Transition to Barefoot

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Madasmaz

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Hi,

I have been doing some reading around this subject and have arranged an assessment for the 2nd March (the farrier being due the following week). In anticipation of going barefoot, what preparation should I make? Should I get in things like Keratex hoof hardener, cleartrax, measure her feet for hoof boots? Which type of hoof boots do people reccomend? I've seen the marquis supergrips which have pump up air bags...do they work as others seem to have rubbing issues???

I know that the barefoot practioner that is going to visit me is good, she keeps a 17hh clydesdale going barefoot and he does a lot more road work than my girl. I will be given a program to help my pony transition back to being native on her feet. Discussion with my trainer, who is all for it, also thinks it will be beneficial, and will help with the windgalls on my pony's hind legs. I am also aware that transition can take a year or two until she is fully barefoot and sound on all surfaces, after all new forest ponies out on the forest manage perfectly well with out shoes and probably do more road work again than my girl, who was born on the forest.

If anyone has been through the transition to barfeoot has any pointers, or things I should look out for on this journey, I would be most grateful. I would also appreciate it if you could keep any derogatory comments to yourselves.....I'm really not interested, and they don't constitute advice.
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I just had the shoes taken off to be honest!! Farrier trims 6 weekly and my horse has never been so good. He has now been barefoot for 16 months
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I didn't have to slow anything down and it's now making me cringe at the amount of money I spent on shoeing when he didn't need it for 10 years!!!

Depends on the horse obviously - personally if he had been at all footy and need a 'transition period' to be sound I would have had the shoes straight back on!

PS - I have not had the need to use boots
 
I wouldn't touch Keratex!

I wouldn't measure her feet until after they've been trimmed cos they could end up being too big if you measure now and that could be an expensive mistake to make! Also depending on what sort of state her feet are in your trimmer may not even recommend boots. So I'd just wait until after her assessment.

I also wouldn't bother with Clenatrax just yet. Again because its relatively expensive and quite a faff to use so unless your trimmer specifically recommends it then you may well not use it. My lad had some reasonably well established HWI when I first got him but with regular use of Borax and Sudocreme we're well on top of it.

Your trimmer will also make recommendations on diet and exercise so you may have some changes to make there.

Good luck with it, keep us posted and beware that you will become a hoof anorak
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all my horses are now barefoot (2 IDxTB's, 1 WB and 1 Welsh D) and have been for nearly 2 years and tbh theres only 1 of them that ive had difficulties with, the others have just adapted to going without shoes. theyve never needed boots etc, just carried on with the road work etc as they did before. My IDxTB who had very poor feet when shod took a little bit longer to accept the stonier ground but is fine with it now. yes she had the odd footy moment but we persevered.
the only problem i had was with my Welsh D who is a chronic laminits sufferer and who ripped her foot open from coronary band down so i have to be careful with the crack to ensure it doesnt open. As her soles were paper thin at the time of transition, we invested in a pair of Boa boots- my barefoot trimmer measured her for me and told me what size to get. as her feet have changed shape and accepted hacking on roads without the boots we started doing more without them and she copes great now to the point the boots have been sold.

there are some great books out there they go into depth of barefoot and revery interesting reads. PM me if you want the titles

if you want any other info then just PM me
 
Every winter my lot go barefoot...just whip the shoes off and leave them to it..still do road work etc.

I only use shoes in summer for grip when jumping on grass.
 
my horse had her backs taken off, her feet looked so much better the fronts followed the next autumn.i didnt really do anything special to help her feet,just eased back on her work and avoided stoney paths for a while

the 5yo had her fronts taken off.shes been fine working on the school and on roads-but she wears her hoof boots for hacking as she had thin soles and her feet had cracks in them.she stomps over gravel now though so prehaps she would be ok without once these flipping cracks grow out!
 
Don't buy anything until you've talked to the trimmer. She'll take notes about your horse's diet and exercise, and make recommendations for any supplements. She'll also advise you on boots: you may very well not need any. My pony was a little sore initially on gravel, but rapidly got over it.
 
Thank-you everyone.....I am feeling much encouraged and positive about all of this. I just hope the next 5 weeks whizz by. Now I'm off to see if there is a barefoot and fancy free group on facebook...if not I may just start one...
 
My horse was barefoot for 9 months from Autumn to spring. As the ground dried out, he became lame and had to have shoes put on. Unfortunately.

Use hoof hardener initially if you feel it is needed.
 
Don't use hoof hardener, the sole needs to exfoliate during the transition period, and the wall needs to flex. When the false sole has exfoliated, then you can use hoof hardener but on the sole only, not the wall.
 
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