*Sahara
Well-Known Member
where's the +1 button :lol:
Self trimming, rockley farm, supported by my vet
- Thread starter Kezzabell2
- Start date
where's the +1 button :lol:
ester
Not slacking multitasking
The thing is I don't really analyse his feet very much anymore, they are what they are. 
So when my YO of couple of years comes out with 'his feet are looking good aren't they?' I'm just like, 'err yeah?' - This isn't news
So when my YO of couple of years comes out with 'his feet are looking good aren't they?' I'm just like, 'err yeah?' - This isn't news littletrotter
Well-Known Member
I've read all this with interest. The ponies i rode in younger days were all barefoot, mainly because they'd been outgrown and out of work for some years before we rode them. But they had great, hard feet and never went lame in their feet. We rode them on all sorts of surfaces but basically where and when we fancied, never to look after their feet. I never really questioned it at the time, it was normal for them so it seemed normal to me.
Some of the demands for scientific studies make me smile - can anyone link the scientific studies that prove horses NEED to be shod and will be lame if unshod? No, we shoe because, mainly, we shoe. There were probably good reasons for some horses at one time or another, but it being more or less universally adopted is not because of scientific evidence. It amazes me how many people want scientific evidence on a new method before they abandon their unscientific status quo.
Some of the demands for scientific studies make me smile - can anyone link the scientific studies that prove horses NEED to be shod and will be lame if unshod? No, we shoe because, mainly, we shoe. There were probably good reasons for some horses at one time or another, but it being more or less universally adopted is not because of scientific evidence. It amazes me how many people want scientific evidence on a new method before they abandon their unscientific status quo.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
the quickest one 12 hours, the longest successful one a year. The quickest was a 6yo arab in shoes. Just took them off, went to bed, got up (a Saturday) and went off for our usual day's ride. The only thing that went wrong was when we got to the top of a slope with slick wet grass. He went off on his skiing holiday!! Finally he managed to stop, got the message he had to work out a better way of doing things and never did that again. We just carried on as normal, careful on roads and stones, lot of grass work and then gradually increased the roads etc. This was the last 80's so no boots around then and no other info. He was PTS at 26 and spent 20years barefoot over anything.
The longest was an 18 yo old horse with very badly damaged feet. He had no frog and the contraction was so bad that the heel buttresses just about touched. This was a good 15 years ago so again no boots as such. It took a year and by then he was gaiting on tarmac with gravel out of choice. If I knew then what I know now it would have taken 9mths. He was clearly EMS. The metabolic ones and the cushings ones are the most difficult.
The longest unsuccessful one is currently 13 years and counting. He is PPID and cushings horses seem to have a mind of their own. He is ridden in 4 boots and will never progress beyond there even though his diet and feet are OK.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
I canot see that scientific evidence will be there for a long time it at all. For me I am looking for evidence based results. The science can say anything but the big question is does it work in practice and if you follow the rules is it repeatable horse after horse. I have, over the years, found it repeatable on my own horses some barefoot from birth, some shod and then deshod and some shod with terrible feet. I struggled with the cushings but then when I finally understood I realised that really he was a success story and not the failure I had previously thought. He had good feet and could manage well fully booted but still had all the advantages of a barefoot the rest of the time plus he had his bare feet as an early warning system for laminitis.
I cannot see how you can gain scientific proof as every single horse is different as is every single living condition and both are an equal part of the equation. Unless you rehabbed 2 feet barefoot and rehabbed 2 shod on the same horse you would never be dealing with the same animal for comparison. In any study there could be some horses with underlying problems that will never make it. Mine had undiagnosed cushings for years before diagnosis. You only need a couple like that in a study and the results will be distorted similarly if a couple of EMS ones slipped through the net.
As a matter of interest how does Nic know that the horses she takes are not metabolic ones as well as structural problem ones? Presumably metabolic does OK at Rockley with a tight regime but once home things may not be so great. Even if the results of Rockley for eg are studied as to whether the improvement continues they can be distorted when metabolic issues appear. To me it seems that any study would be very difficult as you would be unlikely to be comparing like with like.
Arzada
Well-Known Member
I got 3 minutes into that video and that was enough. I've been to look at another of her videos 'Correct anatomical bar trimming' and stopped watching in under three minutes when I heard 'take the bar out' Is this a Strasser trimmer? I ask because in the few minutes of watching the videos there are similarities.
