ShadowFlame
Well-Known Member
Ok, I know that barefoot and "how are their feet looking?" has been done to death on here, but anyone have any good websites on the subject? It's got me wondering about my lad's tootsies, now...
Best websites for barefoot advice?
- Thread starter ShadowFlame
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Clava
Well-Known Member
Not a website, but a good forum http://uknhcp.myfastforum.org/index.php
Oberon
Well-Known Member
wellsat
Well-Known Member
Second this, I've recently joined this forum and learned an awful lot.
ShadowFlame
Well-Known Member
Thanks all... not quite sure what to make of my boy's feet, need to do some research into barefoot. He's 4 and started roadwork a few weeks ago. He is due a trim, and I'm aware they need a tidying up, though I did speak to a friend's farrier last week and he warned about taking too much off if he's adjusting to roadwork?
Oberon
Well-Known Member
It depends on your perspective.
Are hooves something that need protecting?
or
Are hooves dynamic structures that (with correct diet and care) will adjust to the workload they do, and become stronger and stronger the harder they are worked?
Current thinking is that when foal's hooves are kept on soft ground, allowed to have over grow and not provided with enough stimulation - the lateral cartilages and digital cushions (at the back of the hoof) don't develop into fibro-cartilage like they should, but stay weak and fatty. They fall behind in development and as the horse continues to grow, they can't keep up to carry the horse's weight properly.
So when you start working a horse - the additions of a rider's weight and also that most horses will come into work as youngsters in spring (when the grass causes footiness) and get more feed "because they are doing work now" - the hooves just can't cope with it all.
So they get shod as 'they need shoes'.
The caudal hoof then falls further and further out of function. Some are fine and die of old age with the hoof development of a foal - but some develop pathologies like navicular and tendon/ligaments....
So the decision to shoe a youngster is very much more than "he'll wear them away with roadwork".
I've never seen a well fed and cared for BF horse ever wear their hoof away - and that includes endurance horses.
My Tank did 280 miles in his first endurance season as a 5 year old
http://www.progressivehorse.co.uk/html/indiana.html
Are hooves something that need protecting?
or
Are hooves dynamic structures that (with correct diet and care) will adjust to the workload they do, and become stronger and stronger the harder they are worked?
Current thinking is that when foal's hooves are kept on soft ground, allowed to have over grow and not provided with enough stimulation - the lateral cartilages and digital cushions (at the back of the hoof) don't develop into fibro-cartilage like they should, but stay weak and fatty. They fall behind in development and as the horse continues to grow, they can't keep up to carry the horse's weight properly.
So when you start working a horse - the additions of a rider's weight and also that most horses will come into work as youngsters in spring (when the grass causes footiness) and get more feed "because they are doing work now" - the hooves just can't cope with it all.
So they get shod as 'they need shoes'.
The caudal hoof then falls further and further out of function. Some are fine and die of old age with the hoof development of a foal - but some develop pathologies like navicular and tendon/ligaments....
So the decision to shoe a youngster is very much more than "he'll wear them away with roadwork".
I've never seen a well fed and cared for BF horse ever wear their hoof away - and that includes endurance horses.
My Tank did 280 miles in his first endurance season as a 5 year old
http://www.progressivehorse.co.uk/html/indiana.html