Please tell me why the obsession with barefoot?

I for one am very pleased it is such a hot topic. I had never considered taking shoes off - my last horse had lots of problems which looking back might have been solved by taking his shoes off. He ended his days in wedges and heart bars and still lame (had colic and was PTS).

No my gorgeous new boy has some serious joint issues I am going to take his shoes off - I never would have considered it if I hadnt seen stuff on here about Rockley Farm, or read CPTrayes blog. So thanks guys = I am learning so much from you all.
It might become an obsession for me - his health does tend to bring that side of my personality out!
 
BillieBlitzen said:
Why not? If shoes are an unnecessary intervention for my horse then why would I use them?

My horse doesn't need oats so I don't feed them.
Doesn't need a Pelham so she doesn't wear one.
Doesn't need a grackle.
Doesn't need shoes.........

All of these things have their place but not for my horse.

So why would I shoe?
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As above. I think the issue is that shoeing is seen as the default - so many people just shoe because they think they're meant to. The attitude needs to change where people only shoe if they NEED to and barefoot (or at least unshod) is the norm. I get so annoyed with people on here making barefoot V shoeing into an arguement. There's no arguement, every horse is different and ever person uses their horse differently. Personally, I have two horses who are unshod (ie. trimmed by my farrier) as they may have shoes put back on if they need them (depending on their work and if I need studs etc. like when jumping on grass - prior to my grey being injured, he was shod all summer to event then unshod over winter when jumping indoors) and my 2 veteran ponies are barefoot (trimmed by a barefoot trimmer).
 
My farrier sent me down the 'barefoot' route with my little mare by saying she could do with her back shoes off...then a few years later said why not take her front shoes off too? She's been fine since.

I got my bigger mare in May 12 and she only had front shoes on so I decided to try her without shoes too.. Did some research, asked some Q's on here and changed their diets. Little mare immediately not footy and when I took the shoes off bigger mare I don't think she even noticed. Still hasn't and they both walk over gravel etc daily.. so why would I hammer some metal to perfectly good feet? ;)
 
I wouldn't say it's a "fad" either. It's cheaper, easier, I never have to worry about lost shoes, he doesn't slip as much, helps circulation, he's able to self-trim to an extent (wear on roads - less farrier visits), no compacted snowballs in his hooves in weather like this...

He's not sore, he doesn't need them. Why would I put shoes on him?
 
Bertolie said:
Genuine question - can someone tell me the difference between 'unshod' and 'barefoot'? Is there a difference or is it the same?
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I use the term unshod for my working, farrier trimmed horses. Don't use an unqualified person on my horses and don't agonise about balancing minerals. They get plenty of fresh air, grass/high fibre forage and exercise.

Barefoot implies more of a fashion for a hoof obsessed approach to horse care rather than caring for the whole animal.
 
I had one of my young tb's unshod as it was cheaper, and she wasnt in much work at all, so didnt need them. She walked over the concrete yard perfectly well, and was happy going down the road for a walk/trot.

Current one has fronts on, which I wont be taking off, and nothing on the back.
 
horserider said:
Barefoot implies more of a fashion for a hoof obsessed approach to horse care rather than caring for the whole animal.
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You are joking? Barefoot people are usually obsessed with nutrition for the whole horse which is reflected in the hooves. It is always about the whole animal from the way they move to exact minerals for peak health and therefore healthy hooves.
 
I those with 'barefoot' trimmed horses do care for the whole animal too ;)

Bertolie.. barefoot was a term that started in the USA and as most of the trimming schools have come over from that way it has stuck a bit. It isn't technically incorrect either. Some prefer the term to unshod as unshod would indicate that the default for a horse was shod.
 
Clava said:
You are joking?
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Um, no. I look at the whole animal. Physical and emotional. Coat, eyes, hooves, muscle tone, teeth, the way it eats, urine output, droppings, movement, social interaction, interest in its environment, apathy, excitability, attitude, ability to heal from infection, etc etc.
 
horserider said:
Barefoot implies more of a fashion for a hoof obsessed approach to horse care rather than caring for the whole animal.
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I don't mind people saying i'm obsessed with my horses feet but i can take offence at someone saying i don't care for the rest of my horse. I like to know that the whole of my horse is in perfect health, and that goes for all 4 horses, and not just their feet.
 
horserider said:
Um, no. I look at the whole animal. Physical and emotional. Coat, eyes, hooves, muscle tone, teeth, the way it eats, urine output, droppings, movement, social interaction, interest in its environment, apathy, excitability, attitude, ability to heal from infection, etc etc.
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That doesn't mean that barefooters don't, though :confused:. All these things and more can affect hoof health, so barefooters are concerned with all of them. A healthy hoof is a reflection of a healthy horse, therefore barefoot management is extremely holistic (in the non weird mystic way!).
 
horserider said:
Um, no. I look at the whole animal. Physical and emotional. Coat, eyes, hooves, muscle tone, teeth, the way it eats, urine output, droppings, movement, social interaction, interest in its environment, apathy, excitability, attitude, ability to heal from infection, etc etc.
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and why do you think those with barefoot horses don't?
 
horserider said:
Um, no. I look at the whole animal. Physical and emotional. Coat, eyes, hooves, muscle tone, teeth, the way it eats, urine output, droppings, movement, social interaction, interest in its environment, apathy, excitability, attitude, ability to heal from infection, etc etc.
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Any barefooters don't?? Those with barefoot horses can also look at unshod hooves and how the horse copes with those hooves on different terrian unaffected by shoes and that shows an owner even more about the health of the whole horse. Shod hooves just don't give you the same feedback.
 
horserider said:
Barefoot implies more of a fashion for a hoof obsessed approach to horse care rather than caring for the whole animal.
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Oh God I haven't laughed so much in a long, long time. Thankyou horserider.

