Can any horse go barefoot?

G

Gorgeous George

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 April 2007
Messages
6,268
Location
Essex
Visit site
Just a thought really, I have very recently taken my boys hind shoes off mainly because he was diagnosed with PSD earlier in the year and after the op in July he is making good progress, but a lot of the research I read indicated that poor foot balance / concussion can contribute to suspensory problems, so after discussing it with my vet / farrier we decided to try him without hind shoes.

The more I think about it the more I would quite like him to one day be barefoot all round, but I just don't know if it would be possible? He is a 16.3 shire x tb and has large flat feet (sorry no photos as the moment), but with good soles. Assuming his rehab from the PSD is successful he would do a mixture of schooling, hacking, low level dressage, fun rides and maybe some jumping (but not sure if I will want to risk that in light of his injury).

I have recently overhauled his diet, so he is on unmolassed hifi, progressive earth pro balance, micronised linseed and msm - he is a little unimpressed with it at the moment, but adding some mint to it has encouraged him!

So do you think it is realistic to consider barefoot for a horse like this? If so when would be a good time to think about taking off the front shoes (baring in mind hinds have only just come off and we're in the middle of rehab at the moment, so he needs to work each day).

Apologies for the long post and thanks for reading :)
 
I would definitely say yes!

I have my TB mare barefoot and she had the worlds worst flat feet going :( now they are much stronger and definitely she is much happier.

Her 2yo daughter will be staying barefoot too.

Interestingly the Sire of my filly Full ID stallion is also barefoot!
 
I would say so yes but it's sometimes a case of can any owner. I'm not saying that it's the owners fault necessarily as it's hard if your on a "normal" livery for example where you are bound by there rules. I know I've struggled.
 
IMO all horses can go barefoot but not all owner can:
As a farrier who now only barefoot trims I have to say that the only barrier I come up against is the owner and their circumstances, I often find myself going to a yard and explaining how barefoot works, and it is imperative that the yard manager helps the owner with diet, and management of the horse.
Once an owner has made the decision to go barefoot it is up to the team to come up with a system that will work.
I am on a high today because I have just signed off a horse that was going to be PTS due to “Navicular changes” and is now pulling a cart on the roads 3 times a week. he can now be trimmed by their local trimmer.
The vet had to admit that it was due to barefoot that made him think the horse was worth saving….result!!
If you go for it then do it whole heartily and make sure you, have the right team going with you.
 
No I don't think all horses can work BF .
One of mine had a deviated forelimb he was never comfortable BF when in work but well shod was sound and worked happily .
I did give regular breaks from shoes but did not work him.
Tatts is very sound BF but could not cope with hunting two five plus hours days a week one day week fine two and he gets sore so he's shod for hunting spends the rest of year working without shoes.
 
Last edited:
Depends on the horse and the yard. If your yard is not set up for it, or not "friendly" for unshod horses it can be hard work.

I tried it with my horse for six weeks. It didn't work so the shoes went back on.
 
wench said:
Depends on the horse and the yard. If your yard is not set up for it, or not "friendly" for unshod horses it can be hard work.

I tried it with my horse for six weeks. It didn't work so the shoes went back on.
Click to expand...

Sorry if this is a silly question but when you say the yard needs to be set up for it can someone tell e what that entails as I'm very interested in my one going barefoot but don't want to get things horribly wrong. I've had help on here regarding diet etc. so was wondering what was meant by a yard being set up. Thanks.
 
wench said:
Depends on the horse and the yard. If your yard is not set up for it, or not "friendly" for unshod horses it can be hard work.

I tried it with my horse for six weeks. It didn't work so the shoes went back on.
Click to expand...

A whole 6 weeks! Its takes 9mths ish to grow a new hoof.

Im with the others on all horses can but not all owners can. Also have to ask yourself if a horse can't cope without shoes should you be riding it with them? What are they doing to the hoof that allows you to ride when you can't without them seeing as they only cover the outside edge???
 
We have 3 barefoot now, gypsy cob never shod feet that blunt the trimmers rasp. TB never raced and who needed sedation to be shod she now self trims, but her feet dont grow very fast.

The latest TB who raced sucessfully for a number of year ,shod, who had terrible split feet which the farrier was gluing together, 1 year later he is vastly improved he has grow one new hoof and has altered the shape again, splits now superficial. You need good food, exercise and time, also a good trimmer and a thick skin to do what you think best and ignore the "good" advice from other liveries, yes we are on livery!
 
