A few more barefoot questions!

GLEEK

GLEEK

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Following on from the other barefoot thread i have a few of my own questions.

Do you use hoof boots? Why?

Do you use farrier or barefoot trimmer? If a barefoot trimmer do you find them more helpful than a farrier

How do the your hunters and Endurance horses/ponies cope?

Basically my farrier who turns up when he feels like it! Is not so supportive of my 2 being barefoot. Everytime he comes out he always comments that they will need shoes on. I have a ID and a standardbred. We have had a few footy moments however neither of the horses have done much work this year and havent been on restricted grazing. Next year i plan to find a sharer for my ID so i have more time to exercise my standardbred. I want to do pleasure rides with her. Also they will both be on restricted grazing. I understand about the sugars in the grass etc.

I am considering getting a barefoot trimmer out due to lack of farriers, farriers that dont turn up but thats all another moan!! HAHA.

Thanks for any help or advice
 
I use hoof boots for rough terrain in the spring and autumn because my fella is affected by the flushes of grass and, being based on a livery yard with day time only turn out an dno individual paddocks, short of confining him to a stable 24 hours, there's not a lot I can do about it. Actually, I could muzzle him and may well do next year. Rest of the time he's absolutely fine and goes bare for whatever he's doing.

He's not an endurance or hunt horse so I can't answer directly on that but he is fine for all RC activities and is very foot sure :)

I use an AEPAUK EP because I haven't found a farrier I trust locally. EP always turns up on time and gives good service which I am willing to pay for. At an old yard, I used a farrier for my (now sold) cob. She trimmed him fine and I was happy with the trim. Hosres for courses I suppose - depends what you want/need :)
 
I trim myself as they both have straightforward feet and one is so awkwards with his feet it's not worth it. And on the basis that unless you do something drastic, there is actually very little damage you can do as they grew grow and balance their feet quickly as required. All it takes it knowledge and common sense.

I don't use boots becasue it's impossible to find boots to fit - hard working barefoot horses have very wide short feet and often big - the boots fit smaller, narrower longer feet. However I have used boots in the past on my standardbred and with a laminitic pony. If you can get the right ones to fit they are great.

I have one HW hunter type who does a bit of everything at a low level, plus lots of hacking. Never had a sore day and still needs her feet trimmer every month.

I have one welsh cob X who does a LOT of road work, inc Common Rides (basically hunting, but with more road work) and most wears his feet himself. The only time he needs trimmed is if he has a bit of time off.

I have one young cob who feet grow ridiculously fast and needs trimmed regularly.

There's still the old myth that you can't do much road work with a barefoot horse - in fact it's the complete oppposite!! Road work is THE best thing for barefoot horses! The more you do, the faster and stronger the feet grow. Initially it will take a time for the feet to catch up (a couple of weeks) which is where boots are helpful but after that the more the better!
 
Do you use hoof boots? Why?
I used hoof boots for longer rides and if going on small stony tracks, helps stop small stones getting in the white line area and I didn't do long rides often so would have been too much without the boots

Do you use farrier or barefoot trimmer? If a barefoot trimmer do you find them more helpful than a farrier
I use a farrier at the moment for Tigger as it's easier, but with Lily I used a barefoot trimmer, he was fantastic he answered all my questions, explained the hoof and how he was trimming it and why, he got me through laminitis with my mare. If he didn't live about 600 miles from me I would still use him! Tigger isn't ridden yet but I will definitely look in to another local barefoot trimmer when I start riding out and doing more with him to ensure his feet are tip top condition. All the farriers I have used I have found do not want to answer questions and seem a bit vaugue about some questions I ask! Though I know there are those out there who are very good and knowledgable

I would add my first experience with a barefoot trimmer was a very bad one, the person basically told me things were wrong with my horses foot that weren;t and tried to sell me lots of expensive products so I did a lot of research before finding the guy I used.



There are two or three organisations for barefoot trimmers and lots of politics . The guy I used was Jamie Hickman of http://www.epauk.org/ and another guy on there Richard Vialls I know is very good

The other organsiatioss http://www.uknhcp.org/ukpractitioners.html

http://www.appliedequinepodiatry.org/iaep/locate.html?
 
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