Barefoot Trimmer - Market Research

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Daisy2

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I have two horses, both barefoot, both have had issues over the years before and during barefoot times. Various horses health issues arise over the years as they do and each has taught me a great deal in particular pathologies in the hoof. I am a proffessional in the Built Environment world and I am looking for a career change doing something that I am basically potty about and thats horses, their feet and interactions with them.
I have recently enrolled on the Equine Podiatry Training Ltd to hopefully succeed in gaining a diploma in Equine Podiatry. I am also for the record working towards Inteliigent Horsemanship Associate Status as well as doing a full time job.

As part of my EP course I need to complete some market research and hopefully you can help me gain an understanding of what the general feel and need is out there for more qualified trimmers.

Do you have barefoot horses

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots

Who trims your horse

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.

There are so many more questions I could ask but for now it would be great to get some feedback on this for starters. I hope to start a blog at some point and create a little awareness of the wins and woes I am sure to experience.
thanks in advance.
 
Do you have barefoot horses - yes

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot - yes

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots - sometimes but mostly bare.

Who trims your horse - an EP

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - £40

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod - roughly 8 weekly

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area - yes
 
Do you have barefoot horses

Yes, eight horses, all barefoot

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

N/A

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

N/A

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot

Yes - all the local horse owners are barefoot

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots

Three do, two are transitioning (shoes removed in Jan), the other is a Welsh section D who always wears front boots

Who trims your horse

A specialist trimmer

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer

€190 for all eight

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod

Every 6 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.

Ours covers all of Portugal

As an added note our horses live on a Paddock Paradise track system and their feet are excellent
Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...t-Trimmer-Market-Research#gK7Jd7Ufzpu7FfuJ.99
 
My girl is barefoot and doesn't wear boots. She sometimes "feels her feet" when we cross particularly stony surfaces but other than that she is perfectly sound. My trimmer says she has tb sized feet on her cob body.
She charges 20 pounds and comes every 8 weeks.
 
I have 2 horses that are unshod. I'll never shoe a horse ever again. I use a trimmer, approximately every 12 - 14 weeks. She charges £30 per horse. I've got hoof boots but have barely used them. I think barefooters are still seen as an oddity, rather than people who make a proactive choice. People are very defensive about shoeing their horses!
 
Daisy2 said:
I have two horses, both barefoot, both have had issues over the years before and during barefoot times. Various horses health issues arise over the years as they do and each has taught me a great deal in particular pathologies in the hoof. I am a proffessional in the Built Environment world and I am looking for a career change doing something that I am basically potty about and thats horses, their feet and interactions with them.
I have recently enrolled on the Equine Podiatry Training Ltd to hopefully succeed in gaining a diploma in Equine Podiatry. I am also for the record working towards Inteliigent Horsemanship Associate Status as well as doing a full time job.

As part of my EP course I need to complete some market research and hopefully you can help me gain an understanding of what the general feel and need is out there for more qualified trimmers.

Do you have barefoot horses

Yes one

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

N/a

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

N/a

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot

Yes

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots

She did for transition and now wears them in front for tough terrain or if she is struggling for any reason.

Who trims your horse

I have used a barefoot friendly farrier and a trimmer

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer

Farrier £20 and i think the trimmer was £30

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod

As needed, the trimmer comes to the yard 12 weekly but mine is not ready by then so she tends to go longer and i tidy up in between

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.

Yes at least two and a farrier who is going for a trimming qualification

There are so many more questions I could ask but for now it would be great to get some feedback on this for starters. I hope to start a blog at some point and create a little awareness of the wins and woes I am sure to experience.
thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I would be very interested in hearing about your course as I would like to do something similar.
 
2 horses - one barefoot (navicular) the other recently acquired and back shoes are off. Old boy, now gone, went barefoot following laminitis and never looked back.
EP visits roughly every 6 - 8 weeks, I tidy them in between. £40 per horse.
Boots used for rough, stony ground.
Very few barefoot around me, I suspect I am viewed as, at best, a horse 'hippy' and at worst, a weirdo. My fellow liveries smile indulgently at me......
Some of the local farriers will do a kind of barefoot trim, only one EP as far as I know.
 
