Barefoot transition without track system

[Myotto]

Has anyone successfully made the transition to barefoot without having use of a track system? Can it be done on a standard livery yard with the help of an experienced trimmer etc? I think it could help my horse with a recurrent front lameness (managed as ‘navicular syndrome’) but I’m really nervous.

 

[cauda equina]

I did it at home rather than a livery yard but didn't use a track
I just had all his shoes off (he's arthritic and was tripping) and built up the hacking distances using boots for the stony bits, and stuck with our normal farrier
TBH I think 'barefoot transition' has got rather a lot of mystique built up around it; it doesn't have to be complicated

 

[eggs]

Three of mine have gone barefoot and one has never been shod. I keep my horses at home and do not have a track they just go out in the field. Summer stabled during the day and out at night, winter stabled at night and out during the day. Like ce I just took their shoes off - started with hinds and then fronts a few months later. We did this autumn/winter when the ground was not as hard as in the summer. My regular farrier still trims them.

 

[Myotto]

I did it at home rather than a livery yard but didn't use a track
I just had all his shoes off (he's arthritic and was tripping) and built up the hacking distances using boots for the stony bits, and stuck with our normal farrier
TBH I think 'barefoot transition' has got rather a lot of mystique built up around it; it doesn't have to be complicated

I don’t hack much, it’s mainly school work. I think my main concern is having him on grass while I do it!

 

[Gloi]

You can do it. It isn't a black art.

 

[cauda equina]

I don’t hack much, it’s mainly school work. I think my main concern is having him on grass while I do it!

If he's ok with the amount of grass he's on now while shod (ie not overweight or showing signs of laminitis) then the same grass when barefoot should be fine imo

 

[Myotto]

You can do it. It isn't a black art.

When you’re new to it you read so much conflicting, scary information! So many people say it can’t be done without a track system!

 

[ester]

There’s ‘ideal’ and there’s lots of people managing with what they have.
We had a track but only round the outside of our field, as would have been strip grazed otherwise as our land grows gallons of grass and native pony!
They do move more on it but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done without. I think it’s worth giving your best effort to but only within what is manageable

 

[Tarragon]

All the track system is giving you is free exercise and controlling what they eat. So, yes, it can be done without a track.
If you are riding regularly out and about on varied ground, then the ideal is that the horse's hooves will be maintained by the workload and they self-trim.
I now have a pony though that wears his hooves out crookedly because he has poor conformation, so I use hoof boots with him to reduces the impact of his wonky way of going on hoof wear, so I have to keep on top of the trimming myself.

 

[j1ffy]

Mine are on a normal livery yard - out at night all year round (but previously have switched to daytime turnout during the winter), ex-dairy grazing, very traditional approach to keeping horses. I made sure the diet was as good as possible then took the shoes off! TBH they barely noticed, I built up the roadwork slowly but if you're only riding in the school I'd just do it and monitor.

 

[ester]

is there a reason you don’t hack much? Straight lines on a variety of footings would generally be recommended, especially as you have pathology

 

[Myotto]

is there a reason you don’t hack much? Straight lines on a variety of footings would generally be recommended, especially as you have pathology

Mainly because I am nervous our hacking and don't enjoy it. I try to go once a week in the summer for his sake!!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I've done it with both of mine at home on under 3 acres of field no track.

I did school but I also did alot of in hand walking out on road, track and grass I tended to ride part and lead them part if the way just to let the feet adjust.

 

[ycbm]

Without a track is common and not that difficult, (depending on the horse), if you can walk yourself.

But without roadwork it would, I think, be very difficult. Constant corners in a school and work on a soft surface are not at all what you need.
.

 

[MuddyMonster]

It's entirely possible and I might even suggest could be a little easier without a track. Although I should disclaim that tracks can be great too!

Being on a surfaced track 24/7 can be a lot for a horse unused to it. At a more traditional yard, you are more likely to have the horse on grass and even softer bedding to give the horse a break whilst transitioning .

Mainly because I am nervous our hacking and don't enjoy it. I try to go once a week in the summer for his sake!!

If possible, I'd try to lead him out a bit more often if you can - I appreciate you might not want to ride but harder surfaces like tarmac are really beneficial to help create a stronger hoof.

Just be careful about not increasing the quantity too much too soon as that may cause the horse to go a bit foot sore.

Boots can help with transitioning (or long term - my longterm barefoot horse is booted) but you might not even need them!

 

[ester]

I did several months worth of road and grass walking in long reins to start with as I was on the heavier side for the pony so he didn't need me too. Started with 5 minutes daily and increased it by 5 minutes a week.
I missed the not hacking on the first read of the post.

It also depends on your surface but those with sand can find them very abrasive if used very regularly and that they have to boot as otherwise the wear is too much.

