Pasture trim or barefoot trim?

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MrsNorris

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My horse has been barefoot and happy for 7 years, great feet, sound on everything. He does a lot of roadwork and is only trimmed by my farrier (pasture type trim) every 6 months or so just as a quick tidy up as he self trims pretty well. I tidy up chips etc as I go along and this has worked well for us. BUT... I'm now wondering whether I should try him with a proper barefoot trim? His heels are higher than a barefoot trim would leave them, and he has no mustang roll etc but he is completly sound with tight white lines, large well-developed frogs and good concavity. Could a barefoot trim improve his feet even more and maybe even improve his action ( he dishes slightly) or should I just stick to what I've been doing? Thanks :)
 
If he is basically self-trimming, which it sounds like he mostly is, and he's sound, I'd leave him be. When your farrier does come, just don't let him take anything off his sole or frog :)
 
Don't mess about with them if he's happy!

The trimming part of a barefoot is a massively overrated. If they have healthy, hard working feet, it doesn't really matter (within reason) what trim you give them as they grow them back to the shape they want and need pretty quickly. If it's been a poor job they might be a little less comfortable than before, but hopefully lesson should be learnt and not done again!

That's what Strasser's trimming is so awful: she tried to cut the feet straight into what she believes a healthy shape. Good feet come from inside, not being cut into them.
 
hollybear said:
My horse has been barefoot and happy for 7 years, great feet, sound on everything. He does a lot of roadwork and is only trimmed by my farrier (pasture type trim) every 6 months or so just as a quick tidy up as he self trims pretty well. I tidy up chips etc as I go along and this has worked well for us. BUT... I'm now wondering whether I should try him with a proper barefoot trim? His heels are higher than a barefoot trim would leave them, and he has no mustang roll etc but he is completly sound with tight white lines, large well-developed frogs and good concavity. Could a barefoot trim improve his feet even more and maybe even improve his action ( he dishes slightly) or should I just stick to what I've been doing? Thanks :)
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many people would give anything for a horse which is sound on anything. :D so why even think of risking losing that?
If you are concerned about his action then perhaps the person to consult is a bodyworker?
 
Thanks everyone for your thoughts, have always thought he was fine as he was until I started doing some more reading (too much time on my hands!!) about hoof mechanism and form etc, then started worrying that perhaps I was not doing the best for him by not having a barefoot trim!! Think I will leave well alone as suggested. :)
 
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