Barefoot journey

Pinkvboots

Pinkvboots

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Well the front shoes have been off 6 weeks I know I should have taken pictures then but just didn't think! We initially had a laminitis worry but after box rest of 13 days and x rays he was sound no sinking rotation just thin soles, and due to a false sole forming which I think is what made him sore as the shoe was putting pressure on it, so I have bought some trek cavallo boots for him as some tracks are stony here and I really intend on keeping him barefoot.

I took my navicular Arab barefoot nearly 2 years ago and it was an easy transition only having the odd setback, his been sound in front since but gave now encountered some hock arthritis so treating that at the moment.

I did take some pictures but there not great it's not easy holding up feet and taking pictures on your own! I had the farrier just tidy the feet up on Monday and his been on a hoof supplement for 6 weeks.20190807_142013_compress42.jpg
 
That is nearside front but for some reason nine of the other pictures will show although I have compressed them! So bloody annoying why does it do that.
 
Following this thread. My ISH has been barefoot coming up 4 weeks now. At the moment they look dreadful while the nail holes are growing out but she is doing much better than I thought footiness wise. This is my mares feet as soon as the shoes were taken off. She has flat feet and thin soles too.
 

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Thanks for the reply it's normal for the feet to break at the nail holes my horse was the same but they look so much better now they have grown out, I put mine on a supplement for hooves it's made a difference as you can see the distinct line of new growth, my horse is an Arab so generally have good strong feet but he has been quite sore but is better now.

Keep putting your updates and pictures on here as well I will look forward to them!

Have you put your horse on a supplement?
 
Thanks yes I can't wait for them to grow out I think she'll have some lovely looking hooves eventually. I have started walking her out in hand on the roads and she's been doing really well but struggles on the car park to get out of the yard where there are big loose stones so I've bought her some front boots so I can start riding her again. Considering she has had shoes on virtually non-stop for 10 years I'm pleasantly surprised with how she's coping barefoot.

I have tried giving her hoof supplements and powder balancers from Progressive Earth with all the right zinc, copper and yeast etc. ratios. She started off eating it back in the Spring when I was sort of prepping her to have the shoes taken off but at the moment she is point blank refusing to eat anything other than grass and hay so I won't be able to get anything down her until the grass goes.
 
We have taken all ours barefoot this year - best thing ever in my opinion
We have a fantastic barefoot trimmer who helps with so many other points as well
Have you been advised to brush all over with wire brush & use Hoof Clay
I have an arthritic 18 year old so the reason for her going barefoot was less concussion - a feral connie who is recovering from ulcers so needs least amount of stress & has fab feet - Irish Cob who we struggled to find farrier to shoe her correctly so thought why not - a companion Shetland needing no shoes
Best thing Ive ever done plus it makes you look at the whole holistic lifestyle of horse ownership
Good luck
 
I took my ISH barefoot for a number of reasons. One of the main ones was that she was slipping a lot on the roads which made her lose her confidence out hacking and she just looked uncomfortable. The other main one was the shape of her hooves and I was worried that her heels were beginning to underrun. She also has a few mild changes in her hocks and I thought barefoot would help ease the pressure and allow her to move as she was naturally designed to.

My other horse has never worn shoes and never will, her feet are solid and she's never been footy no matter what she walks over so would seem silly to even consider shoeing. She has also had structural issues with one of her front hooves and the vets advised shoes to correct it. But the more I read and researched about the effect of shoes on a horses natural way of movement the more I knew it wasn't right for my horses, so barefoot rehab it was!
 
bubsqueaks said:
We have taken all ours barefoot this year - best thing ever in my opinion
We have a fantastic barefoot trimmer who helps with so many other points as well
Have you been advised to brush all over with wire brush & use Hoof Clay
I have an arthritic 18 year old so the reason for her going barefoot was less concussion - a feral connie who is recovering from ulcers so needs least amount of stress & has fab feet - Irish Cob who we struggled to find farrier to shoe her correctly so thought why not - a companion Shetland needing no shoes
Best thing Ive ever done plus it makes you look at the whole holistic lifestyle of horse ownership
Good luck
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I do use a wire brush don't use clay though, I do treat with anti bac which is for most fungal foot problems.
 
Gloi said:
I hadn't seen this thread before, he has good frogs and his feet are quite a good shape so I'd be optimistic he'll soon grow some good strong feet.
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Thanks for having a look I did think the same and the farrier and vet said his got good feet, he does have a slight upright boxy foot but funnily enough it was the flatter foot he was really lame on, I will have to try and put his x rays on here at some point.
 
Pinkvboots said:
Thanks for having a look I did think the same and the farrier and vet said his got good feet, he does have a slight upright boxy foot but funnily enough it was the flatter foot he was really lame on, I will have to try and put his x rays on here at some point.
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I would be really interested to see a picture and xrays of the slightly boxy foot Pinkvboots. I have a horse with the same. I have pictures, xrays and MRI images I can share too.

Hooves have become my single favourite topic of conversation ever since I decided to go barefoot :D
 
Sasanaskyex said:
I would be really interested to see a picture and xrays of the slightly boxy foot Pinkvboots. I have a horse with the same. I have pictures, xrays and MRI images I can share too.

Hooves have become my single favourite topic of conversation ever since I decided to go barefoot :D
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We could exchange if you like happy to send you my email by pm and I will send you mine.
 
I'm always so interested in barefoot horses, I tried with my horse once, but only for about 6 weeks (farrier advised to put back on), his feet sort of 'spread out' rather than grow down if that makes sense? Do you find they slip more/less or the same on grass barefoot or shod?
 
BallyRoanBoy said:
I'm always so interested in barefoot horses, I tried with my horse once, but only for about 6 weeks (farrier advised to put back on), his feet sort of 'spread out' rather than grow down if that makes sense? Do you find they slip more/less or the same on grass barefoot or shod?
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I find they are ok never had any issues with my other horse his had no shoes for coming up 2 years.

6 weeks is no time they always look worse initially as the feet adjust and change, it takes 9 months for a complete new hoof.
 
BallyRoanBoy said:
I'm always so interested in barefoot horses, I tried with my horse once, but only for about 6 weeks (farrier advised to put back on), his feet sort of 'spread out' rather than grow down if that makes sense? Do you find they slip more/less or the same on grass barefoot or shod?
Click to expand...
The spreading out may be because of a weak white line and because when shod all the weight is taken on the wall. I bet you would find that if you kept him bare for a longer time and he was trimmed so all the pressure wasn't taken by the hoof wall and he had a suitable diet, a tighter hoof would grow in time.
 
bubsqueaks said:
We have taken all ours barefoot this year - best thing ever in my opinion
We have a fantastic barefoot trimmer who helps with so many other points as well
Have you been advised to brush all over with wire brush & use Hoof Clay
I have an arthritic 18 year old so the reason for her going barefoot was less concussion - a feral connie who is recovering from ulcers so needs least amount of stress & has fab feet - Irish Cob who we struggled to find farrier to shoe her correctly so thought why not - a companion Shetland needing no shoes
Best thing Ive ever done plus it makes you look at the whole holistic lifestyle of horse ownership
Good luck
Click to expand...
Pinkvboots said:
I do use a wire brush don't use clay though, I do treat with anti bac which is for most fungal foot problems.
Click to expand...

Can I ask where you both get your wire brushes from please?
 
BallyRoanBoy said:
I'm always so interested in barefoot horses, I tried with my horse once, but only for about 6 weeks (farrier advised to put back on), his feet sort of 'spread out' rather than grow down if that makes sense? Do you find they slip more/less or the same on grass barefoot or shod?
Click to expand...

I think its key to start them on a good min/vit supplement well before you take the shoes off & tbh 6 weeks is no time at all - bit suspicious of farriers intent! (sorry) it takes up to a year depending how long they have been shod, underrun heels, thrush etc etc.
It is a lot harder work maintaining them barefoot - wire brushing & applying hoof clay
Thats one of the reasons we went barefoot as we do all our schooling at home on grass & shoes were very slippy whereas barefoot lot lot less.
we also event & slipping isnt a problem - no stud faffing - no stud girth
roadwork is wonderful as no slippage there either
any diy shop for the wire brush
cannot recommend it highly enough - gorgeous shaped hooves as nature intended - we seriously suffered some horrendous shaped hooves when shod
 
No that's different - when referring to a wire brush we mean the decorators wire brush whereby the brush part is actual wire whereas your hoof pick brush is nylon - makes quite a difference in removing dirt etc.
 
bubsqueaks said:
I think its key to start them on a good min/vit supplement well before you take the shoes off & tbh 6 weeks is no time at all - bit suspicious of farriers intent! (sorry) it takes up to a year depending how long they have been shod, underrun heels, thrush etc etc.
It is a lot harder work maintaining them barefoot - wire brushing & applying hoof clay
Thats one of the reasons we went barefoot as we do all our schooling at home on grass & shoes were very slippy whereas barefoot lot lot less.
we also event & slipping isnt a problem - no stud faffing - no stud girth
roadwork is wonderful as no slippage there either
any diy shop for the wire brush
cannot recommend it highly enough - gorgeous shaped hooves as nature intended - we seriously suffered some horrendous shaped hooves when shod
Click to expand...

You could be totally right there! My horses feet are very flat, will try and get some pictures later
 
I'm not worried about how posh it is but do these brushes get rid of the bits of gravel from the white line as that's the main problem we have.
 
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