Im thinking of going barefoot - advice please x

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Tonty Tont

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Im thinking of going barefoot with Tont, because I think it would be nicer to be more natural. Also, its £50 cheaper :D

Firstly, the farrier says Tont has got quite soft soles, but we have to do about half a mile of roadwork before we get to any bridlepaths, and we have no menage to ride in. Because of this, do you think he would suit being un-shod?

Also, are there any feeds available, such as happy hoof, that are good for feet? :)

Thank you for reading this, and hopefully replying :D

Nicole :)
 
My horse went barefoot 5 years ago as a remedial measure that enabled her complete recovery from navicular. Your horse looks lovely, and I imagine barefoot would suit him.

At this time of year, there won't be many horses that don't have soft soles from the constant wet, and possibly thrush. There are topical sprays that can help with this. I use one called Silvetrasol, available here:

http://www.aepsupplies.co.uk/index.cfm?sid=21583&pid=330565&item=46391

Don't be tempted to use hoof hardeners; the hoof needs to flex and the sole to exfoliate naturally.

You could consider using hoof boots in the early stages while your horse's feet are improving. I use Old Mac G2s, or I used to; in the long term you aren't likely to need them.

The half a mile of tarmac will be beneficial to your horse's feet, although in the early stages he might need hoof boots.

There are many schools of thought on feed. One barefoot group advocate cutting back on all sugars, and supplementing with magnesium oxide for foot sensitivity. I haven't followed any particular dietary regime and my horse does fine, but a general supplement like Top Spec or Formula 4 Feet will speed healthy hoof growth, giving your farrier more to work with.

Spring is a good time to go barefoot, and I wish you luck.
 
I would say barefoot is best!Not many people know it but shoes are actually really bad.The horses frog is supposed to act as a shock absorber and pump blood round the hoof when it touches the ground but when the horse has shoes on the frog doesnt come into contact with the ground there for not doing its job which can cause all sorts of problems.Another thing is that when the horse is say trotting,jumping(anything really) when the foot touches the ground with shoes on,rather than absorb the shock(lets face it,metals not really a shock absorbing material is it?)the metal jars the shock of the ground all the way up the leg causing sooo much damage,including splints etc.I used to shoe until someone told me the damage it caused.I didnt even realise,i just shod cos its the done thing and thats what you do with horses!Your horse might be sore at first because the hoof hasnt had a chance to harden up from the ground,but if you decide to go barefoot he/she should get used to it eventually.Their feet generally seem to go rock hard when barefoot.Mine have!Hope this helps,and good luck! :)
 
So many people will tell you bare foot is best, but just work out what's best for YOUR horse, no harm in trying and if it works for you that's ideal but if it don't put shoes back on don't feel bad about it.

Iv got shod and un shod horses, the un shod horses cope really well, and has as much turn out as my shod horses.
Last week I had one off mine shod for the first time in 2 yrs as he wasn't copeing on the rds and he was a different horse afterwards and now happy once again on his feet.
I see bare foot horses walking slowing and picking their way through the paths like they are uncomfy.

I think each horse is different and some will cope well and some won't.
All this " if he can't cope without shoes there's something wrong" crap
it's the owners who can't go bare foot not the horse, crap

each horse is different
good luck
 
If it suits your horse then fine, go with it, ask your Farrier, he knows your horses feet and where you intend to ride. Some horses can cope with it and some cant, my mare certainly couldnt and I trust my Farriers judgement, hes the foot expert. If you look in Vets theres loads of info in there from the Barefoot supporters.
 
Do lots of reading up on the subject first. It is not actually cheaper than shoeing!!!
Your horse may need boots and there is so much more to it than just taking the shoes off. I had my mares back shoes removed before x mas as she wasnt being worked due to the weather and I have worked hard to try and condition the feet and deal with a little thrush she had and it is looking like she will be able to stay bare behind but will need boots to start with as she isnt growing enough hoof yet.
I may take her bare in front as well in the future if possible but if at any time she needs shoes again she will be shod.
 
hi,
my pony went barefoot about a month and a half ago, never been barefoot before and he's been great, and not had the best feet in the past either, so me and my farrier were really surprised!! much better to ride as well :)
 
Didn't work for me'- my mare went lame a week later, they said leave it for a while so we did she was so stressed about it she got colic luckily survived that so we got her shoes put on the hoof wall was filed so thin there was no where for the nail to go and she was in so much pain when the farrier did it. Would never go barefoot again!

