The truth about barefoot

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i have to say a vet has been through a degree and 6 years of trainning and a farrier 4 years at collage, a 4 day trimming course is no subsitute at all for all that wealth of experiance

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ANyone who thinks it is is a complete idiot. Thankfully, the UKNHCP are very much against short trimming courses like those you mention.

But Quadro remember also that once that Vet leaves college he has to make an effort to keep up to date with new research. Some do, some don't.
 
I did not say i had faith in vets. But they have training that i have not also visa versa. I prefer my clients come to me with thrush/abcess etc as this is my area of speciality (hooves)

And vets have done things to laminitics that i advised the owners against but that is down to the owner to choose their course of management.

This is pretty much the bottom line really.
 
Sally since you can't find it in what I wrote:

the right work
the right amount of turnout
a daily period of "dry turnout" in winter
the right bedding if stabled (definitely not mats with no bed)
the right food
the right minerals and trace elements
a good trim (OK, that one was inferred and not stated)

NO, I can't define "right". They depend on each horse and each owner. In some cases what the horse needs, the owner will be unable to provide. In some cases what they need would be so excessive that to all practical intents the horse cannot go barefoot. In some cases it would be downright cruel to try.
 
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If you don't trust your vets knowledge and professional experience, why don't you change vet? I would.
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Because I know what he doesn't on the foot front, and he's fine on the stuff I need him to know. There are very few vets who truly know about working barefoot horses, none in this area that I know of.
 
Sorry Sally but that's absolutely right. You can have two horses that look identical and do exactly the same work, and one will take to it easily and the other may have a lot more difficulty. For a reason I haven't yet managed to work out, some have more trouble with the back feet and some have more trouble with the front!

I have two middleweights right now, and one is sensitive to grass sugars and one is not. For company, I keep them both in a barn 9 to 7 through the spring and summer, but the bigger one could stay out all the time with no problems.

If the feet look good, then until you do it, you don't really know how it might go. If the feet look bad you are usually aware that "this one" will take more care, but sometimes they surprise you even then and take to it immediately.

I know that sounds woolly but it really is a very individual thing.
 
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I have two middleweights right now, and one is sensitive to grass sugars and one is not.

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How do you know that a sugar intollerance exists? Do your horses routinely get blood tested?
 
Because if I keep him in from 9 til 7 he is rock crunching in his ability to work over rubble paths in the Peak Park, and if I let him have grass during the hours of peak daylight, he cannot walk across the tougher surfaces without occasionally feeling a stone.

On his own, this proves nothing but there are many horses owned by UKNHCP followers who show the same effect in spring/summer, therefore it seems reasonable to conclude that he is intolerant of fructans in grass. The same is seen in shod horses at the same time of year, as The Farrier has already mentioned.
 
I think this thread is almost dead now and I'm due a nap. Thankyou to everyone who contributed sensible stuff to the discussion and let us talk about the real issues.
 
ah but petantic anyone who trusts there farrier and vet is an idiot so im told
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So let’s start with one statement, and if you don’t agree, please read no further, this post is NOT FOR YOU.

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If you’d like to discuss it, please let's have a sensible and reasoned discussion.

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LOL! How can you say no one is allowed to partake in the thread if they don't agree with your statement, and then call it a "discussion"?

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True, the OP does come across as 'the oracle dispenses pearls of wisdom on the ignorant' rather than a genuine invitation to discuss
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I feel patronised by my participation, but it is an interesting subject and I have found many inputs interesting
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I finf it interesting that questions which the OP declines to answer are the ones which may not show horses remaining without shoes in the best light, but given their refusal to discuss, merely state, then I should not be surprised.
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I actually thought your request for research references was entirely reasonable and not troll like behaviour at all
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Just so people are aware - nothing to do with whether barefoot is good or bad - many insurance policies are invalid if you do not have your horse's feet trimmed/cared for by a registered farrier. Do check the small print carefully.
 
Pedantic it is by far the easiest course to go with what your farrier says. You should do that.

Quadro the only idiots are the one who says that and anyone who bothers to repeat it.
 
Oh for crying out loud you people! The questions I refuse to answer are the ones that are already answered in my post, the ones that have been answered a million times already in other threads (yes, horses can do roadwork with no shoes on!) and the ones which are put simply to pick a fight with me.

Want the research references? - do your own work I'm not your bl**dy slave! Start with Rockleyfarm.co.uk, pick up references from there and carry on. Buy "Performance Barefoot" - if for no other reason than there is a super picture of my horse jumping a lovely big fence with his bare feet on the front.

If you are geniunely interested in learning as opposed to picking a fight you would do that.

I particularly love the fact that someone who states outright that I can be compared with a fascist racist complains that s/he may be considered a troll for doing so. Priceless hypocrisy!

This post has done what I meant it to. There are now hundreds of people who have a more balanced view of barefoot.

I have said it causes early laminitis and that not all horses can do it and that it takes a lot of work in some cases and you STILL claim that I am hiding something? Grow up the lot of you.

Since the thread has now been taken over by idiots I won't be posting again.
 
I've read the first and last post - the last one is quite funny!

I saw an advert for gel that you apply to a horses sole and it sticks and forms a pad - supposed to be good for barefoot horses - has any one tried it?
 
I didn't think the paper request was that big an ask tbh, its something we do when discussing sciency things if we know where they are and have access to the literature which I think quite a few of us do. I know this is a forum but it is normally on the onus of the author to provide the refs for their points rather than readers.
 
OP providing the source of references is part and parcel of discussion.

Stop throwing your dummy out!

I'm not surprised at your cop out that you feel this post has been taken over by 'idiots' Would you prefer if we just gave you praise?
 
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Not actually the case, and an equine "urban myth", but of the veterinary report indicates poor or incomptetent hoof care then they may refuse the claim.

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NOT an urban myth - I was renewing my horse insurance last week and I promise you several of the 'big name' companies had this clause in.
 
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What do horses need to go barefoot. I've seen you comment on a few ocassions that many owners cannot provide what's needed for their horses to go barefoot - but you've never actually said what is needed to be provided??
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Could I suggest you read a book called "Feet First" by Nic Barker and Sarah Braithwaite. This should take you to it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_0_10...efix=feet+first it will tell you everything you need to know.

Basically it is about the holostic management of the horse's diet, environment and getting that right before you even consider taking the shoes off.
 
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i have to say a vet has been through a degree and 6 years of trainning and a farrier 4 years at collage, a 4 day trimming course is no subsitute at all for all that wealth of experiance

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Have you checked the UKNHCP training syllabus? 4 days mightjust cover one module with the pre reading and post reading/work
 
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Oh for crying out loud you people! The questions I refuse to answer are the ones that are already answered in my post, the ones that have been answered a million times already in other threads (yes, horses can do roadwork with no shoes on!) and the ones which are put simply to pick a fight with me.

Want the research references? - do your own work I'm not your bl**dy slave! Start with Rockleyfarm.co.uk, pick up references from there and carry on. Buy "Performance Barefoot" - if for no other reason than there is a super picture of my horse jumping a lovely big fence with his bare feet on the front.

If you are geniunely interested in learning as opposed to picking a fight you would do that.

I particularly love the fact that someone who states outright that I can be compared with a fascist racist complains that s/he may be considered a troll for doing so. Priceless hypocrisy!

This post has done what I meant it to. There are now hundreds of people who have a more balanced view of barefoot.

I have said it causes early laminitis and that not all horses can do it and that it takes a lot of work in some cases and you STILL claim that I am hiding something? Grow up the lot of you.

Since the thread has now been taken over by idiots I won't be posting again.

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*ducks from the flying toys*
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