`Shove The Shoe` 

This section of my site is for all those horses that no longer have to endure nails knocked into their feet.  So if your horse has gone barefoot, please send us your stories and pics to tell us how things are going and why your horse no longer wears metal shoes. If you use hoof boots, please tell us which ones you prefer and your experiences.

Please send your pics and stories to sjandtj@btinternet.com

Please scroll down and read all these lovely stories.

 

Hi to everyone who is visiting ‘Shove the Shoe’ page on Suzi’s web site. 

Let me introduce Claude:

 

 

I have owned Claude since March 2002. I think the best way to describe him is he is very smart and a bit of a scoundrel! He is never really “naughty” but is generally just a shade away from doing what you’d really like him to do, until he realises maybe he’s pushed things just a bit too far then he happy complies and offers a bit more. He has had me tearing my hair out at times but I wouldn’t part with him for the world, he’s that type of horse that when I get it right and he is working with me and trying he is amazing.

He was imported from Belgium before I brought him and was started here in the UK at a show jumping yard. He was happy under saddle when I tried him though obviously young and a bit unbalanced. Compared to what some horses have to endure I think he had been given a fairly sympathetic start.  At that time he had front shoes on was ridden in a snaffle bit and wore a traditional saddle.  I was still “traditional” back then so continued with the same kind of schooling and equipment for about a year. I also had him shod on all four feet.

He filled out considerably and I went through a couple of saddles to get wider fits but he started to be uncomfortable when ridden so I ended up with a Balance International Saddle but he still didn’t seem happy with that and eventually was lame behind. All sorts of vet examinations couldn’t find what was wrong with him and he was pretty well unrideable. He couldn’t cope with standing to have his back shoes on so was bare foot behind again but still shod in front. After about a year of tests the vets basically said give up with him and that he’d never be sound, though they couldn’t tell me what was wrong with him! Luckily I ignored their advice and found a fantastic equine physiotherapist who agreed to treat him and see what happened. It took months of treatments and exercises, I think Claude and I were walking over raised poles in our sleep!! But eventually he was sound enough to start being ridden again. It was clear he still wasn’t happy with his saddle so I ended up getting a treeless saddle and that was one of the best decisions I made. The following photo is of us about 8 months after the vets said “give up”.

Another thing that became clear was that it was almost pointless having shoes put on as he lost one or another of his front shoes literally every week! At one of my numerous call outs to the farrier to replace yet another lost front shoe the exasperated guy said “Why don’t I just take the other one off rather than put another new one on again?” I was initially very worried about this idea (!) but as Claude had been spending most of his time with one shoe on and hadn’t been sore on either foot when he’d thrown a shoe I agreed.

I didn’t realise how lucky I was that Claude had in a way been conditioning his feet himself by throwing the shoes off. I just thought that the shoes came off and you carried on.......... it was only later that I started reading about going barefoot that I realised how difficult and long the transition can be for some horses and their owners. I did buy a pair of Old Mac’s Original Hoof Boots in case he started showing signs of getting sore but really didn’t use them. Though I should say he was only exercised on a surface or grass as the yard we were at had 150 acres to ride on so we didn’t have to go on roads, the only hard surface was a gravel drive from the stables to the fields and he always walked on that without a problem.

So after all the hind leg lameness problems we went on to have a few years fairly trouble free. We competed in Dressage competitions did some fun jumping and tootled about round the fields. Claude was trimmed about every 6 weeks by the farrier and the lack of metal nailed to his feet didn’t seem to bother him in the least.

We moved house in 2005 so Claude had to move too. Initially every thing carried on as before but then I had health problems and to cut a long story short he moved again and started living out. That is when we started to run into some “foot trouble” for the first time ever. I should have seen it coming but being in and out of hospital myself and with zero energy I wasn’t around and taking as much notice of Claude’s health as I should. He got a couple of small foot abscesses which were treated and cleared up but he was quite often “footy”. The new farrier suggested putting front shoes on which I agreed to and Claude returned to his former tactics of throwing them off so that lasted about 4 weeks (he had 2 replacements in that time) before the farrier agreed to leave them off again.

There was an ongoing dispute between the vet and farrier as to whether the footiness and abscesses were caused by “low grade” laminitis – vet said it was farrier said it wasn’t. Given that Claude wasn’t getting any exercise and was on good grass I think the vet was right.