Saying that my cob also tried it and he went ok but would cringe at any stone he trod on and we couldn't go on long rides for the whole summer an he missed out on camping so we got the front ones back on (he's always been bearfoot on the back)
 
With the correct care and attention his feet will improve dramatically barefoot but it's not always easy.

Go and read as much on barefoot as you can because it's not something to be done lightly and just whipping the shoes off and hoping for the best is a recipe for disaster. You really need to look into diet, management and movement to understand what you'll need to do. The fact you're worried about the half mile of tarmac before the soft ground suggests you currently have little knowledge of working a horse barefoot. In fact smooth tarmac is one of the best surfaces avalible to work them on! (Mine (who isn't a classic 'barefoot cob-type horse' ) happily does 6hrs of Common Ride Road work and it does his feet the world of good!)

Your farrier may not be the best person to talk to about working a horse barefoot: they are trained to apply shoes and will automatically put shoes on if a horse isn't 'coping' barefoot, instead of looking at WHY the horse isn't managing, and how to solve it. Most farriers beleive that horses can't work hard without shoes. Instead think about having a qualified, expeirenced and well thought off trimmer out to advise you: they have far more knowledge on how to tansition a horse to work hard barefoot, and more suggestions if it's not straightforwards.

Diet is crucial and it's more about what you DON'T feed them than what you do. Some horses (like mine) are sensitive to sugars and grass and it makes them 'footy'. Others can eat anything and be fine. Again, go and research it: there's loads of info avalible.

If you're not able (or willing) to provide the diet and environment requried to work barefoot (sometimes it's just far more hassle than it's worth!) then taking his shoes off may not be a good idea.
 
we got her shoes put on the hoof wall was filed so thin there was no where for the nail to go and she was in so much pain when the farrier did it
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Whoever trimmer your poor horse should be shot (and the farrier not much better for trying to shoe the poor animal whilst like that) ! Not only did they hurt your horse, they also gave all barefoot-ing a bad name. :mad: With the correct help and support you probably could have had a rockcrunching barefoot horse. :(
 
"My horse went barefoot 5 years ago as a remedial measure that enabled her complete recovery from navicular." - to quote Brightmount

We went down the barefoot route for the same reason - our farrier who is exceptional took it very carefully and worked with the vet - our mare's hooves have never been better.

Admittedly it doesn't work for all horses - consult the best farrier and vet you can - and if it doesn't work go back to shoes.

IMHO expense of shoes is not always the best reason for going barefoot. Previous to our mare suffering from 'navicular syndrome' I was a lifelong believer in horses being shod, however I now think totally differently.
 
Clannad48 said:
"My horse went barefoot 5 years ago as a remedial measure that enabled her complete recovery from navicular." - to quote Brightmount

We went down the barefoot route for the same reason - our farrier who is exceptional took it very carefully and worked with the vet - our mare's hooves have never been better.

Admittedly it doesn't work for all horses - consult the best farrier and vet you can - and if it doesn't work go back to shoes.

IMHO expense of shoes is not always the best reason for going barefoot. Previous to our mare suffering from 'navicular syndrome' I was a lifelong believer in horses being shod, however I now think totally differently.
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You're right - youre farrier IS exeptional, and very unusual. Very few farriers, or vets, would look at rehapping a navicular horse barefoot, depsite the fact it works :(

For that reason I would suggest the OP doesn't stick entirely to their vets or farriers opinions and looks for others too: whilst there are some vets and farriers who will think outside the box about keeping a horse working hard barefoot, most won't and their first action upon coming across a difficultly is to put the shoes back on. Sometimes putting shoes back on IS the answer, but it shouldn't be the first port of call, as it is with most farriers (and vets)
 
KirstyLou said:
With the right care and management any horse can go barefoot. Just not all owners can. Some horses will get through the transition quicker than others though.
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What a load off crap.

Some horses can't cope and never will and it's people like you with that way off thinking which would keep very foot sore horses in pain with the thinking off " one day they will cope" brain washed or what.
 
