Barefoot or Shoes?

C

Caroline1239

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Hi everyone.
I am aiming to go off to the USA to train as a barefoot trimmer.
I have 6 horses all sucessfully barefoot (one who jumps, hacks, dressages, westerns etc)
For me it has been the best thing I ever did for my horses. (not just solely - Ha Ha - for their feet, but for their entire minds and bodies too) Since becoming more ''foot aware'' I have encountered many different attitudes about this issue. I would be interested in hearing any stories/comments you may have about your barefoot experiences?
 
Well my boy had shoes and my mare was barefoot.... until 2 months ago when my boy lost one of his back shoes!! The farrier took the other back one off because his feet hadn't grown enough... his feet an't very good so i was worried they wouldn't cope very well. we bought some old mac's but they started rubbing him. He is now barfoot on his backfeet and they are MUCH stronger than they used to be!! i might keep him barefoot on his back ones as it has helped with his balance too, and he almost never slips when its been raining!!
 
Ive just gone barefoot with one of my mares. Id got nothing to lose and everything to gain with going barefoot. Shes been on and off lame for 4 years (lame for the past 4ish months) due to ringbone and within 4 weeks of her going barefoot shes come sound. Im so pleased with how shes come on ive just decided to let one of our ponies go barefoot to see if her feet will improve. Also to see if the huge crack in her hoof wall will grow back together. If everything goes well with the pony, im consider having my 4yo barefoot too.
My other (old) pony went barefoot at the same time Ebi was done. The trimmer says there is very little she can do as Sasha has major problems with her stifles. She tried to make her more comfortable and took her huge heels off. She advised us this would either help her or if she needed them she would grow them back very quickly - this is due to the way she has to stand from her stifles. Well shes grown them back asap. Barefoot isnt going to be the answer for her but she wont have shoes on ever again as that doesnt help either.


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Since becoming more ''foot aware'' I have encountered many different attitudes about this issue

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I like you have also found this. A lot of people slate it without knowing anything about it. Its sad but thats their opinion however im very happy with my outcome.
 
Hi Honeyrose.
All my boys and girl walk up and down a stoney track to get to and from the field every day.
To grow a completely new hoof capsule (hopefully a stronger more correct one) usually takes 9 - 12 months. It is not a quick fix. AND during those 9 - 12 months (and of course continuing after that) your trimmer has to be trimming correctly.
I have heard lots of people mention Old Macs (hoof boots) that you can put on in the beginning stages of a transition to barefoot to help the horse get used to the difference.
There is also a new version of the same that I am looking into, that apparently stay on even on x country courses!!!
When I transitioned my boy who had been shod for the longest I started with the backs, made sure he was comfortable on them first, and then did the fronts.
At the end of the day, your friends trimmer needs to be knowledgeable and sensitive enough to know what to do to correct the issues your friends horse may have had with his/her feet.
As we keep horses very differently from the wild herds, and dont allow them to ''work off'' their hoof growth naturally (a horse in the wild would travel about 25-30 miles a day) we need to trim them.
Did your friend actually have a trimmer, or did she just remove the shoes?
 
My filly has been barefoot since birth -now five years old and coming into fuill work. My trimmer (ex Strasser, seen the light and abandoned Strasser principles to trim by other criteria) says she has superb feet. HOWEVER, she's very, very 'footy' and we're alternating between Easy boots and barefoot to walk her out in hand (saddle doesn't fit -another saga). I'm seriously thinking of front shoes simply to enable me to get her fit, tho' will try to keep her shoe-less as long as possible, Can't see it working if I want to compete, though...

so in answer to the question: barefoot if possible, shoes if you really have to

E
 
My very good friends and instructor are great advocates of barefoot and it has worked out well for them.

I did take Gen barefoot about 2 years ago but we have terrible flinty ground here and after only 3 weeks he got the biggest abcess ever that blew out of the top of his coronet band and was lame for weeks. I have to say tho. before this happened his movement did improve a huge amount but it just wasnt to be. Even our field have terrible flint.

So he is now in NB shoes and doing well.

I say: If your horse is good Barefoot and the conditions are ok then go for it as I still believe that shoeing is a compromise for us to be able to use our horses how and where we want. Not all horses/conditions etc will be right.

If I moved from here then I would go back to being barefoot.

Never say Never till you've tried it.
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