Barefoot TB

I've got a 3/4 tb that has been barefoot now for 10 years. He took to it like a dream, feet got stronger with no shoes and he doesn't struggle with stones or anything.
His diet stayed the same but he did make the transition to living out (with access to shelter) around the same time so that probably helped him.
 
Mine has been barefoot for a year now, she has shivers and got realy stressed by shoeing so I made decided to try barefoot. I had prepared to shell out for barefoot boots, the hoove trimmer told me to see how she went without and then decide. She was a bit stumbely to begin with on stoney ground but soon got used to it and is now fine. Its so much better for both of us, shes not getting herself so stressed out every 8 weeks that the farrier wants her sedating, her hooves are in much better shape and its much cheaper for me too. I'd definatly recommed it.
 
I have a full TB who is unshod. When I got him he had terrible feet - thin soles, no heels, full of chips and cracks and he was losing at least one shoe every week. We got to the point where farrier literally couldn't get shoes back on him so had to leave them off. He was always sound on grass but was very sore on anything remotely uneven/stoney for about 6 months after this. His feet were in a terrible state though so I think he would have coped much better if they'd been in decent condition when the shoes came off.

My intention had been to put front shoes back on once his feet had recovered but they continued to improve and I ended up leaving them off. Once I'd decided this I started reading up about the 'barefoot' trend and I wish I had been aware of it previously as I suspect it would have made the change easier. He's now given seaweed and magnesium which seems to suit him - have previously used F4F and topspec but this is much cheaper and just as effective. He's been 'officially' barefoot for nearly three years now and his feet look great. They are a much better shape and the difference in the quality of horn is vast. :)
 
Thanks, My boy had his shoes off yesterday and is mincing (only way to describe it) he had terrible feet when he came to us, they were shoed incorrectly (twisted) with the wrong size shoes and full of cracks, he too lost a shoe weekly if not more often some weeks. Of course he is sore at the mo as, his feet must feel so strange as they are now the correct shape. Still loads of work to be done on his feet but we are getting there, our Dartmoor is staying barefoot and it got me thinking whether Stan could go barefoot also. He is on Magnesium, brewers yeast and seaweed anyway, so its good to know they may help with the barefoot process also.
 
My full TB has had all his off since monday, he only had fronts on before, but seems to be getting used to it! He's a bit tender going down the track to the fields, as its got small gritty stones, which makes sense as my farrier did say this would be the ground that he would find most difficult. But he was perfectly happy rampaging around the field!!!!!
 
I've had two full TB. One straight off the track with aluminium plates on, never noticed they were missing! One typical flat-foot low-heels who evented affiliated after three months conditioning.

People feeding seaweed do make sure you are not in an area high in iron and/or manganese, or you could have serious problems with copper absorption which can cause footiness and even full blown laminitis (it is need for insulin regulation to digest sugars). Seaweed is high in iron. People who know they are high in iron and/or manganese with footie horses try supplementing copper, it has worked wonders for barefoot horses who live around my area. There is a theory you should supplement zinc too, but if you google zinc you will find that the stuff horses eat is full of zinc and it's difficult for them not to get enough of it. I'm sure a qualified nutritionist will correct me if I am wrong, but if in doubt, consult one before changing your horse's diet.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top