Do you have barefoot horses. Yes.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot. No, its about the same as it has been. Bigger horses are shod and ponies are either front shod or barefoot.

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots. No

Who trims your horse: Barefoot Trimmer

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or barefoot trimmer. £20 each

How often do your horses get trimmed? Every 6 weeks.

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. Yes - at least two that I know of
 
Do you have barefoot horses Yes


Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot No

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots No

Who trims your horse Barefoot trimmer

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer £50 (rather a large chunk of that is mileage though!)

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod About every 12-16 weeks (we do a lot of roadwork and tbh never really need more than a little tidying and advice)

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. Yes
 
Do you have barefoot horses
Yes 3.

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.
N/A

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.
N/A

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot
Yes

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots
No

Who trims your horse
SHP Trimmer

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer
NZ$50.00 per horse.

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod
Trimmed - every four weeks.

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.
Yes


Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...t-Trimmer-Market-Research#alhMoQQ3MPL93yzH.99
 
Do you have barefoot horses - I have one pony that is unshod

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. n/a

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. n/a

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot - yes

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots - no

Who trims your horse - my farrier

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - $45 AUD (aprox 23 GBP)

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod - every 6 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. - Yes
 
Do you have barefoot horses-Yes.

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot-No.

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots-No.

Who trims your horse-Farrier.

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer-£20.

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod-Every 6 weeks.

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area-Not sure.
 
Do you have barefoot horses - Yes

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. - n/a

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. - n/a

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot - yes, people are a lot less sniffy about horse rather than just ponies being barefoot these days

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots - very occasionally on the front if we're gong to be going over exceptionally stony ground

Who trims your horse - a farrier

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - £30

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod - every 7 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. - Yes however I would never use one, only a fully qualified farrier touches my horse's feet. My farrier is currently rescuing my pony that was hopping lame due to an ill-informed dogmatic trimmer not following the natural line of the slight birth defect in is one hoof. His loanee is no longer permitted to use a trimmer on him.
 
Do you have barefoot horses - 2 are trimmed by a barefoot trimmer, 1 is trimmed by farrier.

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason - I have kept one horse trimmed by the farrier because I may put shoes on her in future as she's ridden and is starting to compete so I wanted to see how she got on.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. - For competing, it can be slippy on grass if unshod (and without studs). I do keep all my horses shoe-less unless absolutely necessary.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot - don't know!

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots - no

Who trims your horse - A barefoot trimmer for two and farrier for one

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer. £25 farrier, £30 (per horse) barefoot trimmer.

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod - Usual every 6 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. - Yes
 
Do you have barefoot horses - yes

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason - was barefoot for 18 months, then re-shod as showing + I was becoming a hoof nerd.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why - n/a

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot - yes, they are around

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots - sometimes, for longer rides/very bad surfaces

Who trims your horse - an EP. I have used EPs (la Pierre) and others in the past and found that the EPs were a bit more scientific and the horses transitioned quicker for shod to barefoot.

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - I pay £60 which includes another pony that has a pasture trim, not working, and travel.

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod - 6/7 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area - there are 3 or 4 that cover this area, I use one that actually lives in the County, but others have clients in the area and pass through.
 
Do you have barefoot horses: Yes, 2

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot: Yes.

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots: Occasionally, though I don't think we've used them for about a year.

Who trims your horse: Horses are trimmed at roughly 6 week intervals depending on how much roadwork they're getting. At the moment trimmer visits about every 12 weeks and I do the trims in between.

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer: Trimmer and it's £50 (again a proportion of that is travelling).

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod: As above - it depends, but roughly every six weeks.

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area: No, none closer than about an hour and a half drive away.
 
daisy2 said:
i have two horses, both barefoot, both have had issues over the years before and during barefoot times. Various horses health issues arise over the years as they do and each has taught me a great deal in particular pathologies in the hoof. I am a proffessional in the built environment world and i am looking for a career change doing something that i am basically potty about and thats horses, their feet and interactions with them.
I have recently enrolled on the equine podiatry training ltd to hopefully succeed in gaining a diploma in equine podiatry. I am also for the record working towards inteliigent horsemanship associate status as well as doing a full time job.

As part of my ep course i need to complete some market research and hopefully you can help me gain an understanding of what the general feel and need is out there for more qualified trimmers.

