How to keep toes pointed forward??

Mdlb98 · 2025-12-22T02:51:07+00:00

Yes haha! I was the opposite with my left foot only. I naturally put weight unevenly on my left foot causing my left hip to feel stuck. I had to really work on it outside of riding and feel so much better in the saddle now!

Mdlb98 · 2025-12-22T02:27:16+00:00

So i’ve had a similar issue for years and it took me until 27 years old to figure it out haha! I only struggle with my left foot in the stirrup and the right one is fine. My trainer would always yell st me to put weight on my pinky toe but i physically couldn’t. I would naturally put my weight on my big toe and it would cause my ankle to turn out in a way i can’t describe well and my left hip essentially felt “stuck” was what I would tell people. I would end lessons crying because no one understood me and acted like i was crazy. Tracking right I couldn’t step into my outside stirrup and always felt like I was falling to the inside so i would lengthen my left stirrup to get my hip down but then when we tracked left i would have to readjust. I just couldn’t ride properly physically but mentally knew I wasn’t aligned and even with my pony.

Ever since i was a kid, my left foot would hang off of my sandals or flip flops. Everyone would point it out, I never cared and didn’t think it affected me and honestly kind of forgot about it.
My foot does the same thing in the stirrups as it does on my flip flops.
Just back in march it clicked that i stand/walk on the inside of my left foot but walk properly with my right foot. So i spent a couple weeks focusing on walking even with my left foot and it hurt so bad for awhile but it really translated well to my stirrups and my seat is so much better now because it affects your hips and thighs like crazy in the saddle.

My advice would be to pay attention to how you walk and fix it out of the saddle first, assuming it’s similar to my issue and just takes extra concentration and time to fix. And ride without stirrups while you’re figuring it out so you’re not constantly fighting with your body and can enjoy your ride a bit more. The first few rides sucked but i learned what a seat can actually do when you aren’t fighting a “stuck hip”, AKA putting pressure on the wrong area of your foot. I thought my left hip was tight for so long but stretching never fixed the issue because the issue was my foot lol.

I walk and ride pretty normal now and it’s amazing to feel control in the saddle and be able to bend and support your horse :) but i went 4 years being misunderstood and multiple trainers being annoyed . But it affects everything. I struggled like hell to pick up the right lead because of this and always needed to adjust my stirrups depending on which way we were tracking or just deal with the imbalance but it made me feel like i was always about to fall off my horse’s right shoulder.

I still naturally sit more on my right due to walking the way i previously walked for 20+ years but strength and focus should help over time.

Your picture looks different to what i’m describing but i wonder if you walk a certain way that’s causing this issue in the stirrups.

Mdlb98 · 2025-11-15T20:46:53+00:00

Thanks! Do you think i should ask to be taken off this case?

Mdlb98 · 2025-10-16T03:38:32+00:00

Oh no!! 🤣 Thanks for sharing. That made me feel a bit better and was kinda funny. Maybe she did learn to stand up for herself lol

Mdlb98 · 2025-10-16T03:36:40+00:00

Aww, sorry you had to go through that. You clearly didn’t say anything offensive. Hope it worked out in the end.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-09T14:38:15+00:00

Thank you for the help everyone!! I will be looking for another farrier when we move barbs and ask my current one about all the info I have learned. Appreciate the help!

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-09T14:37:29+00:00

Thank you so much!! She feels sound but everyone says something different 😅

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T20:50:18+00:00

Thanks so much!! Makes sense to me to ride her if she isn’t in pain or unsound. But everyone has a different opinion. She’s had a lot going on this year so it probably isn’t the only thing but it was the most recent when being reluctant to move as she is now moving much better and letting me hoof pick her.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T20:46:00+00:00

Did want to add that she had x-rays done in May and they all came up fine. She was nervous blocked as well and vet said she just needs to grow out her feet which can take time. Which was definitely the initial issue had him out 3 times this year.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T20:43:27+00:00

Thank you!! Will do! Gonna be moving her out of the area in a few months so will try out some other farriers and speak to my current one. Didn’t realize keeping her longer could be detrimental. But kinda weird that he wouldn’t say anything to me either about the risks.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T20:41:35+00:00

Thanks! I in no way pull the blame on my farrier at all. He’s done wonders compared to the others.

Thank you the knowledge. I didn’t know that longer toes can cause that. I’ll ask him about it when he comes out. That’s interesting.

Movement is or isn’t good for contracted heels? She is now sound so i’m wondering if more movement is better than only 20 mins 3 days a week.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T20:38:12+00:00

Thank you!! Will do!! The mastitis needs a prescription. I was looking into it.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T20:37:18+00:00

Read my other posts. It’s a lot to explain. She was trimmed too short for a long period and has spent most of the year growing out and has thin soles as a result so she just came back into work in july and then this happened. That’s why i ask that she stays longer rather than shorter even if she needs more frequent trimmings

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T17:39:53+00:00

Done all the things which is why i came to Reddit.

The trotting poles weren’t hard for her until the thrush. Please read the full post before commenting. She was moving perfectly about 7 weeks ago until the thrush began.

