Bandit

Bandit is my 13 year old Paint gelding. I've had him since he was a yearling, and has had shoes on since he was 2. He has very flat feet and has never been able to walk on anything but soft ground without them. He is in the process of going barefoot entirely with natural hoof trimming.

Update on Bandit, just the other day (March 2009) Melinda and I took the boys over to the stable for a ride. I unloaded Bandit and walked him across the gravel parking lot to the barn, and realized a day or 2 later that he doesn't take any tender steps on the gravel anymore! In the past, he could not hardly walk on rocks without shoes, and was even sometimes tender soled WITH shoes. So, was happy to think about that and to know he's making good progress. It's been wet and muddy at my house, so pictures have not happened, I will do a series of them this summer when it's dry out so we can see his feet!

August 19, 2008 trim

November 28, 2009 First of 3 trims for certification case

January 23, 2010 Second trim, 8 weeks later

February 20, 2010 Third trim. You can see he has a spot that started an abcess, I did not dig that hole in his sole, that was there before I started. I am trimming aggressively on this horse working towards getting better connected growth down the length of the hoof. Concavity is starting to form, but will come much quicker when I get the hoof walls grown where they should be. Flaring has been addressed a little more on this trim as well.