Do you have barefoot horses yes

if not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. N/a

if you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot no

if your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots occasionally

who trims your horse farrier

how much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer £20 ?

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod 6-7 weeks

do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. Yes

there are so many more questions i could ask but for now it would be great to get some feedback on this for starters. I hope to start a blog at some point and create a little awareness of the wins and woes i am sure to experience.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
see above
 
Do you have barefoot horses - yes 4 - 2 in work, 2 not

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot - yep certainly more fashionable

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots - nop

Who trims your horse - mostly me on a weekly basis, farrier every 4/5 months or sooner if less road work

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - farrier is £10-15 a trim as mostly not much needs doing - I only get him because I'm not fully confident in my own abilities !

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod - when needed - could be 8 weeks - last gap was 5 months as doing lots of good road work

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. - probably but consider them all to be charlatans !! (Sorry - same as dentist without qualifications it's too difficult to tell the good from the bad so I avoid them all)
 
Do you have barefoot horses-YES

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. -NA

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. -NA

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot- NO

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots- NOT ANY MORE, DID USE IN FRONT WHEN TRANSITIONING AND STILL HAVE THEM JUST IN CASE!

Who trims your horse- ME

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - I USED TO HAVE A TRIMMER BEFORE I TOOK OVER, £40

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod- EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS, HE IS MUCH BETTER LITTLE AND OFTEN WHICH IS WHY I STARTED DOING SOME IN THE FIRST PLACE

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.- YES, MINE WAS HAPPY TO TRAVEL 1.5 HRS TO ME WHEN I MOVED BUT THERE ARE OTHERS.
 
please see my reply
Daisy2 said:
I have two horses, both barefoot, both have had issues over the years before and during barefoot times. Various horses health issues arise over the years as they do and each has taught me a great deal in particular pathologies in the hoof. I am a proffessional in the Built Environment world and I am looking for a career change doing something that I am basically potty about and thats horses, their feet and interactions with them.
I have recently enrolled on the Equine Podiatry Training Ltd to hopefully succeed in gaining a diploma in Equine Podiatry. I am also for the record working towards Inteliigent Horsemanship Associate Status as well as doing a full time job.

As part of my EP course I need to complete some market research and hopefully you can help me gain an understanding of what the general feel and need is out there for more qualified trimmers.

Do you have barefoot horses
yes, retired horse
If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.
horse in work is shod

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.
shod horse is happy in shoes, currently has no issues and in continuous work, transitioning and watching diet etc is too much of a faff
Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot
No
If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots
Retired horse would need boots on front if working
Who trims your horse
Farrier
How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer
£20
How often do your horses get trimmed/shod
every 6 weeks
Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.
I think so.
There are so many more questions I could ask but for now it would be great to get some feedback on this for starters. I hope to start a blog at some point and create a little awareness of the wins and woes I am sure to experience.
thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
 
Do you have barefoot horses

2, both retired (one due to age, the other due to health). But both were in work as barefoot horses too.

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

N/A

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

N/A. But I know before I took the shoes off mine I was worried about her feet wearing away too much!

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot

Yes, definitely. Still a niche thing, but much more common than it used to be.

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots

No, and didn't when in work either. She had the easiest "transition" period ever, I basically took her shoes off, turned her out for a few weeks, then started riding as normal.

Who trims your horse

Have used barefoot trimmer and normal farrier

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer

£15 from farrier (but that was a bit of a favour as he also did our work horses) and between £20 and £30 from barefoot trimmer, depending on how far he was travelling to get to us.

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod

8 weeks, approx

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.

Yes, but the "local" one I really don't rate and would never use again.
 
Do you have barefoot horses
Yes

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot
No, about the same
If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots
No
Who trims your horse
My farrier
How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer
£30
How often do your horses get trimmed/shod
When needed, roughly every 8 weeks
Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.
Yes, I've used them in the past and I would NEVER let one touch my horse again, neither of them balanced, one of them was the founder of the EPA (UK) so highly recommended but she was awful, never got my horse sound and even once resorted to hitting him with her rasp, the other trimmer got him sound then let the flare grow to such a level that it was causing him pain in his back. I now use a farrier to trim my horse and have done for the past 3 years and have had no issues, I wouldn't touch an EP with a barge pole
 
Do you have barefoot horses

Yes 2

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot

No visible increase

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots
No, neither do. One is a bit footy occasionally but she has PPID and EMS, this year since being diagnosed with PPID, she's much better. When she's bad we work in the school (rubber)


Who trims your horse
A barefoot trimmer, a farrier did trim one some years ago, left her feet unbalanced, sore and lame, took 2 months for the foot to grow out the imbalances etc and for her to be sound again.

