Any ideas what the farrier will do?

[lkpink]

I've had this pony on loan for five weeks, she apparently had her feet done just before she came but in the last week or so with weather they have gone really bad. Not sure I believe they had just been done 😁. She greeted me tonite with a chunk of hoof missing 😱. NI've called the farrier but he can't come out until next Tuesday??. Not sure if to try other farriers, would prefer to stick with mine. Any experience with this type of crack? Is it ok to wait until Tuesday Xx

[britnay]

There is no way that those hooves have just been done. They look quite neglected to me. Could you send those pics to your farrier and see what he says? Maybe he could come sooner. If not I'd get someone to see to them ASAP.

[britnay]

They look like they should have been done as soon as you got her.

[frostyfingers]

I wouldn't be waiting until Tuesday personally. Try your farrier again (& send pics as pp suggested) and say it's an emergency. If he still can't make it, ask him for a recommendation. If any more comes off you may have a big problem.

[MariaSklodowska]

you need a farrier today to come put on some kind of protective shoe.
If any more comes off, then nerves will be exposed.

[MariaSklodowska]

sorry OP but it really pisses me off when people keep horses like this.
if you dont know stuff, please sign up for a course at your local FE/agricultural college or riding school.
Some silly biatch just lamed our old pony for life thro pure ignorance.

[ExitPursuedByBear]

No way have those feet been touched recently. I would try and get a farrier out today.

[Mrsraypurchase]

Wow. Poor little mite. If she's that neglected I'd be worried about her teeth and tack fitting too

[Fueledwithfairydustandgin]

Things like this drive me mad. Farriers aren't an emergency service. If you have a good farrier you could email pictures over but this horse has waited a long while. I would say it's better to wait a few days more and use someone you trust. The farrier probably has a family, life, other regular customers. People just expect them to be able to arrive with "protective shoes" at the drop of a hat. The feet clearly haven't been done for a while. There is too much toe on for it to have been done 5 weeks ago. If you can't see that you need to make sure you have some good experienced people around you to advise you. With regards to what your farrier is likely to do, he will probably just trim the horse properly. You could maybe look at ensuring the horse is getting all it needs feed wise to ensure you will get good foot growth and ask if the horse may need any hoof dressing. We really rate Kevin bacon. Don't worry too much. They are bad and I certainly wouldn't be riding out on the roads or rocky ground but I'm sure it will be fine to wait for your farrier.

[lkpink]

Ive waited for the farrier to come to tomorrow. Ive horses for years, had there feet done 8 weekly so never really had experience with cracks. She was a friends horse who moved her to our yard, she was ill when she came, i had to call the vet, turned out she had an infection. Its taken a few weeks to get her right. I took her on provided my friend payed her vets bills as she didnt have the time for her. Once shes well (just her feet now) she will be good for my daughter. I havent neglected her feet, its just been a bit of a nightmare with everything else going on with her x

[CatherineDeB]

I think that they are very overdue OP, no way have they been done recently at all.

But, I have got one with crap feet, retired and unshod (farrier knows he can do what he likes and prefers no shoes).

Her feet are brittle (TB) and crack and chip at times. In my mind by the time 6 weeks comes around she looks like a rescue in the foot dept and he always says he sees a lot worse. She has had some whopping chips at times, not much smaller than some in your photos. Right now she has got a big vertical crack which my farrier has cut a V into the top of. He still prefers no shoes.

She has formula 4 feet and I use Kevin Bacon stuff too - they have been inclined to be rubbish for 20 odd years under my care.

Post the after a good trim pictures, the difference will be astounding.

[Mrsraypurchase]

I have my horses' feet done every 6 weeks. Never much to take off but I'd never let it go any longer. And yes, TBs feet can be terrible!

[ADishBestEatenCold]

"I havent neglected her feet"

You have had her for five weeks and done nothing about her feet in that time. You have now called out the farrier (after five weeks) because "She greeted (you) tonite with a chunk of hoof missing"

This is what you have told us and I'm afraid it does sound like neglect (to me).

Whether she was seen by a farrier just before you got her, or not (and I bet she wasn't) is irrelevant. You should arrange for farrier treatment according to need, not according to a set number of weeks. Even prior to the 'missing chunk', you could have looked at those feet any time in the past five weeks and seen that there was a need for farrier treatment.

Having said that, you have made arrangements now, and a good farrier will be able to work with you to improve the situation (hopefully to put it right), but it won't happen in just one visit, so will require commitment and care.

[PoshPenny]

I'm sure that'll look so much better after a good trim from the farrier. I get my unshod ones trimmed every 14 weeks, the farrier comes every 7 weeks and he has no issue with my regime. some horses feet grow quicker than others, it's also that time of year when the feet are growing fast anyway, I was looking at the shod one and thinking he looked like he'd be due soon, and it turned out it was only a month since he was last shod. It's just Spring making things grow more...

[lkpink]

Thanks for the helpful advice not so much for the Critacism. Will be the last time I post on here. I've put loads into this horse trying to get her well. I was only asking how the farrier would repair it, not for backlash Her feet did not look bad when she came. Thanku for the kind replies. I'm not a neglectful horse owner. My horses are trimmed 8 weekly and have good strong feet. I'm not used to having a horse with brittle feet.

[FemelleReynard]

Just hang fire and wait for your farrier.

It's not a life and death situation, the pony will wait a few days, it's not a dire emergency.

Just remember in future to be a bit more on the ball about farrier visits, before the Mumsnet posse get you!

[HildurOdegard]

Op you need an equine podiatrist because the wall is so long it's looking seedy. A farrier is not the same as a barefoot trimmer. Get your bum on the fb barefoot group and start learning.

[HildurOdegard]

Just to add, if it genuinely was trimmed 5 weeks ago, don't ever use that farrier again as it's the worst trim I've ever seen. The sole and bars are massively overgrown, she's got a hige flare (probably under run heels can't see) and massive event lines, so look at diet too.

[CatherineDeB]

How did she get on OP? I hope you are pleased with them. As you know, eight weeks is fine for some horses for a trim interval - mine have gone that long at times, in fact my farrier prefers 7-8 weeks for growth generally, but I don't.

I wouldn't go down the DIY route personally, prefer someone regulated with a proper apprenticeship under their belt.