[vtshale]

I'm going to try to transition my OTTB to barefoot to fix some problems with her feet. I'd like to boot her in the meantime. Anyone have any recommendations? I've heard of people really liking Hoof Wings and they can stay on 24/7 (or so the company says). I need something that's going to stay on a TB that likes to move around in her pasture and won't rub. I recognize this may be asking too much

[Snowdenfarm]

Does she really need boots in the pasture? If so, maybe a glue-on.

[SuckerForHorses]

Unless the pasture is particularly rocky, I would try her in turnout without boots. You may be pleasantly surprised, and save some money towards boots in the meantime!

[vtshale]

She lost both her front shoes last week and was barefoot for a few days (but I did wrap her with magic cushion packed into her sole and duct tape boots). However, she was sound in the pasture. She has no sole depth (based on radiographs), though, so I don't want to risk her getting bruised. Maybe the glue-on boots would work?

[Snowdenfarm]

They are a glue on, flexible shoe by Epona. I have never used them. Maybe someone else has some first-hand experience.

[S1969]

Its a tough time to transition to barefoot in the northeast (if you are from VT)...my TB mare sounds very similar to your horse - little sole depth, shelly hoof walls - and the very worst time for her is the winter pasture, especially uneven frozen mud or frozen ground w/o deep snow.

I did have good luck with Boas, because they fit her oblong feet best, but they are very bad on ice. I would be very careful with boots of any sort on icy surfaces.

Maybe a glue on shoe for the winter and then transition to barefoot?

What are the issues you are trying to fix?

[SuckerForHorses]

VTSHALE - Can you try DuraSole to get those soles thicker?

This is what I'm going to do when my two transition back to barefoot this fall. The pasture is soft grassy, but last fall when it was frozen lumpy mud with no snow cover, my gelding did end up with 2 abscesses, 1 in each hind, about a month apart. :-/

[vtshale]

I tried the Eponas in the spring and they didn't work. My mare was lame in them. I think she had some other underlying issues at that point, so she went back into Natural Balance shoes and a frog support pad, but still lame, so then to NB PLR shoe with a hard plastic plate to protect her sole with Magic Cushion packed into the sole. Now she has Sole Guard in all 4 feet, well, actually 3 because the LH lost it's sole guard! Ha! Only lasted one day!

S1969: What issues?? Ugh. Maybe the better question is what is there NOT to fix. Sever underrun heel on the LF- to the point where there's really NO heel that's upright. Dish in the RF, there is heel there, more vertical height, but I wonder if there's too much? Angles based on rads are pretty good in the RF, not fabulous, but workable. LF- crappy rads. Flat coffin bone and broken back axis. Both fronts have lost sole depth since Feb. She's now on Farrier's Formula double strength. And there's no hoof wall to nail to. I'm having a hard time finding what's good about her feet right now. And having a hard time finding hope that this is fixable. The BO actually asked me the other night if I was going to give her away. I assume she was implying that this is NOT fixable and she'll never event. I agree, it is a hard time to transition in the NE. She's in a Superfast "shoe" right now, with sole guard. It's really just a shoe made out of superfast epoxy to give her some protection.

[baylady7]

My guy has Hoofwings and he wore his for a few days when he had an abscess. They stayed on pretty well and he was able to have his poultice pad on underneath. The boots are custom made so it takes a few weeks to get them in, unless they have a pair in stock that meets your horse's measurement. Give them a call, they are always willing to assist,