Mild soreness - advice please?

[Jojoba]

Bob has only ever had a couple of sets of shoes in his life, and has been barefoot for 3.5yrs. He has feet like iron, only needs trimming 3 times a year and self trims relatively evenly (last time we had our tri-annual trim I only got charged half as all she needed to do was even up a little).
He crunches over anything and everything usually, but the last 3-4 months he has been a bit footy on the rocks and gravel . Paths we usually canter up he now is reluctant to trot on. Trimmer said his feet were all good when she came recently. He has been on starvation all summer, as usual, and didn't get fat at any point - in fact he stayed consistently slimmer this year than he ever has. He has never been unsound. The other day when I was riding him he trod on a stone trotting and actually went lame for a few strides so it obviously hurt him.
He has mild thrush but that has always come and gone and never caused big issues before.
In general he is being really laid back and nice recently so I don't know if it's just that he is feeling all soft and squishy recently, as opposed to giddy joggy pony like he was last year .

Anything I should be feeding or doing to improve this? It has been really wet this year so I don't know if that has had an effect, but I am quite surprised as his feet are usually perfect and even on the hard frozen ground he usually doesn't bat an eyelid.


xxx

[rvialls]

This sounds like it might be a touch of very low grade laminitis. The weather patterns this year (at least here in the West of the UK) have been particularly bad for creating lots of grass growth and higher sugar levels and I've seen several horses get sore that haven't had problems in previous years.

If you're not already doing so, I'd suggest trying adding magnesium and salt to the diet (detailed recommendations can be found in the articles section on my web site: www.unshod.co.uk).

The other thing just to think about is if there's a reason he's been slimmer than normal this year - is there any possibility that he's developed gastric ulcers?

[Jojoba]

I think the slimness this year is due to more riding and being on a very strict starvation field all year - usually they go out onto summer grazing in July and move around the big fields, but due to Bob's Houdini-like nature my YO has banished him to the rubbish starvy pony field all year as its the only field he doesn't escape from - every other year he has disappeared into her haylage fields whenever anyone turns their back! This has meant he has stayed a more consistent weight though . I already add magnesium, but not salt?

Laminitis - the word I have been trying to avoid through strict management for 3.5yrs :(.

xxx

[cirocco]

i used boots on JIM for the first time yesterday. He has been same as yours, crunching over the bridleway, stones been no problem, but I noticed that monday, he was trying to walk on the verges, hence the boots. Ive not got a problem with booting if they seem a little footy, but ill keep an eye on him just the same.
Both mine are on short nothing grass, weeds and brambles. BUT the new hayledge came last week, and who knows, so better being safe than sorry.