'No foot' explain?

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CharlotteSara

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When my tb went barefoot, I asked my farrier if he would be able to stay barefoot after his box rest, he said probably not because he has 'no foot' could someone explain what he meant by this please? Maybe I'm just being blonde:) Thank you!
-Charlotte:)
 
This gets me as well, my tb is barefoot and I often get people saying " you will wear his feet away" how? When I explain that he will grow foot in response/stimulation to the work I'm doing they laugh. It does really get to me ESP as their horses land toe first, buck going into canter, always have bad backs and have terrible long feet but that's normal and my horse has no foot!! He has lovely feet now.

I'm ranting on but I honestly do not know how people can say a horse has no foot/will wear their feet away
 
Well, generally speaking "no foot" when spoken by a farrier who has limited experience of the barefoot horse, refers to the short hoof walls/lack of hoof growth/thin soles etc which is common in shod horses.

It's a common misconception that horses need to walk on the perimeter of the foot or the rim of horn. Actually, naturally barefoot horses walk on the whole foot i.e. the sole, the frog and the hoof wall so the whole limb is supported and weight distributed evenly over the whole foot.

Attempts to make the horse walk on just it's hoof wall is more often than not met with various problems... splits, cracks, flares etc because that is not what it was designed to do.

However, the farrier may be also referring to the fact that the horse is not ready yet and has thin soles and thin frogs. This is a case of correct diet and exercise. Most horses develop a good foot in time but some do not.

Have you discussed diet or exercises to help your horse with your farrier?
 
thatsmygirl said:
This gets me as well, my tb is barefoot and I often get people saying " you will wear his feet away" how? When I explain that he will grow foot in response/stimulation to the work I'm doing they laugh. It does really get to me ESP as their horses land toe first, buck going into canter, always have bad backs and have terrible long feet but that's normal and my horse has no foot!! He has lovely feet now.

I'm ranting on but I honestly do not know how people can say a horse has no foot/will wear their feet away
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I completely agree some people just need to mind their own business. My boys feet have really improved by being barefoot and its not even been 3 weeks!
 
That your horse has slow growing feet probably, and the growth will not at this present time keep up with road work etc. By all means give supplements and do a trial of building up road work, but some horses do not grow hoof very quickly.
 
tallyho! said:
Well, generally speaking "no foot" when spoken by a farrier who has limited experience of the barefoot horse, refers to the short hoof walls/lack of hoof growth/thin soles etc which is common in shod horses.

It's a common misconception that horses need to walk on the perimeter of the foot or the rim of horn. Actually, naturally barefoot horses walk on the whole foot i.e. the sole, the frog and the hoof wall so the whole limb is supported and weight distributed evenly over the whole foot.

Attempts to make the horse walk on just it's hoof wall is more often than not met with various problems... splits, cracks, flares etc because that is not what it was designed to do.

However, the farrier may be also referring to the fact that the horse is not ready yet and has thin soles and thin frogs. This is a case of correct diet and exercise. Most horses develop a good foot in time but some do not.

Have you discussed diet or exercises to help your horse with your farrier?
Click to expand...

I remember him saying not to really walk him on hard ground. But I thought this improved the hoof by hardening it up? So I have been walking him on the roads in hand because he can't be ridden yet and I have seen a massive difference. Thank you for all the information, I will talk to my farrier next time he is up
 
Stimulation (exercise) is key. Diet is also very important. Have a think about boots if you are finding you need more stimulation but growth is not matching wear.
 
If the hooves need to improve quality before going completely bare, try hoof boots on the front feet - I use them for my TB on the roads - fab pieces of equipment and take seconds to put on!
 
The background: my boys hooves came in bad condition along with the rest of him when he came to me, he is nearly 12 and he has never had his shoes off, they had the wrong size shoes on (put on by the previous owner) 2 sizes to small, the farrier was surprised he could walk, i had his backs of when I first got him, and now had his fronts off aswell.
Thank you for all your replies, I'm happy with his diet, low sugar, low starch maybe it's just the exercise that needs working on when he can be ridden?
 
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