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer
Farrier 4 years ago was £25. Trimmer is £30 a horse

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod
In the summer the PPID mare needs trimming every 4 weeks so the trimmer comes then, in the winter that goes to 5 / 6 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.
Yes, I know of 3 who attend clients around this area, all different schools - AEP, EP and AANCHP
 
Do you have barefoot horses - I have two shod and two unshod

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. - not for the two shod horses

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. n/a

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot Yes

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots Never

Who trims your horse Farrier

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer £25 per horse

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod In theory every 6-7 weeks, in reality it's more like every 8

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. I believe so, but have never wanted to use one
 
Do you have barefoot horses ... yes 3

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. n/a

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. n/a

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot ... yes a lot of the english here in spain are swopping over to bareboot

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots ... one did while transitioning

Who trims your horse ... myself

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer n/a

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod ... around every 6-8 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. ... not close by, nearest is 90 mins drive
 
Do you have barefoot horses - Yes

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. - n/a

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. n/a

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot No

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots One does very occasionally

Who trims your horse I do. Was originally a farrier for my cob (for 3 years), then moved yards and had a barefoot trimmer for 2 years, have now moved again and do it myself.

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - Paid farrier £15 (already on yard), trimmer £45 (had to travel especially)

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod With farrier it was every 6 weeks, with trimmer she checked / trimmed once a quarter and I tidied as needed (usually about fortnightly), now do it roughly weekly so never have to do much.

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. No
 
Do you have barefoot horses: the 2 3 year olds are of course & will stay that way. My event mare is shod during the season as she needs studs (I did try without but she couldn't cope) but barefoot over winter as she has such cracking feet she can easily make the transition

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason: Would keep all barefoot if it was practical

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot: Yes

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots: Not hoof boots no

Who trims your horse: Farrier

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer: £20 for trim

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod: I don't have a set length of time for trimming, they need doing more often in the summer than they do in the winter. I play it by what their feet are like. Event mare gets shod every 6/7 weeks

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area: not that I know of
 
Do you have barefoot horses - yes, two

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason. - N/A

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why. - N/A

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot - about the same as always

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots - no, neither of them

Who trims your horse - the farrier

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer - it's supposed to be £20 per horse, he usually refuses to accept more than £30 for the two, as 'there's not that much for me to do'

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod - every eight to twelve weeks as needed

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area. - geographically yes, but due to the ferry routes it's such a massive diversion for him to come to us that it's not economically worth his while to cover my area
 
Daisy2 said:
Do you have barefoot horses
No - I have two unshod horses though.

If not barefoot, have you considered it for any reason.

If you would like your horse to go barefoot but have not, please say why.

Are you seeing in your area more horses going barefoot
No

If your horse is barefoot, does it wear boots
They are unshod and no

Who trims your horse
A qualified farrier

How much do you pay for your trim whether its a farrier or a barefoot trimmer
£20 per horse

How often do your horses get trimmed/shod
As often as the farrier thinks they need it

Do you have barefoot trimmers in your area.
Are there lots of unqualified people trimming horses? Don't know - the people at my yard are all very experienced professionals so use farriers.

There are so many more questions I could ask but for now it would be great to get some feedback on this for starters. I hope to start a blog at some point and create a little awareness of the wins and woes I am sure to experience.
thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

:) just avoiding a 'message too short' warning.
S :)
 
Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. Its very interesting, there is a good mix of different scenarios within the replies, quite encouraging.
I noticed whilst trawling threads for similar research and outcomes that the EP I use did some of her own market research prior to training 5 years ago and the feedback was quite different so there are changes a foot!

The course starts in September. I will post on here the details of my blog when it gets going. I have never written a blog before but I do enjoy reading others.

Thanks again :-)
 
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