Tell me about taking shoes off?

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Winifred's sharer is really into NH and is working wonders with her, so tell me about how to get her feet good after the please
 
I took Jay's shoes off for winter, and first of all I got his diet right, as in low sugars and starch. I also started to feed Pro Hoof, as it is higher in copper and lower in iron.
I took the shoes off and just lightly rounded the edges off so they would not catch and split, but your farrier would probably be happy to do this, and at the same time show you how to maintain the shape for if they split so the damage does not get worse. I think it is important to consult the farrier as he knows your horses' feet, and may have to shoe up again in the future so it is in your and his interest to work together.
For the first month I let the feet find their balance, and walked every day in hand on the road to help the feet find their level. To my mind it is better to be conservative for the first month, and not give them a "barefoot trim" other than rounding them off to let them settle. He was still fine to ride i the arena, and if there were any rough edges I smoothed them off.
After a month Jay had his feet shaped more, at this time you may find it helpful to consult a barefoot trimmer. They may be able to help you learn to maintain the feet between trims. If your farrier does working barefoot horses he may be able to keep right on rather than use a trimmer. If the horse carries on walking on the road every day they may self trim.
A lot of the time if your horse is sore it is because of thrush, or especially in spring early changes in the foot due to low grade lami. If he is generally footsore then the work may be too much, and Jay has some Easyboot Gloves for long rides. Many horses will be 18 months or so to rehab and be able to work on stones.
As well as farrier, trimmer and vet other sources of information are on the web, such as barefoot horse owners on facebook.
Good luck!
 
The Tank said:
Winifred's sharer is really into NH and is working wonders with her, so tell me about how to get her feet good after the please
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As Red-1 said, low sugar and low starch diet (avoid cereal based feeds). Go for a fibre based diet with biotin, copper and low iron content (happy hoof is good) But above all, be prepared to take things slowly. It can take upto a year for a horse to fully transition to barefoot as it takes time for the hoof to grow down and it and the leg to rebalance. Work gradually on hard surfaces, building up over time. Avoid putting ointments and creams on the hooves if you can as they alter the hoof uptake of water. If the weather is really hot and dry then having somewhere the horse can stand in water to rebalance moisture (and dry standing in winter) is useful.
 
I got my mare when she was 16 and she had always had shoes however she slipped on the road even with road studs so my farrier suggested taking the back shoes off which we did. It went very well so about three months later I went for the fronts as well - my farrier said her feet were suitable. I did lots of transition work (walking in hand over different surfaces) and got her front hoof boots. I didn't change her diet in any way but it was always low sugar because she is prone to laminitis. She was footy at first when the fronts came off and is still a bit of diva on very stony ground - I use the hoof boots if I'm going to be going riding on surfaces she doesn't like. She's now rising 22, has "text book feet" according to my farrier and most importantly perfect traction on every surface. She's a Section D x TB who had a competitive show jumping career before I had her. I would say going barefoot was the best thing I have done. Just one note of caution; avoid barefoot trimmers and use a proper qualified farrier who is able to do ridden trims and has a significant unshod customer base. I've seen two horse coming very close to ending their ridden careers because of barefoot trimmers who do not have the skills and experience to handle things when something goes wrong - both situations rescued my the same farrier (the one I use) and both horse still barefoot and working.
 
What the others said.

I took shoes off my horse when she kept pulling them shortly after I had bought her. She had terrible feet anyway and I needed to allow them time to grow healthily. Diet was reviewed, we looked at supplements too. I didn't ride for 3 months after her shoes came off (but that was because she had very little hoof left and I just wanted them left alone for a bit!). I am sure I would have if it was just a case of removing shoes, but you do need to make sure you transition your horse appropriately, so lots of in hand walking over different surfaces to begin with, gradually building on this before ridden work. You may find that your horse appears footy or sore over particularly stony or gravel like surfaces (some may not be, mine really was), so take your time - I have always found that pushing too much too soon was likely to undo any hard work. I did debate hoof boots at one point, but after she got over the initial phase of footiness she didn't need them. A good farrier whose knowledgeable in bare foot horses and trimming will also be a godsend whilst your horse adjusts.
 