 

[FitzyFitz]

I transitioned my navicular pony to barefoot nearly 2 years ago. He is on a track system now (unsurfaced) but only for the last 3 months.

The thing that track systems give you is increased movement, and controlled diet which helps the feet. If the horse gets plenty of turnout in big fields with not too rich grazing, with friends to run with so moves a lot, that also works fine! That's how mine was, although the grass was a bit much for him so he was in during the day.

I used boots and pads for hacking so he was comfortable enough to move properly. Never used them in the arena but I do very little arena work. He still hacks in boots under saddle, but in hand goes out barefoot. He does have multiple issues though and it's stony here!

So long as you can get them moving enough, and comfortably (comfort is key, dont force them fully barefoot if they aren't ready, use boots and pads if needed) and their diet is good enough that it doesnt send them footy, you can do it in any environment you might just have to get your hiking boots on or do tons of walk work. Saying that, some horses just step right out of shoes day 1 no problem, you never know.

 

[soloequestrian]

Mine have all been in good health when I've taken shoes off (basically as they arrive here). I'd like to think they have a decent diet. The sequence has always been: take shoes off, carry on as normal. Boot if ground is very hard. I don't do roadwork.

 

[dorsetladette]

I use a track in summer (grass track) to keep weight down. Mine are all barefoot and trim by a knowledgeable farrier.

But most hunters used to (probably still do, but I'm out of touch) have shoes taken off at the end of the hunting season and chucked out for the summer. Very few had issues. As others have said it isn't a mystic art.

My old cob was my daughters showing/riding club horse. He'd have shoes on in spring summer and into the autumn while she was riding lots. Once she slowed down in winter we would whip his shoes off. As he got older and we moved to a stoney/sandy field he would keep his fronts on for his comfort.

Talk to your farrier on his next visit. He/she can then plan for the shoes coming off. I'd stick with the farrier you already have as he/she knows your horse and can trim his feet accordingly. Fresh eyes on a situation have their uses but I think in most situations a familiar professional is best.

 

[equinerebel]

I took my mares shoes off on a normal livery tbh I didn't even consider a track system for her. She's been fine.

 

[Squidge_94]

My horse has been barefoot for coming up 6 months now. We're on a normal livery yard, field turnout every day.
He's doing amazing and he had typical "sh*t tb feet" was pulling a shoe off every 3/4 days.
Barefoot trimmer, diet overhaul and hoof boots

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Just remove the shoes and ask farrier to Just tidy up the edges initially they don't feel the ground so much then, for future trims don't touch the frog or sole of the hooves.

 

[Petmurf]

My horse has been barefoot for coming up 6 months now. We're on a normal livery yard, field turnout every day.
He's doing amazing and he had typical "sh*t tb feet" was pulling a shoe off every 3/4 days.
Barefoot trimmer, diet overhaul and hoof boots

Same here, 8 months in and doing brilliantly. Overhauled his diet about 6 weeks before I took his shoes off and we’ve never looked back. Spent most of the winter doing in hand walks on different surfaces and it worked wonders.

 

[fidleyspromise]

My pony was unable to go barefoot. She had thin soles and cirmbling hooves.
I read up on it and put her on farriers formula and removed sugars from diet. Her hooves improved slightly.
I then read more and put her on fast fibre, progressive earth, linseed and brewers yeast. I took shoes off a couple months later in Aug.
That was 2013. Individual paddock, lime sprayed annually and nothing else changed.
She's had 2 abscesses since then, is 21 yrs old and had full set shoes from 5yrs to 13yrs. she kept putting her hoof through the stock fencing and sliding it between the fence and her shoe. I put hay in her field but typical Highland only wanted the grass the other side. (YO was amazing and took down all the stock fencing)
She marches over stones, her hooves have hardened and become concave and she has a good frog.

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont really get why so many people find going barefoot a massive ordeal, mine are barefoot and Ive had and competed my barefoot horses for years (and also shod one or two during eventing season, then back to barefoot - trimmed by a proper barefoot trimmer). I have never changed anything, mine live out 24/7, they have a hardcore yard they can stand about on eating hay. They're on a low carb, high oil diet just because thats all they need. Ive never had a track system or even thought about what ground theyre on (other than I simply want dry areas for them to stand out of mud in the winter). I dont do anything specific to barefoot other than simply using a barefoot trimmer (and not a farrier).

 

[ycbm]

I dont really get why so many people find going barefoot a massive ordeal

Because not all horses are equal and not all grass is equal and not all yards are equal and for some owner/horse combinations it genuinely is a massive ordeal.
.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Take a look at Pete Ramey's Hoof Rehab pages on navicular as a starting point.