The Doctors managed to sort my health issues out so I was back in the land of the living and starting taking care of Claude myself which involved stabling him over night so he was off the grass and he improved enough to be exercised again. I thought our troubles were over and for the rest of t

Then in September he had another really bad abscess. The first vet who came out wouldn’t pare his foot away at all to drain the abscess and just faffed about, this went on for 4 days with me poulticing Claude’s foot but he couldn’t take any weight on it at all. I called the vets and demanded that a different vet was sent out, the second vet was much better and x-rayed Claude’s foot the same day to find exactly where the pus had tracked to and cut away the hoof to drain it. Claude was more comfortable by the next day and continued to improve.

 

 

This picture is of the foot about a week after it was sectioned.

 

It took months to grow back healthy hoof but slowly we got there and he remained sound through out, though the wall on the outer quarter of his foot was more upright than it had been previously.  Unfortunately I had never taken pictures of his feet before to get a comparison!

We continued on with light work and I began looking at Natural Horsemanship rather than our previous dressage training and competing. Claude seemed to enjoy the ground work and was a lot happier in himself. It was only when I started riding him in a halter that I realised just how emotionally tense he had been his whole working life in a bit and bridle even though physically he had seemed soft and supple. In the halter his trot was the best I’d ever felt so relaxed and swinging his head was low and he was totally relaxed.

I had such mixed emotions – guilt at what I had put him through in previous years with out even realising it and excitement of dawning on a new era which seemed to hold more potential than I had dreamed of with him with no pressure and no stress for either of us. It seemed like we were in a good place at last. Then in November 2009 he went lame again on his near fore. I suspected an abscess again and got the vet out but that was ruled out. Nerve blocks did show the lameness was in his foot so X-rays were done but all the bones were healthy so it pointed to soft tissue damage some where. He had a nerve block done to the coffin joint but that was negative so a problem with that joint was ruled out. He then went into the clinic for the Navicular Bursa block and that was 100% positive, not great news. An x-ray was done from a different view and this showed there were changes to the density of the Navicular Bone, it was thought that was secondary to soft tissue damage in the area most likely the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon. At that time Claude was 3/10th lame on a trot up on concrete in a straight line and 4/10th lame on a circle on a surface. The vet wanted to do a Buroscopy but my insurance company had excluded any claims myself.to do with Claude’s fore feet due to the previous abscess and possible laminitis and as the operation costs about £2000 I didn’t have the funds to pay for that 

I was really despondent as it seemed that with out funds to pay for treatment things looked very bleak for the future for Claude.
I searched the internet for any information about “Navicular” treatment and came across the Hoofrehab website. At last it seemed there was a non invasive and not ridiculously expensive alternative way of addressing the problem. This lead onto my search for Hoof Boots and contacting Suzi!!!After much discussion via email I brought Claude a pair of Easyboot Gloves and comfort pads. Our farrier is also working on keeping Claude’s heels low, toe short and rolling/bevelling his toe which seems to improving thing

I have also been giving Claude a Herbal Joint supplement (non Devil’s Claw blend) so with that his boots and trimming I think we are getting some where. He is now less than 1/10th lame on a trot up on concrete and on a circle on a surface. He isn’t being ridden yet I am just hand walking him in his boots daily, we started with 5 minutes and have now increased to 25 minutes building it up gradually until I can start speaking in terms of miles rather than minutes!The vet is due to come out and give Claude a check up at the beginning of April so hope fully then I will get the go ahead to start being able to ride him for the walking in his boots.

The vet wanted him to have Heart Bar shoes put on but given Claude’s history of throwing shoes I thought it would be pointless, I also think they would cause more damage than they would cure!

Below are pictures of Claude’s feet the week his Gloves arrived. I’ll send more in a few weeks as a comparison

 

 

 

 

Alfi`s Story

 

 

I believe that so much was expected of alfi that he became unsettled, he was sold to me as a wimp, nervous, skitty wreck, wont dont anything for anyone, but me.. 
As i had spent some time with alfi before i became his owner, i had seen all his bad experiences,  inexperienced riders/handlers, novice jockeys and other horses with there vices around him that i believe, excelled his anxieties..
from owners that bullied him, he had a high head carriage, which gave cause to the use of a smack with a crop between the ears in hampshire for lifting his head when racing, this inturn then led to being head shy to the extreme that putting a bridle on was yet another issue, alfi, he would also smack riders in the face with his head as he went up in the air and spun around at anything that worried him, ducked out at full speed at birds, was afraid of children, passing schools, passing cows in fields, motor bikes were his nightmare, any NOISES, lawn mowers, screaming children etc, he would become very annoyed and did the full on march, quick step, lash out again and again in temper, he backed up badly and wouldnt stand still, he had very little attention span.
 
