You will have to take my word for this. Hopefully that should not be too difficult to believe! The hoof in the photo below was a perfectly healthy BFB (competing in Endurance) prior to being guinea-pigged with plastic shoes. Now I am not talking all plastic shoes, but certainly the ones here, have not done any favors at all to this horse. We wont even discuss the regular nail damage - that is a given - but I will explain the dragged holes! The plastic grips TOO MUCH. The extremity hits the ground, the plastic stops, and the hoof continues to travel. This cause the nails to be dragged backwards, extending the holes, but also, more gravely, it caused the heels to become under-slung. Yes, they were not like this 7 weeks ago! Being the weakest structure of the hoof they can give so easily with this type of extra, traveling, force involved.
Now, further explaining, that the shoes were removed after 4 weeks, the hooves trimmed and a new set placed, doesn´t help the case at all for these particular plastic shoes. Just look at the bars and the stretched white line at the toe. I promise, none of this existed 7 weeks ago and nothing else in this horses life has changed. Diet, living, work, all have remained the same.
Now, further explaining, that the shoes were removed after 4 weeks, the hooves trimmed and a new set placed, doesn´t help the case at all for these particular plastic shoes. Just look at the bars and the stretched white line at the toe. I promise, none of this existed 7 weeks ago and nothing else in this horses life has changed. Diet, living, work, all have remained the same.
It is quite possible that this particular model is too flexible. The flexibility that sells them for the good of lateral and vertical movement of the hoof, is detrimental for the holding of the nails. It just doesn´t work! During trails we had way too many nails ´snap´. Yes, as I have promised, we thoroughly trial everything before making a noise about it, be it a good noise or a ruckus! Another horse has been using these plastic shoes for some months. He was going through transition and still moved rather flat, to occasionally toe first, landing. Nearly daily we had to re-set, or remove and replace nails. This was great fun for our local friendly farrier - thank heavens he is friendly! They didn´t "drag" back, we now know that to be due to his gait, but they clearly still moved too much, judging by the amount of broken nails.
So, back to the drawing board on that one!
So, back to the drawing board on that one!
RSS Feed
