How much exercise is needed to successfully keep a horse barefoo

[Cocorules]

There is a lot on here about getting the diet right to keep hooves in good condition. If the diet is right how much exercise would a horse kept out 24/7 need to improve / maintain condition? I suspect the answer will be the more the better, but keen to know how much exercise yours gets if you have a horse that is not shod and generally not in boots and who has really good hooves.

This is a long winded way of saying that if you were going to prescribe an exercise regime for a horse whose hooves could be improved how much exercise would you aim to be doing with that horse?

 

[Brightbay]

There is a lot on here about getting the diet right to keep hooves in good condition. If the diet is right how much exercise would a horse kept out 24/7 need to improve / maintain condition? I suspect the answer will be the more the better, but keen to know how much exercise yours gets if you have a horse that is not shod and generally not in boots and who has really good hooves.

This is a long winded way of saying that if you were going to prescribe an exercise regime for a horse whose hooves could be improved how much exercise would you aim to be doing with that horse?

I am alternating boots and no boots at the moment - horse has been barefoot for 8 years, but we have never got his hooves the way they should be until this year (change of diet/forage balancing seems to be working!). The more he does, the better the hooves are - at the moment I try to make sure he does a minimum of 2 miles on tarmac every day, with longer outings about 3 days per week, between 4 and 8 miles.

His turnout at the moment is good though - he has to walk up and down very steep hills along quite stony tracks, and I am certain this is what is making him much happier with gravel/grit on the roads.

Not a prescription, just what's working for us just now. I would like to do more/longer rides, but I'm at the max I can manage and still work

 

[TheMule]

One of mine had her shoes off 3 months ago having been shod for at least 4 years. She almost immediately had to have time off through something unrelated. Worked her today for the first time, sound as a pound on all surfaces, hacked out happily.
There's no definite rule, it's what works for your horse

 

[Gloi]

I do a mixture of boots and bare and do about 10 miles a week on the roads without boots but boot for any extra (usually about another 15 miles). He is hard on his feet and haven't managed to get enough growth to do more barefoot though I keep hoping. He has been bare for 3 years and is sound on all surfaces barefoot provided I don't overdo it and wear them too short. I know people say they will produce more hoof as needed but it isn't happening for us. I think the reason is because 99% of our riding is on roads and he tends to slide his feet a bit which wears the hoof quite quickly.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I do a mixture of boots and bare and do about 10 miles a week on the roads without boots but boot for any extra (usually about another 15 miles). He is hard on his feet and haven't managed to get enough growth to do more barefoot though I keep hoping. He has been bare for 3 years and is sound on all surfaces barefoot provided I don't overdo it and wear them too short. I know people say they will produce more hoof as needed but it isn't happening for us. I think the reason is because 99% of our riding is on roads and he tends to slide his feet a bit which wears the hoof quite quickly.

slide his feet, by which you mean he is not totally sound? is he on 10+gms MgO per day, and balanced minerals and micronised linseed?
In winter all my hacking was on roads, and therewas never any reason to think they were other than self trimming, I think regular 20 mins per day walking [striding out] on tarmac is really good for feet and also hardening legs

 

[amandap]

http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.ie/search?q=+film+heel+first+landing

 

[Gloi]

slide his feet, by which you mean he is not totally sound? is he on 10gms MgO per day, and balanced minerals and micronised linseed?
In winter all my hacking was on roads, and therewas never any reason to think they were other than self trimming, I think regular 20 mins per day walking [striding out] on tarmac is really good for feet and also hardening legs

No, he is an Icelandic with low action and when we are in tolt the feet slide a bit as they hit the ground. It's just how he moves. He's sound and fit as a flea.