Share your views on barefoot/unshod horses with the FRC....

I have given quite detailed feedback - many thanks for posting that link, I am very encouraged to see the FRC asking those of us who once used a farrier but don't any longer, why we have walked.

I think as many people as possible should do the same.

I think there is a huge opportunity for FRC to learn from the research.
 
Will reply later. Having had a farrier out today who trotted out the old line that TBs can't be barefoot then spout off stuff that was just completely wrong about foot anatomy & function I think it best not to reply while in this frame of mind! Needless to say I didn't let them trim :/
 
I do hope this is an effort to move farriery forward but my cynical side is alerted by the particular questions they are asking and I wonder what the motives are.
 
amandap said:
I do hope this is an effort to move farriery forward but my cynical side is alerted by the particular questions they are asking and I wonder what the motives are.
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I share your concerns and I haven't contacted them. I suspect that they want to somehow return to the monopoly that they had on hoof trimming etc... They certainly made a step towards that when they classified wraps as 'shoes'.
 
The comments box is all there is, Lucy.

I can only speak as I find so I said that our farriers are bliddy brilliant - progressive, open minded, good with horses. But I also said that I knew that I was very lucky to have them.
 
I'd expect it to be a bit more organized for research but perhaps I'm wrong. The statement says they are looking at numbers of un shod v shod horses but then ask us to write with our experiences. :confused: Perhaps it will lead to more research?
 
EstherYoung said:
Reward the try, Amandap ;)
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Well yes but I worry this may lead to an attempt to restrict trimming barefoot horses to farriers. This would affect owners who trim their own horses as well as owner choice and quality of care for many horses.
Hopefully the positive stories about non farrier care will outweigh the bad.
 
They'll be scuppered by my reply then, I said my horse self trims :D

I do think that they are probably looking at ways to regain many of the horses they must have 'lost' to trimmers or horses that are no longer using shoes. I certainly see far more unshod and horses shod only in front, probably helped by the recession, which must be having a massive impact on the industry. Twenty or so years ago almost every horse I came across was shod all round.
 
They'll be scuppered by my reply then, I said my horse self trims
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Oh they'll reclassify the road as a rasp and try to get it illegal to rasp without their qualification and you'll have to shoe to keep his hooves off the road. ;) :p
 
Call me paranoid, but this lot will be attempting to outlaw rasping your own horses feet. I just don't trust people who have been vehemently against barefoot, justified shoeing with lies and unscientific rubbish and are tainted with massive self interest.
 
I named my trimmer for being excellent, praised her training and qualifications and customer service (it's Lucy Priory so lots of you know her) and named the previous farrier who told me I would wreck my horse if I went barefoot and wouldn't tell me why (except to say that he was more qualified than me). I also mentioned the five nails that Lucy found through her white line in just ONE hind foot when she deshod her (no wonder I had to bute her to shoe). My money is they WON'T bother speaking to him...
 
Personally I have the opinion that all associations for footcare need an overhaul and need to be working together and be under the same regulations.

Maybe I've been lucky as my farrier is excellent and my experiences of trimmers has left a bad taste in my mouth, but there is something BOTH could learn from each other.
 
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