I will be interested to see how you get on, as my farrier, who I like very much, has told me that my big 17hh x tb will never manage it. I would like him to, I barely ride now and no shoes would be great.
 
Clodagh said:
I will be interested to see how you get on, as my farrier, who I like very much, has told me that my big 17hh x tb will never manage it. I would like him to, I barely ride now and no shoes would be great.
Click to expand...

I've had a string of barefoot 17 hand IDx Tb horses. You farrier is probably wrong, just as the two who told me that my first 17 hand IDx Tb would never manage it were.
 
Last edited:
This is just perfect as my horse starts his life over without shoes. It's is so interesting. I think one of the problems is our ingrained way of keeping horses. They are in stables often ten hours a day in the winter unable to move around much with their feet in a damp environment. Think we under-estimate how moisture affects their comfort during transition? Also diet, diet, diet! As Rockley says 65% of the process. Pete started his new regime feed-wise in October I hope that gives him a head start!
 
I'm interested in this because my horse has thin soles in front and after several years of no shoes and a general paddock trim he had to have shoes to just raise the soles off the ground to avoid the bruising. The shoes came off a couple of weeks ago and on winter grass he went footy again. I am addressing it with adding protein to his already bf friendly diet (on the advice of a nutritionist) but can anyone tell me what instructions I should give my farrier, such as DON'T TOUCH THE SOLE OR FROG!!! (I have a very conscientious farrier and want to keep him because of the possibility of having to keep shoeing in front. He is young and slightly egotistical so diplomacy is needed lol)
 
JillA said:
I'm interested in this because my horse has thin soles in front and after several years of no shoes and a general paddock trim he had to have shoes to just raise the soles off the ground to avoid the bruising. The shoes came off a couple of weeks ago and on winter grass he went footy again. I am addressing it with adding protein to his already bf friendly diet (on the advice of a nutritionist) but can anyone tell me what instructions I should give my farrier, such as DON'T TOUCH THE SOLE OR FROG!!! (I have a very conscientious farrier and want to keep him because of the possibility of having to keep shoeing in front. He is young and slightly egotistical so diplomacy is needed lol)
Click to expand...


You need to find out why your horse has thin soles, I think. Has it been tested for epsm or cushings or insulin resistance?

Is it fat?

If you have ruled out metabolic disease, then you need a perfect low carb/high fibre diet with one of the two mineral supplements that has the right amount of copper but no additional all iron. You might also need to restrict grass intake severely, depending on the horse. Some need their forage soaked all year found.

I would have to say that if you can't improve the thin soles, that the horse should probably stay in shoes.
 
JillA said:
but can anyone tell me what instructions I should give my farrier, such as DON'T TOUCH THE SOLE OR FROG!!! (I have a very conscientious farrier and want to keep him because of the possibility of having to keep shoeing in front. He is young and slightly egotistical so diplomacy is needed lol)
Click to expand...

sounds as if your soles are pretty thin. Not sure you should have to tell a farrier how to trim a barefoot horse, egotistical or not he should know how to get and keep it sound for you.
However I don't touch the soles of ours and I would only touch the frog if I had to deal with thrush but as they don't t have thrush I don't touch them. I also don't touch the bars. I did try but as the horse's seem to grow them back to what they want they seem to manage better without me. I also don't touch the hoof wall from the top as that seems to deal with any flaring better. I'm sure some people do a lot more but I focus my efforts more on diet and management and keeping the toes rolled.
Any pics?
 
paddy555 said:
I'm sure some people do a lot more but I focus my efforts more on diet and management and keeping the toes rolled.
Any pics?
Click to expand...
I agree about diet. In my understanding thin soles are closely related to lamina connection so I agree diet has to be crucial along with checking for metabolic disease.
Getting forages (grass and hay/haylage) tested to check for wacky minerals is probably a good step in persistent thin soles imho.

I don't (can't lol) agree shoeing is a good option if they can't be improved because of peripheral loading and further pressure that puts on the sole. It may make the horse useable though.

http://www.hoofrehab.com/WhyThinSoles.html
 
Last edited:
Im a barefoot fanatic and always believed every horse should be barefoot BUT i have recently had to admit defeat. I have 2 with flat feet and while the anglo does perfectly without shoes my luso really does strugle with very hard ground and as much as ive expected her to harden her feet to it, it jst hasnt happened. My shire is barefoot,it took him about 3mnths to harden his feet and has been far better for being barefoot since.
 
cptrayes said:
You need to find out why your horse has thin soles, I think. Has it been tested for epsm or cushings or insulin resistance?