Last edited:
ester
Not slacking multitasking
well I can tell her why that pony keeps foundering..... that video and all that sculpting goes against most of the title of this thread ie self trimming...
The only times I have thought radical trimming might be valid is in those that have have had long term laminitis and no appropriate hoof care - eg some of the arabs of PFK with hugely overgrown feet.
wall pulling the sole forwards!?
The only times I have thought radical trimming might be valid is in those that have have had long term laminitis and no appropriate hoof care - eg some of the arabs of PFK with hugely overgrown feet.
wall pulling the sole forwards!?
Last edited:
FfionWinnie
Well-Known Member
9 times and no problems.
*Sahara
Well-Known Member
I don't know but I have watched a lot of her videos, some things make sense while others don't but I like to watch different ways of doing this but do prefer the self trim way.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
My first rehab, lame in shoes and desperately flat feet, having to be shod one foot at a time, took nine months to do an affiliated novice ODE (1m 10 so and xc) . He would have been a lot quicker if I'd known about iron and manganese effect on feet, and if hoof boots had been made big enough at the time. The others ranged from nought days (including an or tv with race plates on) to twelve weeks. I have evented five affiliated and hunted four. It's easy for me, I have almost optimum conditions. Barring the shale track, I can do a Rockley every time.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
Rockley does not knowingly take on metabolic horses. I believe many probably are, undiagnosed, and the standard treatment for rehab there is perfect for them. Then when they go home, of course, is a different kettle of fish.
Wundahorse
Well-Known Member
Hi
I walk him around the yard but as we are adjacent to a fairly busy country lane I am wary about walking him on the road. He can be a handful to manage and worry he may be naughty. He is pretty good in regular traffic but is likely to react to lorries.
He is on fast fibre/Alfa A and high fibre cubes with a joint supplement and LexVet.
I walk him around the yard but as we are adjacent to a fairly busy country lane I am wary about walking him on the road. He can be a handful to manage and worry he may be naughty. He is pretty good in regular traffic but is likely to react to lorries.
He is on fast fibre/Alfa A and high fibre cubes with a joint supplement and LexVet.
LCH611
Well-Known Member
me. All 4 of my connie ponies are barefoot and I have never had the slightest issue (and consequently am a bit baffled as to why Rockley are always hailed as doing something unique). I have one that has to be shod to have studs for the eventing season, but the moment the last event is finished he has his shoes whipped off and instantly seems to be able to march across flints with no problems. My farrier is very supportive, and just laughs when I tell him that I am going for the "council trim" (trotting along a few roads) so don't need to see him.
Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
The thing about stories from Rockey was that several of the horses sent there would have been PTS the following week, having exhausted the best efforts of the owner's vet and farrier, so they were at the Last Chance Saloon, certainly in the early days. Thanks to the treatment, owners and vets are realising that earlier intervention is better.
unicornystar
Well-Known Member
Can you truly have a barefoot competition horse in the majority of cases?
THIS....
I would love to go back barefoot as my chap came to me barefoot....but was only hacking and schooling on surfaces....
The bus that he is, there is no way he wouldn't slip on grass while competing without studs....this totally puts me off barefoot
The other reason being when he was he was nappy and footy, now he is shod is perfect...no issues....
Back to the original point of my post, who competes on grass with large heavy horses at speed and can you do it without falling over?
THIS....
I would love to go back barefoot as my chap came to me barefoot....but was only hacking and schooling on surfaces....
The bus that he is, there is no way he wouldn't slip on grass while competing without studs....this totally puts me off barefoot
The other reason being when he was he was nappy and footy, now he is shod is perfect...no issues....
Back to the original point of my post, who competes on grass with large heavy horses at speed and can you do it without falling over?
Morgan123
Well-Known Member
Yes - lots of people have said they are doing so (in the replies above you've got endurance, evening up to at least 1.10, hunting - etc)
fattylumpkin
Well-Known Member
There's also the winter to think of. Barefoot is not an option on blank ice and boots are not a substitute for showshoes and ice studs on a horse in the winters we get here. After losing boot #2 in a snowy field (found it next spring) I'll never regret shoeing her.
I guess that's a long way of saying that we can never argue that one solution will fit all horses in all situations. All sides have to keep an open mind and simply do what is best for the horse.
I guess that's a long way of saying that we can never argue that one solution will fit all horses in all situations. All sides have to keep an open mind and simply do what is best for the horse.