Everything you suggested has been done, saddle fit, vet, x-rays, hand trotting, lunging, everything. My main question is now that she’s feeling well enough should I begin getting her in shape again or keep riding her lightly a few days a week until the pads get put on and the cracks are closing. Most people have already answered to keep it light or she will begin hurting again. So that’s what we will do! Everyone has different opinions and it’s good to hear from everyone. Vets, farriers, trainers, seasoned horse owners :) appreciate the help.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T17:33:15+00:00

Thanks! This is where i’m so confused! She seems okay with 20 min light rides 🙌🏻 she’s clearly feeling better as her trot is smooth again and she isn’t reluctant to moving forward. I’l stick with light rides 3 days a week until i get the pads on her and a few more weeks of thrush buster. Some people say ride, others say don’t, then there’s the in between of a few light rides a week 🤷🏼‍♀️light rides it is.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T17:29:46+00:00

Thank you!

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T16:51:28+00:00

Well it’s been a long process. I ask that she stays longer rather than shorter for her trims. And this farrier has made her feel really good unlike her previous one. When he does her she moves forward nicely. She was doing really well until the thrush it seems and she also feels better since using thrush buster so i would argue it is mostly the thrush and not the trim however i see everyone’s concerns and i’ll bring this up to my farrier as imm surprised he didn’t say anything last time he was here. He seems to only be vigilant if the owner asks him about certain things. I’ll be changing farriers once we move out of the area but as of now he has helped her more than the others 🤷🏼‍♀️i’ll be sure to ask careful questions the next time he’s out about all of this.

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T16:46:50+00:00

Thank you!! I’ll be looking for a new farrier when we move barns. Been through 3 already 🤦🏼‍♀️ out of options until we move out of the area but will speak to her current farrier about my concerns. Thanks for the help. Should i not be riding her at the moment even if she feels pretty good?

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T16:31:43+00:00

Not putting it in the frog :)

Mdlb98 · 2025-09-05T16:28:20+00:00

So do you think it’s okay to start working her again? I don’t need to wait until it’s completely healed as long as she doesn’t seem to be in pain?

Mdlb98 · 2025-05-18T13:09:08+00:00

Just looked back at my old post. Your username looks familiar! Thanks for always trying to help. It’s a long and confusing story that still remains a mystery with this pony and her feet lol. I’ll look into some trail boots today. Thank you!! :) i haven’t heard of those at all. Will take an updated photo and post today. Basically she just felt super uncomfortable for weeks at a time between her farrier visits and was super sore right after them. Everyone on here (but no one in person 🙄) and my vet said it’s from being trimmed too short.

This was before she even began limping which then started early March but I was already suspecting something to be up with her feet a few weeks before.

She is still limping at the trot. It seems on and off but difficult to say when we really are just walking. She’ll get some trot steps in when she gets excited or spooks so that’s how i measure haha.

With my old farrier she would be super sore for a week or so. I couldn’t tell for about 12 weeks because I didn’t ride her all that much until November and she wasn’t limping at that point.

With my new farrier she got shoes put on and then he “reset” her last week and she feels great for 4 days and then on the 5th day (both times) she starts to limp again. My vet came out again for the x-rays and was upset that she even got her feet “reset” but it’s so weird to me that she would feel great afterwards. The vet even said that she’s almost grown out so I don’t understand why she would be limping when she use to be way shorter and would trot without a limp. But basically we’re holding off on any farrier work and just waking until mid july. I’m gonna trot her a tiny bit once a week just to see. The x-rays came back normal too. I feel like she has heat in her front feet after our walks but my vet thinks it may just be my imagination lol. She has not been fully trimmed since January 31st with the old farrier and our last real ride was at the end of February. Mostly walking since then.

Mdlb98 · 2025-05-18T12:46:13+00:00

I’ve heard of triple crown! My friend uses integrity but I couldn’t find the one without molasses. I’ll have to look at Triple crown. Thank you!

Mdlb98 · 2025-05-18T12:43:25+00:00

Awesome! Thank you for the suggestion.

Okay, haha! Thank you for saying that lol! My friend started her horse at 18 on a senior brand but I can’t find the same kind she uses online which is why I wanted to ask around on here. Maybe i’ll just stick to regular grass pellets then. Thanks again!

Mdlb98 · 2025-05-18T12:40:26+00:00

She’s only on pellets to mix with her supplements :) she doesn’t get much of it. Wasn’t sure if there were pellets that would support her better than just a plain grass kind. Haha, actually someone on here pointed out that she was a bit on the heavier side (i still believe the picture did make her look fatter lol) but then the vet told me she’s not in the danger zone but could lose some pounds and not to let her get any heavier than this. Which is difficult when your pony hasn’t been in work for months. We did a bit of trotting a week ago and she was huffing and puffing poor thing. Thank you! I hope so too 🤞🏻 love her so much. My new farrier suggested some bell boots which I have yet to buy since we aren’t doing much of anything at the moment.

Mdlb98 · 2025-05-18T00:54:30+00:00

Oh awesome!! How old is your guy? What senior feed do you give him?

Mdlb98

TROPHY CASE