Transitioning Retired Horse to Barefoot

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FluffyCat

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Hello,
First post so I hope it’s in the right section. I’m hoping someone could advise me re transitioning to barefoot.
I’ve recently very sadly had to retire my mare due to a fetlock injury. I’ve been advised to consider trying her barefoot; partly from those who feel shoes are an unnecessary expense for a field ornament, and partly from the vet who feels the percussion against the hoof and (comparatively longer) time spent flexing the leg during shoeing are things she can probably do without, at least in the short term while her joint settles down.

If she can’t cope without shoes then it’s not the end of the world to continue having her shod, but I can see the sense in giving it a go.
She has very good feet for a thoroughbred however the only experience I have of those transitioning to barefoot mode have suffered terribly with soreness. The aim is a happy, pain-free (hopefully long) retirement and I don’t want her to suffer with painful feet in an attempt to help her not suffer with a painful fetlock (if you get what I mean).
I’ve had mostly thoroughbreds in active work all of my adult life (and prior to that barefoot wasn’t really discussed or publicised when I had ponies), so barefoot isn’t something I’ve ever really considered or had any experience with.
I’ve done some research, read about supplements and management and hoof boots etc, but I’ve also read that it isn't for everyone - that the boots for example have a tendency to slip off in an 8 acre field never to be found again, and that some horses jut don't take to barefoot in general.
And I’ve also read some very positive experiences from owners of barefoot horses, along with some very interesting science supporting the idea. So I just don't know!

I'd be really interested (and very grateful!) to hear anyone's experiences with similar circumstances.

Thank you and Chocolate Digestives for reading!



 
Honestly... I really don't think you need to transition to BF. She is retired (sorry to hear about her injury) so I'd just take her shoes off and chuck her out. If you talk to people on here who've had horses 20 yrs plus I'm sure they would all tell you if something was injured, they would remove shoes and chuck it out to grass for a year. I wouldn't shoe a horse that I was retiring to the field. If I understand correctly, she's just going straight out to a big field, yes? If I were you, I'd ask my farrier to remove her shoes and not to trim at all, then leave her be. Let the nail holes start to grow out, and get your farrier to look over them in 6-8 weeks. If she is going out on grass 24/7 then honestly, I can't can't see how she is going to feel sore as it is a soft surface.

Good luck.
 
I think we transitioned our 21 year old tb by, er, just taking his shoes off! He was fine, but did get sore on frozen ground if it was frozen for extended periods, we also used to help him by shoeing in front during the summer for a few years. That was the extent of our management, no supplements etc, if I did it again I would put more thought into it though :)

He probably had a trim every other farrier visit, except in the middle of summer, so every 3-4 months for a trim
 
twiggy2 said:
get her off sugars and onto a good supplement (pro-hoof is good), how is she kept? in/out? how far is the walk to the field and on what surface?
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Hello, thanks for the reply. She's in during nights over winter, out in the day (good grazing, not stoney), then lives out during summer unless the weather's horrendous.
The walk to the field is about 30 metres and that does worry me as it's over quite a stoney, mud track surface.
She's getting high fibre nuts at the minute (since her work slowed down to a stop) with Red Cell and Cortaflex supplements.
 
chestnut cob said:
Honestly... I really don't think you need to transition to BF. She is retired (sorry to hear about her injury) so I'd just take her shoes off and chuck her out. If you talk to people on here who've had horses 20 yrs plus I'm sure they would all tell you if something was injured, they would remove shoes and chuck it out to grass for a year. I wouldn't shoe a horse that I was retiring to the field. If I understand correctly, she's just going straight out to a big field, yes? If I were you, I'd ask my farrier to remove her shoes and not to trim at all, then leave her be. Let the nail holes start to grow out, and get your farrier to look over them in 6-8 weeks. If she is going out on grass 24/7 then honestly, I can't can't see how she is going to feel sore as it is a soft surface.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

This ^^^
 
chestnut cob said:
If you talk to people on here who've had horses 20 yrs plus I'm sure they would all tell you if something was injured, they would remove shoes and chuck If I were you, I'd ask my farrier to remove her shoes and not to trim at all, then leave her be.
Click to expand...

stencilface said:
I think we transitioned our 21 year old tb by, er, just taking his shoes off!
He probably had a trim every other farrier visit, except in the middle of summer, so every 3-4 months for a trim
Click to expand...

Thank you for this. To be really frank this is what common sense dictated to me in her situation as its not your typical barefoot-whilst-in-work scenario.
In my defence, retirement isn't something any of my horses have ever done - it's been an injury or illness which I've sadly lost them to, or they've been sold for other reasons. So I think the concept itself of retiring her has upskittled me a bit and I'm over thinking it.
 
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get farrier to just lightly rasp round after removing the shoes rather than doing a proper trim, that will leave a bit to wear away whilst the hoof hardens up-no paring of the sole or trimming of the frog either
 
If you get the farrier to remove each nail separately rather that the usual way they prise the shoe off it reduces the amount of cracking back of the horn you get a bit.
It should straight forward if she gets sore in the summer you may need to stable during the day just suck it and see .
I have never had one retired that was not happy without shoes .
 
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