Bracy Clark 1771-1860 - the barefoot debate is much, much older than I thought.

[Meowy Catkin]

He was a Vet who studied hooves and the effect of shoes on hooves.

My Farrier was telling me about him yesterday and it was very interesting. At the same time it's quite frustrating and sad that we still have exactly the same problems that Clark wrote about in the 1800's.

You would expect some progress in over 200 years but apparently his research was pretty much brushed under the carpet at the time.

These are engravings of plaster casts taken from the same horse. The owner of the horse became so worried that he took the shoes off and turned the horse away.

 

[tallyho!]

Looking at those you can instantly picture all the structures inside being squashed between the hoof wall and the pedal bone, tendons, laminae, the lot!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I found this quote from Clark, he was frustrated that his research was not taken seriously or really looked into at all.

... they have uttered their absurd Dogmas with all the confidence of well-ascertained truths and afterwards, though plainly confuted, have persisted through pride in maintaining them... and what is worse, when the truth in clearest evidence lay before them, instead of embracing it joyfully, they have tried in every way to stifle her.

 

[cptrayes]

Fantastic find Faracat!!!

So many feet do that in shoes. It's in the KC la Pierre book too, with an explanation of how it happens and why, but of course this guy was there centuries before.

Thanks for showing us.

 

[Oberon]

If you read Strasser's books - Bracy Clark is heralded as a visionary.
If you read Hickman's Farriery - he is described as a dangerous renegade who harmed horses with his impaired theories.......

I was shocked by the differing accounts of both him and the history of shoeing.....

It's all relative .

 

[Meowy Catkin]

It's all down to my new Farrier. He so loves his subject and was telling me how he likes to find out all the new (and old) research and thoughts out there. He attends talks by Farriers and BF trimmers and then makes his own mind up. It's so nice to talk to someone who is so open minded to all the different ways. Yes - he is a farrier and shoes horses but he says that he encourages owners to only shoe when they are really needed, rather than just bunging shoes on because it's just what should happen now the horse is ridden.

ETA. He was also trying to teach me about Duckett's dot, but I will ask him to run through it again next time he comes as there was just too much info to take in all at once.

 

[Oberon]

It's all down to my new Farrier. He so loves his subject and was telling me how he likes to find out all the new (and old) research and thoughts out there. He attends talks by Farriers and BF trimmers and then makes his own mind up. It's so nice to talk to someone who is so open minded to all the different ways. Yes - he is a farrier and shoes horses but he says that he encourages owners to only shoe when they are really needed, rather than just bunging shoes on because it's just what should happen now the horse is ridden.

Feed him cakes and keep him

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Feed him cakes and keep him

He did make me laugh though as he was a bit unkeen on my gangly gelding when I first got him. He said of him this time, 'well he doesn't look like something to be ashamed of owning any more.'

Duckett's dot for anyone interested (I think that I get it now).

http://www.fairhillforge.com/Russellarticle.html