When people say "some owners can't cope" they are probably refering to the transtional stage where in some cases you have to dedicate time to in-hand walking over varying terrain to allow the hoof to adapt. This does take time and boots may be needed.

Some owners may find this to be too much of a commitment and want to carry on with their horse's usual routine as if the horse had shoes and the fustration kicks in when the horse hasnt been given the chance to adapt.
 
I'm leaving this thread now as it really winds me up.
Yes some horses can cope but some can't, my bare foot horses are turned out as much as the shod horses, do whatever I want and cope well, that to me is bare footed. My lad who iv tried for 2 yrs and with no luck has just had shoes put back on. YES diet is right, NO I'm not keeping him off grass while my others are play would rather have him shod than inside bored all for the sake off bare foot. Got fed up off him being so careful about where he puts his feet and being a plod. Now he's forward going jogging away.

I really think anybody who has bare foot horses, good on ya iv got them as well but will not let my others stuggle. If they can't cope they can't.

Iv actually rode a bare foot horse nr me who swears by keeping horses bare who moved like s**t and was so uncomfy I was shocked. That is not right and she is being a fool. It's all very well saying well something is wrong look into this, look into that, in the mean time the horse is stuggleing.
 
thatsmygirl said:
What a load off crap.

Some horses can't cope and never will and it's people like you with that way off thinking which would keep very foot sore horses in pain with the thinking off " one day they will cope" brain washed or what.
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no, any horse could manage barefoot, with the right diet and management. HOWEVER, the 'right' management and diet for that horse may be impractical for most people. Some horses would needs such a strict diet that it's wouldn't be feasible for most people to impliment.

Kirstylou means that many owners cannot provide the changes needed to allow the horse to work hard barefoot. Either because they can't be bothered (and sometimes it can be a real hassle) or because their facilities or situation means they can't (such as keeping their horse off grass (the usual problem). Just because YOU can't get your horse working barefoot doesn't mean someone with more knowledge and better facilities for it couldn't. No shame in it: everyone would love perfect ideal facilities but we can't all have them.
 
My sisters TB, my ISH and our Shetland are all barefoot. We've been going barefoot for quite a while now, have had at least 2 other horse that were barefoot - have never looked back!! However, I'm not particuarly involved with that at the moment as I'm away at uni, Prince33Sp4rkle, my sister has posted quite abit about (especially having a renowned 'bad feet' TB breed barefoot), I'm sure she'd be happy to lend some barefoot knowledge.

Bear in mind, that although it's cheaper, it's a work in progress....You have to alter their feed and take slightly different care of their feet. Fran has semi-self taught herself how to file their feet, which again keeps costs down. But it is something that you have to allow time to adjust to. xoxo
 
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Well my horse has been bare on the fronts for 4 1/2 months, (he'sbeen bare on the backs for a year with no problems) but i have just rang my farrier to put his front shoes back on this week!

I went through the transition fully aware, read everything i could about going without shoes, changed to a qualified trimmer who did say he had very challenging front feet as he had a stretched forward sole, narrow heels, little digital cushion etc.

I did everything by the book, changed to fibre only diet, supplements for hoof growth, spent hours leading him out on tarmac, picked feet out religiously twice a day, painted on hoof hardner, bought a riders rasp to keep the edges rolled , treated for thrush(but trimmer said he didn't have it anyway)didn't ride him for 2 months and spent hours worrying about his feet! We tried hoof boots at first but because of the shape of his narrow long hoofs we couldn't get any to fit him! After 3 months he seemed a lot better and although he still was ouchy on any uneven or stony ground i thought we were getting there!

Yesterday i took him out on a short hack with 2 other horses off the yard and from the moment we set off i could tell he was struggling to keep up even on the smooth tarmac, he was getting quite distressed as the others kept getting further in front of us and kept having to stop to let him catch up, we got on the bridle path which is soft from all the rain but with the odd stone and a bit uneven and he was even worse, stumbling and his leg nearly gave way when he hit some uneven ground, i tried to keep him on grassy bits as much as possible but the final straw was when he stumbled that badly he nearly fell on his knees and he let out a groan so i got off him at that point and led him back! we had only been out 20 minutes.

some might say nearly 5 months isn't long enough but my horse is only young and had major issues going forward and after a year of taking him back to basics he was finally going well so i dont want to set him back again with him not having confidence in his feet to move! I am really disapointed but at the end of the day i cant bear to see him so uncomfortable, i am going to have the shoes back on now and then maybe in the autumn i will try again taking the shoes off for the winter.

