I've decided to try barefoot, any tips?

SNORKEY

SNORKEY

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I've tried loaning and selling my horse this year but with my baby now due any time and my boy still going footy due to low heels and flat feet, I'm giving up.
I'm just going to take his shoes off and bring him back to work after Xmas when I can ride again.
The vet said try natural balance shoeing as he goes lame on stones and thinks its due to the shape of his feet, but he's still not right so I'm hoping taking the shoes off may help.
I'm going to feed him fast fibre and dengi hi-if, but I need something else to add to keep his weight on, any sugestions on the feed, and should I ask my farrier to trim him in a certain way?
 
I wouldn't feed the hifi. There are lots of threads on barefoot diet and barefoot rehab.

Diet is critical as is leaving frog and sole well alone.
 
Buy a copy of feet first by Nic Barker that was good advice given to me on here it did help me understand the overview of it all.
Invest in a pair of hoof boots that's what I did not understand the role of boots in the early stages.
Make sure the frogs are free from thrush before you start .
Don't let the farrier trim the frogs and soles.
 
do lots of searching on here - so much info, it's a shame it isn't all in a sub-forum. You need to have the diet sorted well before removing shoes.

Second the Feet First book - I use it like a bible.
 
He's not being fed at the mo as we have so much grass, do you have to feed them to make it work?
Also my baby's due any day and we can't afford to waste another £60 on shoes when he's going to be turned away, so they will be off in a couple of weeks.
 
If he's just going to be a paddock ornament while you're busy breeding......then extra feed won't be needed.

Just remove the shoes but forgo trimming for the first cycle - let the extra hoof protect him. Ignore what they look like at first ;)

If he were to come back into work, for barefoot to work, you may need some dietary input at some point.
 
Well I tried loaning him out or selling him as I didn't want him just sat in a field but I had to stop riding him when I was about 22 weeks pregnant, I've been lunging him and getting the odd friend to ride him since. But he's still not right in his feet so I thought taking his shoes off and letting him be for a while may help.
 
Sounds like a plan.

Allow 9 months for a new capsule to grow and see what that yields.

I'm hoping grass isn't an issue for him :o
 
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