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pansymouse said:
Just one note of caution; avoid barefoot trimmers and use a proper qualified farrier who is able to do ridden trims and has a significant unshod customer base. I've seen two horse coming very close to ending their ridden careers because of barefoot trimmers who do not have the skills and experience to handle things when something goes wrong - both situations rescued my the same farrier (the one I use) and both horse still barefoot and working.
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And there are horses out there who have had careers ended by farriers. You are very lucky to have the farrier you do but believe me the majority have no idea how to keep a horse in work barefoot - they are taught a pasture trim and to shoe.

My horses have been under the care of 3 different barefoot trimmers and all have been great and my horses have been far from text book. A trimmer looks at the whole horse and can advise on diet and mineral balancing etc. Personally I wouldn't let a farrier near my horses feet.

OP there are good and bad trimmers and there are good and bad farriers. Be prepared to ask questions and find the person who suits you, your horse and your situation best.
 
pansymouse said:
Just one note of caution; avoid barefoot trimmers and use a proper qualified farrier who is able to do ridden trims and has a significant unshod customer base. I've seen two horse coming very close to ending their ridden careers because of barefoot trimmers who do not have the skills and experience to handle things when something goes wrong - both situations rescued my the same farrier (the one I use) and both horse still barefoot and working.
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And if I'd stuck with my farrier I'd have 2 that would be lame at best and pts at worst.


Find the right person and get recommendations in your area from people who have been through it. I went through 3 farriers before i found the person who currently manages my horse's feet.
 
The trimmer that comes to our yard is Sarah Swallow, Winnie is a hardy little Bodmin Moore Cob. She's only had shoes on for 2 years so I'm hoping she'll be ok.
 
If you use a barefoot trimmer, just make sure you get good reviews about them first as there are brilliant ones out there (but as with farriers, you get some dodgy ones too!). I have 5 horses - 3 of which are trimmed by a farrier and 2 are trimmed by a barefoot trimmer. It just depends on the horse to be honest. Since I got my pony trimmed by a barefoot trimmer (rather than farrier which we used for years), suddenly he stopped getting absesses and as many bruised soles, he's been far sounder since being barefoot trimmed so I'd never go back now. It depends if you ever want to shoe again though, for example I keep my mare trimmed by farrier as she may need shoes eventually (to compete safely on grass).

I know a lot of "barefoot" people say you have to change the horses diet etc. but I personally never have. Mine are out 24/7 and on high fibre based diets anyway, but I don't feed anything specific for their hooves or do anything else differently. Try your horse barefoot OP and just see how you get on, at worst you can just put the shoes back on again. I don't really get why so many people have to query taking shoes off, should be the other way round!
 
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I took the shoes off my mare when she did a leg at the beginning of December. We left her for a shoeing cycle then the trimmer came. She made some suggestions such as doing a detox, feeding Thunderbrooks Gut Restore & Liquid Gold and the difference is beginning to show. She walks over the gravel drive no worries anymore and tarmac is no problem at all.

Mare has been on a hi fibre/low starch diet and Pro Hoof since she arrived. Not sure I'd have any hesitation in starting riding her on the road now… except that she's still got a dodgy leg!!
 
The Tank said:
Winnie gets apple chaff, fiber nuggets and grass nuts, plus salt and rapeseed oil. Does this sound ok?
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No. The apple chaff is likely to be high in sugar, get a molasses free one or some speedi beet. I would drop the rapeseed oil and feed micronised linseed instead, it's done wonders for my mares feet. And I'd add in a vit and min balancer. Progressive earth on eBay do a good one called pro balance :)
 
I have 2 both with very good feet.

One has thrived being barefoot and is much more conscious of where his feet are, the other was never quite sound so have had her reshoed. Her feet were too big for boots or I would have happily used boots as she was very elevated. I would never use boots on the other one as he has a tendency to go on his forehand and trip.

So my advice, really listen to your horse, it will tell you everything. Set a time limit of, say, 6months to get it right.
 
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