The other cob i ride has always been barefoot and he has rock crunching hoofs so i do believe what some people have said, it works for some and not for others.
 
Yesterday i took him out on a short hack with 2 other horses off the yard and from the moment we set off i could tell he was struggling to keep up even on the smooth tarmac, he was getting quite distressed as the others kept getting further in front of us and kept having to stop to let him catch up, we got on the bridle path which is soft from all the rain but with the odd stone and a bit uneven and he was even worse, stumbling and his leg nearly gave way when he hit some uneven ground, i tried to keep him on grassy bits as much as possible but the final straw was when he stumbled that badly he nearly fell on his knees and he let out a groan so i got off him at that point and led him back! we had only been out 20 minutes.
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That is not normal, not acceptable and sounds like somethings actually wrong, not just normal 'trasitioning'. I would be conserned about lami!

Like I posted in the other thread, it sounds you have one of the difficult horses, who is diet sensitive and feet ruined by shoes. Your horse could manage barefoot with the correct diet and management but sounds like it would need someone really experience and dedicated (far more that I would be!) to sort out whatever his problem is. As it is, it sounds like you've tried bloody hard and whatever the changed you would need to make are, they're just not practical for you, either to impliment or investigate. I too would shoe a horse like that, and take comfort in the fact that at least the break from shoes has improved his feet no end :)
 
Thank you for your reply Kallibear, i had a full vet check done including blood samples in September before i took his shoes off, he is definatley not overweight in fact the vet conditioned scored him as v good! He has never been lame before his shoes were taken off and he was really foot sore when they were first off but i expected that. He was shod though as a 3 yr old and i think that may be a factor? My trimmer said his back feet were brilliant in fact textbook! with a nice big frog and good concavity but his fronts were very narrow with a long toe although i have noticed since being bare on front they heels are alot less narrow but his still has a narrow frog and his digital cushion is rubbish on the front!

I will try again as after reading up on lots of info and buying the feet first book i do realise shoes can have a detrimental effect but i just cant see him be so uncomfortable anymore and i do want a horse i can ride now after trying for months to go without shoes. I have spoken to my farrier and he is going to set the shoes back and roll the toes to try and change the angle of his front feet before i try again in the autumn. I may decide to have xrays done then before i try again just to see what is going on inside his front hoof as i was meticolous with his diet and hoof care?
 
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Shoes sound like the right thing to do at the moment.

The sudden change in his sensitivity sounds like a mild dose of lami: frozen grass maybe? Spring flush's are starting too.

His entire feet some underdeveloped and 'shoe sick' :( It will be a long a difficult road to fix.

If he is still sore, even on what sounds like an ideal diet it would be worth getting someone more experienced to look into his vitamin and mineral balance: how good is your trimmer at it? I would be out of my depth with something that shoe-damaged and sensitive and need help to get it right. Why not PM LucyPriory and ask her as she has a real interest in that kind of thing.
 
Kallibear said:
Shoes sound like the right thing to do at the moment.

The sudden change in his sensitivity sounds like a mild dose of lami: frozen grass maybe? Spring flush's are starting too.

His entire feet some underdeveloped and 'shoe sick' :( It will be a long a difficult road to fix.

If he is still sore, even on what sounds like an ideal diet it would be worth getting someone more experienced to look into his vitamin and mineral balance: how good is your trimmer at it? I would be out of my depth with something that shoe-damaged and sensitive and need help to get it right. Why not PM LucyPriory and ask her as she has a real interest in that kind of thing.
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Wow, you can diagnose laminitis from a forum post, which vets would hesitate to do.
And you can give foot advice too, which farriers would hesitate to do.
Is there no end to the skills of 'barefoot practitioners' - I am in awe.
S :D
 
What you want to do with the horse doesn't sound too ambitious and it really does sound like something you have to listen to your horse and take at his own pace.

I would consider at first leading him in hand over the stony bit until you hit the tracks. It may be easier for him to negotiate it initially without having the additional weight/balancing act of a human on top and you will be in a good place to access how he is finding it.

Good luck, give it a go and learn from what happens. It is an interesting journey!!!
 
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