Barefoot cripples horses..stolen from facebook

Ive seen this on facebook. Hes obviously not a fan of barefoot lol. But when you work in the trimming industry, you do get use to these sort of things. So many farriers are against it, so you just have to grow a thick skin.
I think hes mostly refering to radical trimming such as strasser in his article, but i wish people wouldnt put all trimming in the same cart. These people who disagree with barefoot rarely mention the countless horses saved or healed from various ailments through the use of barefoot, even after being written off by vets and farriers.
These sorts of articles dont bother me much, because he obviously doesnt know the full picture of barefoot. So many people pick on barefoot because they dont see the full picture. They only see the bad trimming, not the good. They also dont mention the horses lamed by farriers by shoeing either.
 
I think that he is absolutely right - obsessive barefoot fadists with a 'one size fits all' attitude to hoof care and no qualification other than a weekend course and a certificate as a disciple cripple horses and the practice is cruel.

However people who will consider barefoot as another option alongside more traditional shoeing, who listen to the horse and admit that barefoot is not the only option merely one of many which will suit some horses to the ground and others not at all are slightly different. People who have farriers qualifications, biomechanics qualifications, nutrition qualifications, apprenticeships and serious qualifications in hoof trimming do not cripple horses.

ANYONE who says their way is the only way is a danger to whatever poor creature they are trying to force into their idea of what is correct, in this case whether they are 'barefooters' or 'shod club'. Anyone who is willing to look at the options, weigh up the benefits and most importantly LISTEN TO THE ANIMAL is not. Trimming a foot to bleeding is not somthing I think any of the barefoot proponents on here will reccomend or condone.
 
Jennyharvey said:
Ive seen this on facebook. Hes obviously not a fan of barefoot lol. But when you work in the trimming industry, you do get use to these sort of things. So many farriers are against it, so you just have to grow a thick skin.
I think hes mostly refering to radical trimming such as strasser in his article, but i wish people wouldnt put all trimming in the same cart. These people who disagree with barefoot rarely mention the countless horses saved or healed from various ailments through the use of barefoot, even after being written off by vets and farriers.
These sorts of articles dont bother me much, because he obviously doesnt know the full picture of barefoot. So many people pick on barefoot because they dont see the full picture. They only see the bad trimming, not the good. They also dont mention the horses lamed by farriers by shoeing either.
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Couldn't have said it any better myself!

Also just look at how many enurance horses are successfully competing long distances barefoot; they couldn't do that if barefoot was damaging their feet.

I think that there is good and bad in both farriers and trimmers, unfortunately views seems polarised on the negative aspect of either profession whereas there is a middle ground of healthy, happy horses in both. I do think that barefoot is much more beneficial for the majority of remedial cases though.
 
I agree with that article!

Although, my boy is going barefoot not because of all the 'shoes are evil' arguments but because he has bloody good feet and there is no need for him to be shod. I won't be getting some rubbishy barefoot trimmer though I'll use my normal farrier who is brilliant and has been shoeing my horses for 6 years without a problem. :)
 
I only need to read a few lines to know what the rest WILL say... :D

I'm amazed those Farriers who are at the forefront of 'Barefoot' ever managed to think it through. :p
 
i see where hes coming from and partly agree. having recently tried barefoot with my tb who has been diagnosed with navicular he is doing well but he would have stayed with remedial shoeing had he have kept the bloody things on! i will not however use a barefoot trimmer. my farrier is one of the best in the county and he does a fantastic job! i refuse to pay stupid money for a trim with a special name. my normal farrier is doing a good job and my horse is happy in his feet.
 
I think some people on here could really do with opening there minds, rubbishing BFT is not being open minded neither is rubbishing Farriers. I used a farriers for 20 years & end of last year i changed to try a BFT my horses hooves are so much better for it. I would use a Farrier again & would shoe if needed.
I would also use a Farrier again to trim but i have yet to find one in my area who does a good enough job & ive tried my fair share.:(

Guess i was open minded enough to try something different & i vetted the trimmer in a 3hr meeting before i decided to switch.

Nothing with horses is ever black or white & you never stop learning. I guess what i really mean is why is there so much agro when it comes to Trimmers & Farriers. Why can't we all learn to live with both.
 
Kokopelli said:
I agree with that article!

Although, my boy is going barefoot not because of all the 'shoes are evil' arguments but because he has bloody good feet and there is no need for him to be shod. I won't be getting some rubbishy barefoot trimmer though I'll use my normal farrier who is brilliant and has been shoeing my horses for 6 years without a problem. :)
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oh dear (sigh) and from someone who has suffered so from peoples comments of late !

My horses don't wear shoes and I don't just get some "rubbishy" farrier to trim mine, I get a barefoot trimmer who is also a trained farrier !!

A lot of people make very informed decisions when chosing a trimmer and don't just have the guy who comes down the yard and does everyone elses horses, which is often the case with farriers and is sometimes enforced on large livery yards! !

Just as every skinny horse is not the same neither is every trimmer or farrier for that matter !!

PS your boy isn't really going barefoot you are taking his shoes off ! there is a difference
 
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My competition horse is lame in shoes (many tried and tested!) and is sound barefoot. I don't give a toss what anyone says, shoe your horse if you like, i don't care, go barefoot, i don't care. Your horses welbeing, i do care, do what you will, but do it for your horses sake not your own......... my horse will never ever be shod again, end of.x
 
I think its a cleverly written article, designed to make it seem like all barefoot trimmers are novice and cut your horse's heels until they bleed. Regardless of your opinion on barefoot trimmers, this simply isn't true.

I wish both sides would rely more on the benefits of their own systems, and heaven forbid find some middle ground, rather than slagging off the "opponents."
 
Naturally said:
I wish both sides would rely more on the benefits of their own systems, and heaven forbid find some middle ground, rather than slagging off the "opponents."
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^^ This ^^

I work in sales and it is always better to concentrate on the benefits of your own product/system/whatever rather than to slag off the competition. I have spoken to farriers whose opinion is similar to this article - all barefoot trimmers are evil, it is all a con, anyone who believes it is stupid etc etc. I've also heard from barefoot converts who believe that every horse can and should be without shoes, that shoes are the root of all evil.

This particular article is no different to those incredibly emotive articles you see written by, for example, some of the more extreme animal rights activist websites. They try to frighten the reader, simple as that.

I must be a woolly liberal as I sit somewhere in the middle of it all. My horse recently has his back shoes removed and although for the time being, he will continue to be shod in front and seen by my farrier, I am having an equine podiatrist out to see him because I am interested in a different opinion (plus my farrier's views on barefoot are somewhat similar to the article in question so I would like a less polarised opinion on things!).
 
Lainey123 said:
My competition horse is lame in shoes (many tried and tested!) and is sound barefoot. I don't give a toss what anyone says, shoe your horse if you like, i don't care, go barefoot, i don't care. Your horses welbeing, i do care, do what you will, but do it for your horses sake not your own......... my horse will never ever be shod again, end of.x
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This^^^ iv had enough off all this bare foot/shoeing lark. Each to their own. What ever works for you. End off
 
Nothing with horses is ever black or white & you never stop learning. I guess what i really mean is why is there so much agro when it comes to Trimmers & Farriers. Why can't we all learn to live with both.[/QUOTE]

Agree with this completely, I really cannot see why we have to have "either/ or" - lots of people have both. Each to his own.
 
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