LCH611
Well-Known Member
3 of my 4 are not worried at all about slipping, the other is a nervous Nellie and worries about everything, so I put studs on him in the summer. All 4 happily hunt without shoes, although one of them did turn upside down with me on the road and smashed my collarbone - I was a bit complacent about how surefooted he is and exited down a hill and onto tarmac too fast......
stencilface
High upon a hillside
I wish we had snow like that, all we have here at the moment is far too warm temperatures (need to kill of the bugs!) and horrid dirgy dirty weather, yesterday I swear daylight just never arrived, maybe our british astronaut was blocking the sun?
ycbm
Overwhelmed
I've done BE Novice on two 17 handers, one who I could only control jumping in a Pelham. I have hunted on two other 16.3s, neither of which could be controlled without a curb and one even then only just. I have hunted and evented a number of other smaller horses as well. I have rarely been the only one on a barefoot horse hunting, but I'm the only one jumping the really big stuff. Rider confidence and horse balance are key.
A friend of mine is part of the National Champion long distance riding team on a barefoot horse. The shod horses I the team have more trouble with stones than hers does.
If your horse was footie, then something was wrong, and of course you can't compete successfully on a footie horse.
Last edited:
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Yes, we definitely don't have that issue here, it is relatively roasting atm!
Kezzabell2
Well-Known Member
Yes Sam would be naked now, if it wasn't for all the mud in his wet field
can't believe how mild it is.
stencilface
High upon a hillside
Yes Sam would be naked now, if it wasn't for all the mud in his wet field
Mine too, but there is NO WAY I'm putting my hippo of a grey horse out on that mud. NO WAY. He'll have to live with a sheet on.
Landcruiser
Well-Known Member
I took the shoes of my sound horse the day after I bought him and he was fully sound from day 1. A month in he got footy towards the end of a long day on hard surfaces and flinty tracks, but a couple of days off and he was fine. That was about 6 years ago. We do TREC, fun rides, hacking (and we don't hang about), lots of road work. I trim him myself and have a barefoot trimmer check him about twice a year, although she rarely has to do much. Easy life, and his feet are tremendous. I can't imagine having a shod horse. I wish more vets were on board, but I've seen positive changes in the last few years and I witnessed an "old school" shoeing vet become convinced and then positively enthusiastic about barefoot while treating a friend's old cob through a barefoot transition (with my rock cruncher in the next stable)
FfionWinnie
Well-Known Member
Barefoot certainly is an option in snow. I've cantered in snow up to their bellies no problem. No irritating snow balling in their feet or slipping.
Sheet ice will be a problem for anything!
fattylumpkin
Well-Known Member
There are actually a lot of people who select barefoot in this area and prefer it, but does limit riding in the winter - which is a price they're happy to pay. Riding in lovely deep snow in a nearby field is fun, but four months of continuous snow and ice is testing if you want to hack out normally. I've actually ridden barefoot two winters on mine (I was determined at the time that only barefoot was going to work for her) and in the end, it's just nice not to see her gingerly creeping her way around when she senses the footing isn't so safe under the snow.
It does amaze me just how much horses can sense through their feet without shoes though, and they're a lot more surefooted than I gave them credit for.
It does amaze me just how much horses can sense through their feet without shoes though, and they're a lot more surefooted than I gave them credit for.
PorkChop
Well-Known Member
So are you saying that my horses, who wear out their shoes every 5 weeks, will grow "harder" feet?
............. sorry, another question!
............. sorry, another question!
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
My boy pretty much self trims now, he sees the farrier once in a blue moon for a check and tidy if needed.
If I ever have another horse after my oldie canters off without me then I'm honestly not putting shoes on unless I absolutely have to. Having my old guys barefoot and still being able to do everything a shod horse does is just fab and so much cheaper.
If I ever have another horse after my oldie canters off without me then I'm honestly not putting shoes on unless I absolutely have to. Having my old guys barefoot and still being able to do everything a shod horse does is just fab and so much cheaper.
FfionWinnie
Well-Known Member
They will grow more feet. Did you see the pic I put up earlier?
paddy555
Well-Known Member
absolutely!!
what stimulus to improve their quality do your feet have in shoes? all they can do is put out inferior growth. Give them some stimulus and they put out quality growth and then they get the message that they have to put out sufficient growth to keep up with the level of work they are doing.