would lash out at traffic or any noises, about turn and spin at anything bigger than a car, if he could see a motor bike ahead or hear it and off he would bolt with the rider, he then had a road traffic accident with one of the riders,  when he apparently, panicked at a lorry, dumped the rider and went full gallop along main roads with two other horses in suit with riders hanging on, until he landed on the floor at a roundabout..
i believe alfi had a panic at the inexperienced rider, she was unseated, came off and alfi took off, i wasnt there and so can only presume alfi had NO trust for anyone,, so far i havent been unseated and dont get to the point of his concentration on me going that far that he must find his own way....we used to say alfi would make a good stunt horse, superb brakes and can spin on a sixpence,, in my opinion it wasnt that he was spooky, more very sharp/quick, he needs to know you can be trusted and they didnt see the signs or how to calm, when he was becoming over active....
 
He wouldnt stand to mount and no way if it was raining, as he knew bad weather usually meant a bad experience, he was always ridden in the middle, i was told couldnt be ridden alone, then aprox 8 months after the owner had bought him, she, said too me,, thats it you can ride him, he will only do for you, i started riding him upfront and behind, he settled for me, he was then used as a buffer for a youngster, they were backing, which he did do happily for me, but usual situation in racing is get the horse backed, bums on seats, so each horse then has that many riders they become confused, also confusing each other on the rides, so he then became more anxious each time as each time the youngster was a handfull, spent her time dumping riders and off she would go, by this time alfi had just abouts had enough and ive got too say,,me too....but i didnt own him..
 
To top all the friction between these horses on rides, they were subjected to winding each other up other stable doors, with no turnout, so horses were in turn, left with doors open to potter on the front, becoming bored and aggitated then annoying the stabled horse, i ended up using things to block alfis door, so he couldnt be tormented, but it was humans who made them like this..
 
Alfi then had what was his last race on a saturday with these owners, as he went onto the track and backed up, refusing to run, chucked himself around and came last, embarrassed the owners,
they said they were selling alfi,, i came home and burst into tears, my husband said buy him, if this is what its doing to you, i had liked others they had sold on, but surpised myself how much i didnt want to never see alfi again and him go on to another race yard, there was a connection between us and i couldnt let it go.. 
the sunday, i bought him, by this time he had become very unsettled, but i managed to get him some turnout and went riding out riding alone, he was actually much better,  but i thought well, we dont have too worry about others, hes mine now and we have to make this work, i took him for lunging at a riding school with a qualified trainer and quiet hacks on our own, his main problems then were, he still initially backed up and always moved his bum over into the road, but didnt always spin around, he wouldnt cross water, even a puddle, the ex-owners used to force him, smack, yell, kick, then if he couldnt find a dangerous way around, he would then jump it or thrashed over it,, or if he saw a herd of cows in a field, he would not pass them, as other horses reared up and caused such a fuss at things, but after a month he road out with me, in snow, rain, gails, stood to mount and was happier one to one..even motor bikes he didnt give me any trouble, just wanted to please..
 
Well, then all was just settling down, he just disliked going back to the yard, he would have a little paddy outside the gates, back up and tense holding his head high, as long as i didnt ride with any other horses he was fine.. 
but, then i decided he was ready to try again with another horse which he liked, all was well and happy, when a english bull terrier spotted us on a bridle path, came running towards us and yes, attacked the mare, biting her leg, then ran under its belly and singled out alfi and me,, we were bull baited for 15mins or so,  fell down a ditch, dog jumped in and alfi out, then we set of canter down the hill with dog attached to his chest,, he leaped, jumped on it, trampled it, kicked it, lashed out again and again, the dog was injured but it wasnt stopping its attack...
alfi, kicked it, we couldnt shake it, it kept coming,, was about another 10mins canter, eventually alfi kicked it into a ditch and we got away,, the owners, hit the dog with a tree branch to get hold off it,, they had no control over it wotsover,
luckily alfi didnt go blind gallop, we worked together and he kept surprisingly listening too me, considering what he could do and past experiences hes had,, i managed to stay on, how i cant explain..  
anyway that was it,, i was afraid, all my work may have gone backwards,, so it was time to move,, i cried for weeks, leaving alfi there at the yard, knowing he wasnt happy, i searched for months to find the right home, eventually, we moved in feb 09..  
The day i moved alfi, he did not put a foot wrong, it was 2hrs ride alone to his new stable, past all the places he had been so upset with over the last 2 years and from then on he has taken everything ive asked of him in his stride..
 
