fee4 Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 can i ask 2 daft questions? 1. why do you shoe horses? in the wild wouldnt their feet sort of grind down with wear? is it necesary? 2. why do you have to have horse teeth ground down-wouldnt a high fibre/more chewy diet work? bit like bones for dogs? fee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebob Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 (edited) can i ask 2 daft questions? 1. why do you shoe horses? in the wild wouldnt their feet sort of grind down with wear? is it necesary? 2. why do you have to have horse teeth ground down-wouldnt a high fibre/more chewy diet work? bit like bones for dogs? fee As I understand it, the answers are: 1. Horses are shod because we have changed the surfaces they would normally walk on. Tarmac/roads destroy the hoof faster than the hoof will regrow (bit like scraping your nails against grass/soft surface where they would not be destroyed particularly compared with scraing your nails against brickwork where they would be worn down very fast indeed!!) Hence we shoe horses to protect the hoof. Some horses who aren't doing lots of roadwork do go unshod but the hoof still needs trimming back at regular intervals because we're unlikely to get the balance of hoof reduction/maintenance correct in order to have a level surface against the ground. If you don't get the correct balance and the foot isn't level with the ground, the weight of the horse will cause other injuries to the limbs as the horse will compensate for the unlevel bearing surface. Horses in the wild cope with this but may well be lame, until they become so lame that they are unable to keep up with the herd. 2. Food/teeth wise is a similar scenario in that horses in the wild graze constantly and due to grazing they grind down their teeth naturally. We substitute some of the grazing with cereal foods so the teeth don't get ground down as they would in the wild. However, horses in the wild would not necessarily have teeth growing correctly but what happens in the wild is that the 'survival of the fittest' applies and those that can't eat properly eventually die of starvation. Edited March 29, 2007 by Katiebob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix21 Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 i think its also because wild horses are continuously on the move promoting good circulation- horses feet tend to be weakened by lack of movement and probably some of our current horse breeds have differing shape and softness (so to speak) - for example throughbreds tend to have pretty soft hoof (i think) whereas the native or wild horses will have differing hoof size/shape/toughness. Horses that are non wild also have different stresses on them that they wouldnt have in the wild such as jumping, walking on tarmac etc (as said) and other activities that cause general wear and tear. with regards to teeth i think again wild horses are continously grazing usually on tough not great quality grasses whereas our horses tend to have hard feed and better quality grass. as said am sure not all wild horses have perfect teeth. sorry if ive repeated anything nice to hear everyones news - hope loki feels better soon and rolo stops being a naughty boy!! look forward to hearing updates on trigger as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 My friend who is very into shoeless has had a sand section, gravel section and hard standing built into their fields so their horses can experience as many different surfaces as possible. Horses that are shoeless and ridden alot have to be very carefully maintained because of the 'un-natural' road surfaces! I think we are lucky living here because alot of our lanes have grass centers so the shoeless horses can pick and choose where is comfortable for them. I did try Kane but unfortunately his feet are far to weak to cope with the amount of road work he does. Okay silly question time. Does anyone know why Kane would suddenly get very twitchy around his willy? He usually absolutely loves me scratching his belly and willy area..and I went to scratch him yesterday and he kicked out! Not at me but he was very unhappy about it! I don't ever have to wash his sheath but do check it regually and I know for certain it's clean. Any other gelding owners got a clue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted March 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Jacky, in the last few days we have had loads of midges appear in the evenings and all the horses are very stampy with their legs, I couldn't see what was causing it first, but there were tiny tiny horrible midges aplenty, and I also have the bites to prove it Could that be a possibility? Feeling very Loki is in so much pain, more now than at any time, even straight after the op. You can't touch his jaw at all, he is shaking his head, pawing his bed and generally doesn't know what to do with himself. The vet said to give it until Monday to judge whether the meds were working, as it would take that long for them to get into his system, he had the first bute and antibiotic last night, but still can't help feeling incredibly worried To add to the worry my vet is on holiday all next week, he said he would fully brief his partner but I think if I still have concerns on Monday I might call the surgeon, he gave me his mobile number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Oh thanks will get some spray on my way to him tonight! Didn't think of that! Poor Loki, can you give him some rescue remedy or arnica? Might have to check with the vet if you are okay to mix it with his meds but it could help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collies r best Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Jackysian, it will be midges as Clare said. My boy Bumble is suffering this and if i forget to spray him he gets attacked and as hes got white legs the blood spots drip down onto them. I spent ages examining his legs before i realised it was coming from his sheath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 See I knew you lot would help!! Thanks it has been warm and damp here so it's bound to be that! What spray do you use? I've yet to find anything very effective! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted March 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 See I knew you lot would help!! Thanks it has been warm and damp here so it's bound to be that! What spray do you use? I've yet to find anything very effective! Oooh good question, I am going to pick some up tomorrow and was wondering the same thing myself The only one I found that worked didn't agree with Loki's delicate skin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Rolo is having a similar problem Jacky! I have tried to put Coopers on a sponge on his legs and belly, but, because of the issues with his legs it was a bit hit and miss. He is not at all keen about me getting anywhere near his sheath, but we are working on it - think he has a small bite on one side. Going to get him sedated again - I am not prepared to risk my friend clipping his legs, he is so touch about them, withotu sedation, and he has got really itchy since the hair has got quite long. Poor Loki Clare, I just feel so sorry for him. Can't remember - is he on bute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Oooh good question, I am going to pick some up tomorrow and was wondering the same thing myself The only one I found that worked didn't agree with Loki's delicate skin I have tried loads as Nemo has sweet itch. Coppers is fantastic - you apply it with a sponge every few days. It is bloomin' expensive tho - have a look at this website - I bought loads of stuff from them last year when Nemo had his abscess - a lot of their stuff is very good value and they have loads of different repellents Horse Active Forgot to say - following on from the other evening, Rolo is definitely going through an odd phase. He was hacked out yesterday and was a bit of an idiot! Juggernauts, artics etc not a problem. White lines, puddles, different coloured tarmac - HUGE problem - at one point he apparently did a vertical take off over a puddle! He is not normally spooky! Have just bought some "Attitude Adjuster" for "irrational fears" - maybe I should try taking some too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted March 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 I think Rolo and Loki are following the same path. Loki went through a phase of being aware of what was on the ground, I remember hacking all the way along a strange bridleway and he was a star, at the end of the track there was a large area of bobblying concrete of a lighter colour, it took me longer to get him across that bit than it did to get along the whole bridleway and suddenly the white speed humps he had been going over for weeks and weeks became a mortal enemy and don't mention shadows It was odd, after about a month it stopped as quickly as it started May be Rolo has spring fever Yep Loki is on bute, one a day, which isn't really much for a horse his size, he only started yesterday so I guess it will be a few days before it gets into his system. Thanks for the link, I am off to source some fly spray, I will not look at anything else, I will not look at anything else, I will not look at anything else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilliesMum Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 When Kai was a foal she jumped out the field and I had to walk her all the way through the village and a council estate. We went past a building site, 2 busses, a few lorries a huge builders lorry with a forklift on the back, no problem, then had a compete fit at the slow painted on the road!! Horses hey. As for fly spray we make our own out of cittranella and baby oil, which can be slightly embarrasing when going to the supper market. Can't think why we get funny looks buying 3 bottles of baby oil and a bag of carrots. When I try to explain they are for the horse it just seems to make matters worse!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collies r best Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Milliesmum, does your spray work well if so can we have the 'receipe' please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilliesMum Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Yes, its just as good if not better than ordinary fly spay and now they have banned citronella oil I stick to that. My friend has tried all sorts of fly sprays on her horse but non worked, having told her loads of times abot she eventually made it up and swears by it not. It's a very complicated recipite so here goes, get some citronella oil, mix it with baby oil!!!!! I know complicated or what!! Lots of people mix in tea and vinegar, but mine works fine without so I dont bother. You only what a small amout of citronella oil about 10ml with a bottle of baby oil. Try it and see, its load cheaper that shop stuff. Do be careful however, I have never had a problem with it, but my friend put far too much citonella oil in her's the first time she made it up and ended up buring the horse slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts