Barefoot miles

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Clava

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So all you barefooters out there , how many miles are you hacking each week on the roads? and why do you think would be barefoooters often cite roadwork as a reason for needing shoes? If you have more than one horse, do they cope the same?

(and any of you using Endomondo app to track your hacks :D)
 
No idea....none of my horses have shoes.....one is frankly a field ornament so we'll discount her, but the other two get hacked out on and off-road regularly. In fact- if its not on tarmac/road then its on dirt track which is just as hard.

Both have fantastic feet....never footy ......I never really think about the fact that they don't have shoes.....unless I'm hacking out with someone whose horse is shod.....and slipping all over the road;)
 
tinselmoo said:
No idea....none of my horses have shoes.....one is frankly a field ornament so we'll discount her, but the other two get hacked out on and off-road regularly. In fact- if its not on tarmac/road then its on dirt track which is just as hard.

Both have fantastic feet....never footy ......I never really think about the fact that they don't have shoes.....unless I'm hacking out with someone whose horse is shod.....and slipping all over the road;)
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So how long in time are your hacks, as I think the average pace is about 4mph?
 
This interests me to as I am swopping one over to barefoot at the moment and I don't think he going be able to enough roadwork to keep his energy levels under control.
it's difficult this time of year as the fields area bit wet and I don't like to impose on the farmers who are so kind about us riding out so it's the road or the school
So we are just doing short hacks walking mainly leading him from another horse but I need to get more work into him.
At the moment he is doing 30 to 40 minutes 2 to 3 times a week not enough for him we tried boots but he hated them ( not surprising as he once had a meltdown when I bought him a coloured not white saddlecloth ) it was amusing though watching him try to walk in them but it scared him and I was worried that he was going to seriously scare himself panic and then god knows what.
I am being patient at the moment and have found a local barefoot trimmer who someone I know recommended and he's coming at the weekend the worse thing is not knowing what's normal and having no one to ask ( except the barefoot Taliban with out whom I would have given up by now ).
 
Currently have an unshod cob who generally does on average about 50 miles a week of which 80% is on roads or gravel tracks. He's a very good doer and its a constant battle to keep his weight down. Other cobs I've had have managed similarly well.

However, the ISH X TB and DWB X TB, both with excellent feet and kept the same way, although never ouchy on gravel tracks, did not cope with the same amount of work without shoes. They wore their feet down and became uncomfortable. I totally disagree with the notion that every horse does not wear their hooves down too much to be kept unshod.
 
horserider said:
Currently have an unshod cob who generally does on average about 50 miles a week of which 80% is on roads or gravel tracks. He's a very good doer and its a constant battle to keep his weight down. Other cobs I've had have managed similarly well.

However, the ISH X TB and DWB X TB, both with excellent feet and kept the same way, although never ouchy on gravel tracks, did not cope with the same amount of work without shoes. They wore their feet down and became uncomfortable. I totally disagree with the notion that every horse does not wear their hooves down too much to be kept unshod.
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yes I think it a horses for courses thing it's about the whole package you can give the horse if I lived at my friends farm I would be managing fine as I would be onto the hill with just a couple of hundred metres road work .
 
Clava said:
So how long in time are your hacks, as I think the average pace is about 4mph?
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Well.....that varies enormously through the year from 45mins to several hours....depending on what else I've got going on.:)

They never get overgrown though or split though...

Average MPH on the highland probably less than 4mph.....quite often significantly faster on t'arab:eek:
 
Goldenstar said:
At the moment he is doing 30 to 40 minutes 2 to 3 times a week not enough for him we tried boots but he hated them ( not surprising as he once had a meltdown when I bought him a coloured not white saddlecloth ) it was amusing though watching him try to walk in them but it scared him and I was worried that he was going to seriously scare himself panic and then god knows what.
).
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Just out of interest, which boots were you using as I can't imagine a horse finding Gloves difficult to walk in as they fit almost as tighly as shoes!


Those barefooters who do many miles, how long did did it take for your horse's hooves growth rate to increase to keep up with work? I assume work was increased gradually to allow for this?
 
tinselmoo said:
Well.....that varies enormously through the year from 45mins to several hours....depending on what else I've got going on.:)

They never get overgrown though or split though...

Average MPH on the highland probably less than 4mph.....quite often significantly faster on t'arab:eek:
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Really? My average on my haffy is just under 4mph and just over 4mph on my TB (including gallops, but we do walk and gossip too and this is over long distances of 7 miles or so, short fittening under an hour hacks would be faster).
 
My farrier told me that they can work on the roads for about 4 hours a week. Going around our block which is 7 miles takes about an hour and 20 min, so we could do that three times, so 21 miles ish. However I have worn a bit down and made them feel their feet this week on a bit less than that so I'm giving them a week or so on surface to grow a bit more.

I use equiboots on one of mine but he's properly trashed the toes and metal clasps on them so they won't last very long, he has a slight hock stiffness and a bit of a toe drag, poor lad.

I'm thinking of the Old Mac (sp?) has anyone used them, are they okay?
 
Clava said:
Just out of interest, which boots were you using as I can't imagine a horse finding Gloves difficult to walk in as they fit almost as tighly as shoes.

They where easiboots he seriously disliked them he started in the stable but that's what he's like and usually I can get him to accept things but was worried but this as was worried that if he seriously panicked I would be able to get them off quickly.
I am hoping to get good advice on the boot thing when the trimmer comes at the weekend.
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Goldenstar said:
Clava said:
Just out of interest, which boots were you using as I can't imagine a horse finding Gloves difficult to walk in as they fit almost as tighly as shoes.

They where easiboots he seriously disliked them he started in the stable but that's what he's like and usually I can get him to accept things but was worried but this as was worried that if he seriously panicked I would be able to get them off quickly.
I am hoping to get good advice on the boot thing when the trimmer comes at the weekend.
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Oh, right, I've not tried that one.
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Oooh I don't know exactly how far we've been going. Over the Christmas holidays I had 3 weeks off so we got a lot more done than usual, although my horse isn't that fit so we were never out for more that 1 1/2 hrs at a time. I'd say on a good week she was being worked 6 days a week - lunged twice and ridden four times, and the riding probably added up to about 5 hrs in total. If she'd been fitter, we'd have done more, but what we did do was on a variety of different surfaces at walk and trot, and canter when possible. Her shoes came off in September after over 10 years shod. She has adapted fine and isn't wearing boots as of yet, though I do plan to get some so we can cover a wider range of surfaces.
 
Clava said:
Really? My average on my haffy is just under 4mph and just over 4mph on my TB (including gallops, but we do walk and gossip too and this is over long distances of 7 miles or so, short fittening under an hour hacks would be faster).
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The highland doesnt believe in expending too much energy at all:rolleyes: Arab is very forward going and quite often we do a lot of trot work ....I think endurance is his true calling:):)
 
alicedove said:
My farrier told me that they can work on the roads for about 4 hours a week. Going around our block which is 7 miles takes about an hour and 20 min, so we could do that three times, so 21 miles ish. However I have worn a bit down and made them feel their feet this week on a bit less than that so I'm giving them a week or so on surface to grow a bit more.

I use equiboots on one of mine but he's properly trashed the toes and metal clasps on them so they won't last very long, he has a slight hock stiffness and a bit of a toe drag, poor lad.

I'm thinking of the Old Mac (sp?) has anyone used them, are they okay?
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So, does your farrier not believe that growth rate of the hooves will gradually increase over time to keep up with wear? Or are hooves set at 20 miles per week on average? Or is increased growth rate a fallacy?
 
HashRouge said:
Oooh I don't know exactly how far we've been going. Over the Christmas holidays I had 3 weeks off so we got a lot more done than usual, although my horse isn't that fit so we were never out for more that 1 1/2 hrs at a time. I'd say on a good week she was being worked 6 days a week - lunged twice and ridden four times, and the riding probably added up to about 5 hrs in total. If she'd been fitter, we'd have done more, but what we did do was on a variety of different surfaces at walk and trot, and canter when possible. Her shoes came off in September after over 10 years shod. She has adapted fine and isn't wearing boots as of yet, though I do plan to get some so we can cover a wider range of surfaces.
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If you have an Android phone - get Endomondo , I find it really interesting to track where and what we do (and how many calories I burn which is very few!)
 
He hasn't said that they will increase their growth rate, I will ask. I don't know whether that is a fallacy or not.

I certainly increased the growth of one of mine by giving "Better For Hooves" supplement, he was amazed at the soles of that particular horse.
 
my welshie was walked out from 1yr old every other day for at least an hour on roads , gravel and grass we have a mile of tarmac each way to get to grass.
then at 3 he was broken to drive and did the same but driven, at 4 I upped his work to 2 hr drives mostly roads he went sore farrier advised to shoe as "you cant keep a driving horse unshod" over a year his hind hooves went boxy he looked like he was on stilts and his feet kept breaking up and wouldnt hold shoes for more than 2 weeks farrier said its just how he is
Removed his shoes and we have battled thrush, had a few foot sore times worn cavallos about 10 times and now hacks ridden on all surfaces including gravel, and driving commercially for up to 40 miles on tarmac a week this will increase in summer
his feet are fab never sore, if they start to look worn i will use the cavallos for a bit, he hasnt got high heels anymore and is now 6yrs old and I still have to shape and trim his hooves slightly
 
Not doing well at the moment as work commitments mean I'm only doing about 15 miles in a week over roads and tracks but my sharer does an day as well, in the summer or when I can get time off in the week I do about 20 - 30.

I use Sportypal to track my hacks on the blackberry.
 
My boy is 12 welsh d. Mever had shoes on his totsies. Never had any probs touch wood. 18 miles other day alot of road, but alot gravel and stone paths.
 
curio said:
my welshie was walked out from 1yr old every other day for at least an hour on roads , gravel and grass we have a mile of tarmac each way to get to grass.
then at 3 he was broken to drive and did the same but driven, at 4 I upped his work to 2 hr drives mostly roads he went sore farrier advised to shoe as "you cant keep a driving horse unshod" over a year his hind hooves went boxy he looked like he was on stilts and his feet kept breaking up and wouldnt hold shoes for more than 2 weeks farrier said its just how he is
Removed his shoes and we have battled thrush, had a few foot sore times worn cavallos about 10 times and now hacks ridden on all surfaces including gravel, and driving commercially for up to 40 miles on tarmac a week this will increase in summer
his feet are fab never sore, if they start to look worn i will use the cavallos for a bit, he hasnt got high heels anymore and is now 6yrs old and I still have to shape and trim his hooves slightly
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That's really great to hear!
 
Im only about friday to monday as Im at college middle of the week so the tb does about 6 miles when I ride and id normally do 2 road rides a week, so about 12 miles? It takes about 1hr 15 mins and we do about 1/3 of it trotting. The 3 days off midweek allow his feet t grow back again :P
The pony I hadnt ridden since june but just started walking him out again, second ride today. He did 3 miles in 45 mins of roadwork, a few bits of trotting uphill when he wanted to but majority walking. I intentionally took him a fair way as his feet are a bit long (out 24/7 only on grass and was last trimmed 6 weeks ago) and they looked better after. Ill probably take him on the roads again monday and do the same.
Just looked at the stats and I average 4.5mph, sometimes 7mph if I havent gone quite as far.
Oh and I use the RunKeeper app (iphone) which is free, tracks you on a map, has a pause for when I natter, gives you how long each mile took, minute markers, mile markers, calories (!) and saves it all :)
 
Oliviaandsparrow said:
Oh and I use the RunKeeper app (iphone) which is free, tracks you on a map, has a pause for when I natter, gives you how long each mile took, minute markers, mile markers, calories (!) and saves it all :)
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Sounds like endomondo which is also free, it has a pause button but I never get round to digging my phone out to press it. Does it give you calories burnt for riding?
 
Don't know in terms of miles but we hack between 20 mins and 3 hours up to 4/5 times a week in summer. All include roadwork. In winter this is probably cut down to weekends and the odd walk down the lane to cool off. He is barefoot and always has a day off after the long hacks or if I feel he needs one :)
 
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