Is it fat?

If you have ruled out metabolic disease, then you need a perfect low carb/high fibre diet with one of the two mineral supplements that has the right amount of copper but no additional all iron. You might also need to restrict grass intake severely, depending on the horse. Some need their forage soaked all year found.

I would have to say that if you can't improve the thin soles, that the horse should probably stay in shoes.
Click to expand...

Lol he has just been tested, ACTH levels of 18. And he does have high fibre/low sugar diet, minimal grass because he itches when he gets actively growing grass, forage was analysed for minerals and the only anomaly was low Mag high Calcium, not brilliant on selenium. The nutritionist is taking all these factors into account (she is a dedicated barefoot enthusiast) and he has been fed this way for about 8 years. The only improvement I think we can make is the protein (she says they have found methionine to benefit feet) and yes, my farrier does tend to trim soles and the side of frogs. I have to let him know not to in future. Last year he was so bad (it showed on thermography) we even discussed the plastic liners, can't recall what they were called).
So I am looking for anything other than what is normally covered in the barefoot bible, hence the protein for one thing.
 
JillA said:
Lol he has just been tested, ACTH levels of 18. And he does have high fibre/low sugar diet, minimal grass because he itches when he gets actively growing grass, forage was analysed for minerals and the only anomaly was low Mag high Calcium, not brilliant on selenium. The nutritionist is taking all these factors into account (she is a dedicated barefoot enthusiast) and he has been fed this way for about 8 years. The only improvement I think we can make is the protein (she says they have found methionine to benefit feet) and yes, my farrier does tend to trim soles and the side of frogs. I have to let him know not to in future. Last year he was so bad (it showed on thermography) we even discussed the plastic liners, can't recall what they were called).
So I am looking for anything other than what is normally covered in the barefoot bible, hence the protein for one thing.
Click to expand...

Tough one you've got there :( I would suggest walking him, in hand if necessary, for longer and longer periods on surfaces which he can only just cope with, and then increasing the difficulty of the surface when he copes with that. Much easier written than done. I wouldn't criticize you if you shoe him.

I have a friend with a horse with protein absorption problems who has to have everything perfect for it to work. For some reason, they found cortaflex stopped her feet from cracking.
 
Last edited:
cptrayes, trust me he is the most expensive home bred horse I have ever owned.................clinics, tests, trial and error, saddles, you name it. The only other stone unturned so far is blood testing for selenium - anyone think it is worth doing? The vet suggested that and blood testing for copper - nutritionist said she thought the only reliable test for copper was a liver biopsy, anyone know about that?
 
My boy used to be barefoot, but things later had to change, and with the advise of vet and farrier he started with fronts then went shod all round.


I woulds also say not all can work BF.
 
JillA said:
The only other stone unturned so far is blood testing for selenium - anyone think it is worth doing?
Click to expand...
Flintfootfilly knows a lot about selenium, if she doesn't see this it might be worth sending a pm.

I wouldn't criticize about shoeing, despite what I write, if it's the only way to keep him comfortable.

I know you don't want to rock the boat but what about some second opinions on diet and hooves? 8 years is a long time with the same diet not helping. Obviously I don't mean to insult and it may well be there is nothing new eyes can see to help, just a thought.

ps.I know his bloods for PPID were well low but have you considered pros and cons of a prascend trial?
 
Last edited:
JillA - yes it might be worth bloodtesting for selenium. My Farrier (who does cover some of Shrops) mentioned to me once about low levels of selenium in parts of Shropshire when we were having a chat about off the shelf supps V tailored supps.
 
JillA said:
yes, my farrier does tend to trim soles and the side of frogs. I have to let him know not to in future.
So I am looking for anything other than what is normally covered in the barrefoot bible, a
Click to expand...

are you sure his problems are not being caused, to some or a large extent, by your farrier?
I don't understand why he would trim the sole on a horse that already has thin soles. Surely sole needs to build and callus?
 
It's not always the owners in my horses case the deviation to his limb made him wear one side of his foot two much causing the foot not to be balanced and therefore therefore the horse became lame .
Shod we could keep the foot balanced and the horse was sound in moderate to hard work.
He was sound without shoes until you upped the work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top