You really don't know anything about people who manage barefoot horses, do you?
 
IMHO there are people who come across as obssesive. I'd prefer mine to be without (as one currently is), but if the need arises then I have shoes put on (as the other one has). Trouble with systems is they don't work for every horse, & there are those so obsessive in their belief of my way is the right & only way, that they fail to consider all possibilities. Same as 'natural' horsemanship (ther's the natural word that's often used as a justuification, sorry nothing natural about riding horses), saying their way is the only way & others aren't as good or don't truely understand. Horses for courses as the saying goes. Not downing NH, but saying any system shouldn't be obsessively followed by a devoted follower, rather the needs of the horse should dictate its training/care (not the needs of the owner). Get good/knowledgable owners & bad ones across the who spectrum of horse ownership.

It's the feeling that if you convert to 'the system' you have seen the light that reads as though people are obsessive to me. 2 penneths worth.
 
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I do think the term barefoot is a bit fashiony, I prefer unshod. The reason my mare is unshod is she has lovely strong feet and she slips on the road if she has shoes and having nursed one horse through broken knees I have no desire to go there again. I do hack quite a lot and have never found the need to have her shod but would do so if my farrier recommended it. She doesn't have any special diet to support her shoeless status, she just has a good basic well balanced diet suitable for age, breed and workload.
 
cptrayes said:
Oh God I haven't laughed so much in a long, long time. Thankyou horserider.

You really don't know anything about people who manage barefoot horses, do you?
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No, only what I read on here.:rolleyes:

I know plenty of people who have working unshod horses though and we're too busy riding to fanny about with putting on hoof boots, balancing minerals, listening to trimmers give lenghty life style advice, scrubbing hooves and applying all those pots of lotions and potions sold on barefooty sites, and mucking out because grass is not good for horses.

All the people I know/have known, with unshod horses just use a hoofpick, good forage, good farrier and plenty of exercise.

No obsessing, no fannying.
 
I think one other reason for more people having horses unshod/barefoot is that mobile xray machines have helped people see much more clearly the functional advantages for the hoof esp in relation to the navicular area.

And the lack of work a lot of horses do these days mean shoes really arent as necessary as they might have been when they were working horses doing hard work 6 days a week from morning til night.

And the use of modern fertilisers on a lot of land makes it more likely that hoof issues are going to arise as the ryegrass/fertiliser mix is a toxic one for horses.

I dont think most owners of unshod horses think that grass is poison...necessarily. BUT horses are originally designed for sparse scrubby grass, so it is true to say that many of them (esp those with metabolic issues) are at risk if they are exposed to rich lush single species grass.

I dont see it as an obsession, just progress from 'everything shod' to an approach that takes each case on its merits and needs. Personally Im very happy to see that, and dont think anyone should feel threatened by it.
 
horserider said:
No, only what I read on here.:rolleyes:

I know plentyof people who have working unshod horses thugh and we're too busy riding to fanny about with putting on hoof boots, balancing minerals, listening to trimmers give lenghty life style advice, scrubbing hooves and applying all those pots of lotions and potions sold on barefooty sites, and mucking out because grass is not good for horses.

All the people I know/have known, with unshod horses just use a hoofpick, good forage, good farrier and plenty of exercise.

No obsessing, no fannying.
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Thats the majority of barefoot horses on here too.


And majority of the rest of the horses you know with shoes is because the owner can't be bothered putting effort into finding out what's wrong with their horse so just stick shoes on it.

They're owners of the type of horses that those more interested in the horses holistic health do have to faff about to get it right. Or the horse where they've shoved shoes on it to mask all sorts of problems until the horse falls to bits.

Maybe that's the difference between unshod and barefoot horses: the amount of effort and care the owner puts in ;)
 
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ester said:
Bertolie.. barefoot was a term that started in the USA and as most of the trimming schools have come over from that way it has stuck a bit.
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I don't know if this is true, it may well be, but I have to say I've not heard many people over here saying their horse is "barefoot". I've really only heard that term when discussing mustangs feet over here ... the rest of the time I only ever hear it on H&H. It really isn't a term we use because as I mentioned earlier it's the norm for most horses here to not wear shoes so the only time it comes into question is if a horse does wear shoes and it's that which raises eyebrows and we become very suspicious as to *why* the horse is wearing shoes especially if it is just a low/mid level competition horse or pleasure riding horse.
 
well for me it's a simple choice

Saves me a fortune in shoes - and time too (trim for mine takes minutes, and he doesn't need them often).
Nice and grippy on the roads.

