring grass coming through and she wasn't getting much if any excersize, she is a bit portly. she was off her dinner last night!! not like Rio at all, and she was moving very very gingerly in her paddock and showed no sign of wanting to go for a blast when i opened the gate up. she was moving better this morning though and I'm wondering if I messed up with the hay I gave her yesterday, I soaked 2 slices overnight, drained and served. I've only put 1 slice this morning and left her happily munching it and she's eaten more of her dinner overnight but there is a little bit left (about one mouthfull) Is it worth me getting the vet out? bear in mind that she isn't insured (I know I know, long story though!!)
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Post by Yann on Jun 17, 2009 12:43:19 GMT 1
I would lay money that the vet would tell you to put shoes back on...
All the comments about keeping it up and improving the feet long term are very true and valid but the fact remains that you have a very sore and uncomfortable horse and you're currently unable to do anything to relieve that discomfort from the sound of it. I would think very hard in your situation about whether persisting as things currently stand is acceptable or fair.
Whilst shoes aren't going to help matters long term a good farrier will be able to make a difference with poor feet, and your horse will be instantly sound and comfortable again. If she does have LGL issues taking the shoes off again in the autumn may well be a different proposition, and a much better plan, even if you're back at square one again next spring.
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Post by Susan on Jun 17, 2009 12:48:25 GMT 1
The ground is dry..so have you tried to have pads on while she is turned out.. it can be done I have done it.. it took a few days of not taping on enough to get it right and searching for the pads. but once I got it right it worked. Once in the pads for turnout Flynn was far happier out in the field and to come in and go out. I went through this late winter of 08.. also when you put pads on..leave them to stand in them a while then retape..once the pad has been set into.. The template for the pad is best done with holding pad to foot.. and then placing down to the ground, get someone else to hold another leg up so you can get good impression of the foot on the pad and draw round with thick permanent pen.. and cut around the outside of that marking.
I do a fig of eight of tape around the front of the hoof wall taking in the sides of the front and around the pastern where is dips in at the back do thisa few times.. set foot down.. let the pad squash. then repeat and then take tape around the sides of the pad using your hands to mound to the sides and base.. it should look like a gloved slipper .. to remove simply cut into the back and ease off you should be able to slip foot back in to it next time and simply add more tape to keep in place.
The pads can be reformed with heat, either in microwave.! oven wrap in tim foil for the over.. as they can stink..hot water.. or steam off the kettle.. or sit on radiator..
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Post by taklishim on Jun 17, 2009 13:23:04 GMT 1
ll the comments about keeping it up and improving the feet long term are very true and valid but the fact remains that you have a very sore and uncomfortable horse and you're currently unable to do anything to relieve that discomfort from the sound of it. I would think very hard in your situation about whether persisting as things currently stand is acceptable or fair.
I completely agree. I think you need either to boot for a large part of the time to relieve the pain the horse is in or to shoe. The fact your feet are different sizes is irrelevant. It is also irrelevant that the feet may change size at a later date needing different size boots. Also the question of funding boots. You have put the horse through trying to go BF. I am afraid it us up to you to fund boots to prevent it's soreness. Sorry to appear blunt but I get so fed up with reading about people who will not for some reason buy boots for new BF horses who clearly need them. The purpose of the boots is to GET your horse BF not something you use when it has achieved BF. Apologies for the rant. Pat
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gixer
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Post by gixer on Jun 17, 2009 14:12:36 GMT 1
Well my 1st DAEP trimmer told me back then that there was no point buying boots for her as they wouldn't fit for very long, so i didn't buy them then on her advice, I did however get the sole mate pads on her advice and I will persevere in getting the darn things to stay on. I do have the boots sent very kindly by Laura, but one rubs as it doesn't fit right, oddly ehough the other one of this pair does fit..... as I said we have 2 different sized feet! so 2nd hand boots isn't an option unless I find the easyboot gloves in the 2 right sizes....
Rant away, but when considdering peoples finances thing about how little information some trimmers give you when starting you barefoot. Personally looking back I now firmly believe the 1st visit should go a LOT more in depth into the possible routes and things that may or may not happen.
Oh and I've enough money to fuel the car for work for the rest of the month. Hard times have hit, I could just sell Rio on for the few quid I'd get for her and let her either get shod and carry on with underlying issues/potentially have a rather short working life, but would that really be fair on her? I am going without in as much of my life as possible, but sadly there are only so many pounds spare at the moment I just don't have £80 for boots!
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