Need boots before someone gets hurt
Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:49 am
We pulled the front shoes to grow the heel about a week ago in an effort to resolve a slight lameness. A few days ago I started walking him on the lunge in the arena a little bit each day day. I keep him on the track so we are not circling. His stride length is about 80% of normal on soft ground.
He is rearing, bucking and striking out rather than walk to the left. He will walk straight and to the right. We are just walking so I thought this was just bad behavior and him wanting to move after such a long rest. I don't think he is objecting to walking without shoes because he has no problem going right or straight. It is ironic that he was lame only when going right and now this is all he will do.
His feet hurt and this is killing me, figuratively and potentially literally while lunging left. I decided I won't lunge him any more until he has shoes or boots on. We take a long route around the pastures to avoid the pebbles in front of the barn. He is very lame going over those. Like almost falling down lame.
I can't possibly tell if/when his lameness has resolved even on soft ground because he is so ouchy on his feet and his stride length is not normal. I decided I want boots. I have several questions:
1. Will I need two different sizes since one foot is a club and the other is very flat?
2. Will any boot stay on a club?
3. Do I leave them on all the time? I assume he will grow the heel identically whether boot or no boot, yes?
4. I have given up on the thought that he can come out of front shoes and still do hills and trail. So once we recover the heel he is going back into shoes or into boots.
5. What is the status of the velcro-on shoes? Is is on the market yet? I forget the name.
Thanks.
He is rearing, bucking and striking out rather than walk to the left. He will walk straight and to the right. We are just walking so I thought this was just bad behavior and him wanting to move after such a long rest. I don't think he is objecting to walking without shoes because he has no problem going right or straight. It is ironic that he was lame only when going right and now this is all he will do.
His feet hurt and this is killing me, figuratively and potentially literally while lunging left. I decided I won't lunge him any more until he has shoes or boots on. We take a long route around the pastures to avoid the pebbles in front of the barn. He is very lame going over those. Like almost falling down lame.
I can't possibly tell if/when his lameness has resolved even on soft ground because he is so ouchy on his feet and his stride length is not normal. I decided I want boots. I have several questions:
1. Will I need two different sizes since one foot is a club and the other is very flat?
2. Will any boot stay on a club?
3. Do I leave them on all the time? I assume he will grow the heel identically whether boot or no boot, yes?
4. I have given up on the thought that he can come out of front shoes and still do hills and trail. So once we recover the heel he is going back into shoes or into boots.
5. What is the status of the velcro-on shoes? Is is on the market yet? I forget the name.
Thanks.