So unless he had a problem being barefoot, I see no reason to go and get him shod.
 
horserider said:
No, only what I read on here.:rolleyes:

I know plenty of people who have working unshod horses though and we're too busy riding to fanny about with putting on hoof boots, balancing minerals, listening to trimmers give lenghty life style advice, scrubbing hooves and applying all those pots of lotions and potions sold on barefooty sites, and mucking out because grass is not good for horses.

All the people I know/have known, with unshod horses just use a hoofpick, good forage, good farrier and plenty of exercise.

No obsessing, no fannying.
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Not having shoes doesn't, surely, imply the need to obsess or fanny about? I don't believe I do either. I have simply done my research on best possible diet to keep him barefoot, and I don't put any lotions or potions on. I don't scrub his hooves and I've never owned a hoof boot. I do own a hoofpick, I grant you that. Does that count as specialist equipment :cool:
 
I really don't understand why this had to be an either or situation I have four horses ATM , three are BF one is shod the shod is hunted hard and would not have taken the level of work without shoes he was working unshod from April till mid October then he was shod mid March his shoes willbe off and he'll work lightly all summer unshod .
Another is working hard and hunting ( although does less than hunting that the horse above ) he's been BF well over a year and does very well .
My TB arrived shod terrible feet sore after shoeing, collapsed heels and long toes the whole TB shod too long list of issues he has been BF since April feet have improved enormously will still get better he will spend around half the year in shoes half BF I think.
My cob in light work BF ATM has a not straight foreleg will also spend his year about half and half.
Why does it have to be either or ? Only one thing is black and white all horses however sound in shoes need to spend part of every year out of shoes , all good farriers will tell you that.
I have horses to use the horses I have I am committed to long term ie I intend they will spend all there lives here so as a commitment to their long term soundness they need a minimum twelve week shoeing break in each year and if I need to shoe them for whatever reason I will.
The main difference now is because of the BF approach I see that a break from shoes need not mean no horse to work train and enjoy you can remove the shoes and still work your horse.
 
horserider said:
Maybe there's nothing wrong with their horse ? Some shod horses are actually sound.
Radical thought for the barefoot obsessed eh ?
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Most horses will look sound with shoes on. Their feet have to be really knackered not to be.That's why people put shoes on! But if the horses are sound without shoes, why've they got them on? Bit odd unless they're just brainwashed BHS traditionalists. And if they're NOT sound without shoes, can the owner just not be arsed to find out why and rather just have shoes put on?

The barefoot taliban are those that have made the effort? As you have already pointed out, it cam be such a naff sometimes and just shoving shoes on is SOOOOO much easier.
 
To say that if you shoe your horse you don't look after it well enough is a tad ott really.

I think people who are able to manage a horse in full work, including a variety of terrain barefoot are extremely lucky. To have to use expensive hoof boots is kind of counteracting the arguament for barefoot surely? If the balance was right in their nutrition then surely they should be able to cope?

I shoe when and if I need too. I try and get away with fronts only and get positively excited about the farriers bill with either unshod or fronts only. The truth of it is though, I do a heck of a lot of road work and my horse has not got the toughest feet (warmblood). She can mangage for quite a while but then for her comfort (and she most definately is more comfortable) she has first a set of fronts on and then usually a back set as well within a few weeks. She has had long periods of rest in her life at grass where she always has shoes off.

Each to their own I tink, but I would no way scold someone for not going barefoot after implying they don't look after their horses welfare enough. That is just a silly presumption :)
 
OldNag said:
Not having shoes doesn't, surely, imply the need to obsess or fanny about? I don't believe I do either. I have simply done my research on best possible diet to keep him barefoot, and I don't put any lotions or potions on. I don't scrub his hooves and I've never owned a hoof boot. I do own a hoofpick, I grant you that. Does that count as specialist equipment :cool:
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Perhaps others think I DO obsess, why?, because I scrub out feet on the rare occasions I find a touch of thrush? because I have hoofboots stored in the tack-trunk that I use sometimes if needed? because I am interested in giving my ponies the best diet possible for their type and workload?

The funny thing is that my pal up the road who has shod horses does exactly the same!!
 
Welfare is keeping your horse comfortable. If they need shoes to be comfortable, put shoes on them. Effort comes in when trying to make them comfortable without resorting to shoes.

However they probably DON'T need shoes to be comfortable. With knowledge and effort you would be able to make most horses comfortable working hard without shoes. 'Luck' is having a horse who need naff all changes in management to be comfortable. Bad luck is having a far more sensitive horse who needs much 'faffing' to make it comfortable. I have both. My cob is the lucky horse. The ISH is the faffing horse. He's your 'warmblood' cazza. He will need a huge amount of effort and faffing to make him comfortable and I need to decide if it's worth it.
 
Ive had a couple of horses that were barefoot and they coped fine with normal ridden work, I didn't do anything special, just picked their feet out and got them trimmed...
However most horses i've owned need shoes for the work.
Personally I think people get obsessed about things when in fact just a balanced approach taking each horse as individual is the best. IMO I think barefoot has it's place and so do shoes.
 
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