My friend used her shetland for company for alfi, until another friend moved onto the stables with me with her mare and all was well for them, they had pasture with bulls, freedom in and out of there stables and got along lovely..alfi went into the field with the bulls first, with no problems, no fears, he amazed me.
he didnt mind riding out with company, no antics, although he did prefer just me and him, then in july my friend decided she disliked the diy set up and was too far from her home, wanted too move and that would have left alfi alone,,
so i had to move again, luckily i managed to find a place just 5mins away and moved there with there little pony, again, they got along lovely, but alfis stable was rather small, i was concerned over winter that theres not much chance of getting out and about, so i asked next door were she has three horses and a spare stable she used for storage,, 3 weeks later we moved again to there, alfi and her horse had a field to themselves,, BUT,, liked each other a little too much,, ive never known alfi to mount a mare,, BUT, this mare stood and asked, alfi obliged, so the owner didnt like this and split them up,,, alfi then became unsettled again, as he had made and lost so many friends, this was all too much,,alfi didnt eat his hay and was only happy when i was with him,  we had to move yep, again,,, found a place with all year turnout and two horses, we moved there, only to find the iron beams in the stables were far to low, the horses banged there heads,, ive just moved again, april 2010 to another farm, but theres only summer turnout,, so this story continues,, until i find the right home for us both...horses need freedom of movement a safe place to shelter and only then is there sprit free...
 
The morale of this story, is alfi wasnt happy with inexperienced riders/handlers/horses, he would not be told or bullied into doing anything, that just heightened everything and certainly lets you know when he dislikes something..
i believe, he was saying, your not doing it right, he was saying, you dont trust me, why should i trust you, he was saying, he was saying get of my back you idiots, he was saying help theres nothing wrong with me, its your fears causing all of this anxiety. i just want to be a horse..as even with all this moving and past bad experiences,,, hes taken everything in his stride and been a saint for me...
 
Ive spent time leading alfi out on walks, in a parelli rope halter, he now crosses rivers, water, puddles, cows, bulls, he stands for children to stroke him, the local school all know him, passes buses, lorries,, theres a local skip depo, so rattling skips are a daily thing to pass, he now doesnt mind noises, doesnt care for motor bikes, quad bikes, tractors, birds flying out, dogs or anything running up behind him...
its taken me 3 years of building trust and confidence together, i was always told, never get off your horse and lead,, well getting off and showing alfi its safe and if i can do it, he follows, as long as he keeps his feet moving in the direction i ask of him, hes not won, as they told me, get off a horse and it wins,, no, i say, win win together,  i now always have a lead rope, sometimes a parelli halter under my bridle, its good for the unexpected and good to get off and walk now and then.. gains respect both ways, mutual trust and good manners..
 
I believe all past training, no-one acheived ground control first and so had no brakes on his back..and why should he trust people who dont respect him and put his safety first..
 
im now his lead and he now knows im in control of that earned position..high head carriage,,ha,, hes almost on the floor these days, dozes off even out and about..ha..people think hes lazy or something wrong,, no hes chilled and very content with me..
 
i think alfi is, confident, galant, loyal and has courage, not the wimp they said he was.. he will do anything for me, he allows me to be his eyes and ears, he expects me to warn any oncoming danger and i take pleasure in being his guide, although sometimes, i now let go of my reins and tell him your in charge, im having a rest.,
 
Also, i was actually advised to put alfi into a gag, kineton noseband or crank, well all the gag, get his head strapped down gadgets,,
so i opted for get rid of the flash that he had on for years,, popped the parelli rope halter on underneath my bridle, took noseband off,  got alfi and myself used to using the parelli with reins, with the back up of normal bridle, fiddle yes, two sets of reins, but its worked, now i can just use the parelli and ride bitless and bareback..theres no need for a bit, horse and rider working as one, voice and body language..
 
Alfi used to be hot shod,, i had always liked the idea of barefoot, just cause it seems natural, as why?  nail metal to their foot? would you put a nail through the end of your finger nail?,  alfi used to always have to have road studs too, he wore his shoes so quickly, well jumping around i suppose he would, but then he spent most time slipping too,, he also had, none impairing abscesses, which broke the hoof wall and somehow healed themselves, well, something going on,, VETS and farrier terms, not mine,, they were`nt concerned and to top that, it couldnt be blamed on pasture,..so i thought, ditch the shoe, see what happens..
 
But,  NOW, barefoot since feb 09, 14 months on with no signs of abscess, i would say,, its a further responsibilty and an extra full time commitment going barefoot, but a valuable and worth while one, a descision that shouldnt be taken likely and is forever... sometimes i use easy boot gloves or cavallo boots,,
 
I`m sure theres lots I`ve not mentioned, but me and alfi were on the road to a greater partnership and he`s with me for the rest of his days...we ride for miles, he loves new places and ventures, he rides alone or in company,, all terrain, all weather..lots more too achieve together..
 
alfi, has also weaved and chewed in the past,, now i know for sure,, its ONLY when hes unsettled with people, environment or lack of stimulation..  
 
Alfi also had all the antics of, wouldnt stand to rug up, did the run around the stable everytime and tacking up was the same, would nip at you when girthing up, would nip certain people over the door, would rub on you when bridled, would walk right into people and there space, everything was a battle to do anything with him, except me from the beginning, they used to shout me in to tack up and rug etc,, he still had his head high, but, didnt fight me, but until he trusted me to drop his head that i will take my time and i won`t bang his teeth with the bit,
 
ive noticed the race yard and other stables,, that its always go go go.. everyones always in a rush, so the horses do there power walks and the jiggy jig jogs..
alfi has never been nasty,, even when hes seen humans lose there temper and other horses become aggressive around him....
 
i would say that ALL of alfis vices and anxieties, have been human made,, hes been loyal to me, we enjoy spending time together,, building trust.. keeping calm and not worry or fluster, we see everything and every day as a new happy venture..
 
Ang and Alfi xxx

 

 Maddies Story

 

 

22 October  2009:
 
We  just wanted to update you on Maddies feet! Her shoes finally came off on 2nd October against the vets advice; in fact, against everybodys advice ! .... including 'Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all '.......!!!!  .. however Maddie was telling us it was time for them to come off - and so they did! 
 
Maddie is now going from strength to strength .. her wounds from her recent canker and surgery have healed fabulously and her feet have begun to spread to the shape that mother nature intended them to be all along.
 
We have recently been amazingly fortunate to have Mark Johnson ( a wonderful UKNCHP trimmer and remedial farrier ) to take Maddie on as a new client. We have already begun Maddies'  transitioning to barefoot by walking her out in hand in our local country park. She is due for trimming again on tyhe 24th November 09 and it will be interesting to see what progress she's made already.
 
She is already increasing her distance over smooth tarmac on each walk and we are gradually introducing different surfaces as we go. Her feet have begun to harden noticeably and the thrush/canker smell and horrible infected goo is gone. We have had just about every single product on the market into these feet over the past 18 months ..and nothing worked really well ... until the shoes actually came off and the blood began to circulate as it should do.
 
Here is a picture of Maddie with my daughter Hayley, taken last week, on one of our walks
 
Maddie is a real character and no matter where she goes she finds a fan club! Everyone loves her and she loves to stop and say hello to everyone we meet.( Last week she successfully mugged a group of  ramblers for their mints! ) We've lost count of all the people who have taken her photo .. and once she's a little fitter she will be able to manage the walk  again to our local Country Park Visitors Centre .. where of course there are lots of children .. and apples .. and ice creams!!!!
 
Maddie is certainly  moving far better without metal on her feet ... in fact she's feeling so good she's bombing round her field like a foal!  We'd hardly ever seen her canter in the field .. now shes running around squealing, bucking and playing like a mad thing !
 
Everybody told us this horse would never go barefoot ...... she was ' too big','  too heavy', 'wasn't suited to barefoot', didn't have good enough feet' ,'wouldn't be able to cope' .....   you name it we've heard it ...... well  .. now we are thinking .... 'lets just wait and see' .... !!!!
 
We'll keep in touch and let you know how Maddie is doing!  love from Dawn and Maddie xxx
 
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