Barefoot horse

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4x4

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Hi,
Would you get a specialist barefoot trimmer for your horse if you were intending to keep it barefoot or just ask the usual farrier to trim off the splitting bits?
Thanks
 
You shouldn't have any 'splitting bits', so I think that answers the question. If your farrier trims and there are 'splitting bits' then you need a proper barefoot trimmer I think as either your farrier isn't very good or you have a horse with hoof problems that need addressing through both trim and diet.

Of course it also depends on the horses level of work - if it isn't doing any, you can get away with it's hooves not being in first class condition as long as they are kept tidy
 
They're splitting 'cos they're too long and need trimming, hence the question - people keep trying to get me to put shoes on him but I don't think he needs them.
 
If you had no issues with your farrier before I would just continue with the same farrier. Ask him (or her) - nicely - not to trim the frog (apart from any raggy bits) or sole.

If you aren't doing much work on abrasive surfaces, you may need a shorter trim cycle than the usual 6-8 weeks.
 
HI Casey, I've never actually seen him trim the frog. I saw an article on the net somewhere (might have been a link from here) about special trimming for barefoot and thought it looked interesting. Thank you. I might add that many years ago I had a NFpony who never had shoes, I competed her, hunted her, including trotting on the road. My ((then) farrier used to say if they'd never had shoes they didn't need them, but she had different shaped feet to this fella!
 
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