Preparing to go barefoot?

[Jingleballs]

After next months annual show (which we'll have to hack to) I'm hoping to try Casper barefoot. Farrier is all for it and says he has good feet, he is perfectly happy being ridden on sand and grass when he's pulled a shoe (which happens all to frequently hence why we're trying barefoot)

I'm going to start with the back feet and see how we go.

I've been advised to start using hoof hardener in preparation for this but I was wondering if there is anything else I should be doing to increase the possibility of this being successful.

Thanks!

 

[Firewell]

ooooh, im thinking of maybe (very maybe) taking my horses shoes off. She hates being shod and gets nail bind easily.

Please let me know how u get on

Oh and as for advice, Ive heard that nutrition is very important and that a good feed balancer can help.

 

[Fleur100]

I compete my natives barefoot and the TBs without hind shoes. My old TB always has all shoes removed in the winter. I don't need to use any hoof hardener but I don't tend to remove the TBs front shoes until the ground is 'softer'.

 

[louise4208]

my horse goes barefoot all through the winter, although he's 30yo and (semi) retired. We don't do too much during the winter so my farrier reckoned he would be better off without shoes during this time, have done this for the past 3 winters and his feet have been great. I've never used a hoof hardener, but I would go with what your farrier recommends.
Saves me money during the winter as well, which is always good!!

 

[dthiele]

Have a good read of the barefoot sites on the internet. Don't think any of them recommend hardener. My big trakhener has been barefoot for two years now, he still gets a bit footy sometimes so we use Boa boots, estimate that including the cost of the boots, I have saved £8-900 on shoes!
Good luck.

 

[_daisy_]

i have not had to make any different arrangements for 2 of my horses that have made the transition to barefoot from shod. the only other one i have barefoot (pony) made the transition very slowly so when she was excersised she had boa boots on her fronts. I havent used any products like keratex etc at the soles have naturally hardened up with the exercise. The only thing i have added to the ponies feed is magnesium but no supplements etc.

 

[Lyndz]

Go for it! My Mare has been barefoot for the past 8 years now I think! She was a nightmare to shoe(at least 1hr and half!) Farrier said that because her feet were so hard and the amount of work we do, that there wouldn't be a problem! I've only ever had 1 lameness issue! Would recommend it to anyone! They get a better foot shape too.