*without starting a debate* Can I have some advice please?

B

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I'm dreading posting this as I have a horrible feeling that it could descend into the usual barefoot vs shoes debate
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After lengthy discussions with my farrier, much worrying and having buried myself under numerous farriery books we've decided to take Boo's shoes off
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This is the first time that I've had a horse barefoot that I've intended to keep working, my lot usually only get their shoes removed whilst on their winter hols.

Any tips/advice for making the transition to nakedness without too much discomfort?
I'm intending to get her a set of hoof boots as well, so any recommendations would be good
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Hi, I did this with one of my youngsters a few years ago and got fed up with people coming over to me at work and telling me she was lame
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She was a TB with terrible feet so she was very footsore for a good few weeks, but we persevered and she got over it and was fine.
I know several people who event barefoot and my horse has only had fronts on until recently.
The only problem I've had is slipping as they seem to have less grip going up and down hills, although in theory they should have more grip with out shoes!

It will take a long time before your horse is truely comfortable barefoot, especially if she's been shod for a while, but stick with it if that's what you've decided to do, good luck
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I took Amy's shoes off when she was retired. Admitedly she had brilliant feet and went from the stable to the field only - but she had no problems at all. I did nothing different at all.
 
Mine was barefoot for 8 months whilst we waited for a terrible shoeing job to be corrected. I can't help on the boot front, but this is what I learned:

Watch out for abscesses - mine got one in her first week, it burst and healed without me realising as she was footsore at the time
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The sorest terrain is gravel/stony tracks so find alternative routes if possible.

Keratex hoof hardener can help make the hooves harder if they do start to crumble.

Keep road work to a minimum - unless you get boots sorted.

Good luck
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I have the horses at home, so hopefully I won't have to endure too many of other people's opinions
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Glad to hear it worked out with perseverance
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Just to add....
Boo is a race bred TB with the typical long toe/low heel confo, which isn't greatly helped by fairly long, sloping pasterns. That's the main reason for whipping the shoes off, to try and regain some heel.
 
Tills and Cybele had their shoes off when they retired too and I did nothing different for them, but they were a completely different kettle of fish to Boo, plus the fact that Boo isn't retiring!
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Boo is a race bred TB with the typical long toe/low heel confo

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I think you may struggle in that case. I had a TB - and took his shoes off to try and improve his terrible feet. Just ended up making the poor lad terribly lame and putting the fronts back on........
 
Thanks Fairhill
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I'm not intending this as a 'forever' thing, but just to try and get some normality back in the hooves. I figured it was better to do it now (she's 5, and not doing a great deal) than to wait a few years and have hooves that are almost irretrievable by that point.
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Our yard is concrete, and we cross a gravel area to get to the fields... I'm intending to get my mitts on some old carpet to put across to make it a little easier for her.

Farrier wanted to know if I wanted them off today... I wimped out and said I'd leave it a little longer!
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If you are doing this with advice, and being responsible, I don't see why anybody should be critical.

You could do it in stages, take the backs off first and let those harden off before removing the fronts if you didn't want to throw it all at her in one go, and of course there are feed supplements that will support the feet and hooves.

I agree that sharp stones and gravel appear to be the most uncomfortable surfaces, but I do know of TBs that work lightly barefoot without problems so good luck with it
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Just quickly out of interest!

You mention the long toe, low heeled combo with long pasterns which is exactly what how my horse is conformationally.

I always had him shod using traditional methods until he came over here. My farrier expressed concern about his heel being really rather too low and his break over point being incorrect. Initially i didnt like what he was suggesting so he carried on shoeing as normal.

After going and meeting with him and discussing at length what he wanted to do (which btw, was four point shoeing - otherwise known as natural balance), I agree'd to give it a shot. He had them done on monday and theres been an immediate difference in his movement. Long term of course, they've been put on to try and raise his heels a tad and reduce the strain on his leg that the long toe, low heeled combo tends to bring.

If you're all set on barefoot then of course go for it, although i cant advise much. But if you're still considering options, it might just be one to think about.
 
Wuss!

Carpet sounds like a good plan - it was going to and from the field on a stony lane that gave meg the most trouble. Typically it's got woodchip down now she's shod
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I had to be careful not to give her any supplements as we wanted her feet to change shape gradually rather than forcing it.
Her feet are now almost all perfect according to my farrier - she's just one back one which has a permanent bulge in it.
In fact, I had to take her off 'safe and sound' chaff recently as her feet were too hard, so it might be worth you feeding it to yours as an extra fibre source
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Hehe! I'm not turning into a fanatical barefoot person... yet!
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She had her shoes off for a couple of months because of injury before and our main problem, rather than being crippled footsore, was that her horn just wasn't growing fast enough. Even when shod there was just nothing to trim back. She's been on a feed balancer for the last 12 months and her hoof growth has tripled at least - if she wasn't a TB with pedigree then I'd have to think that there was some native pony in there somewhere!
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But anyway, I think that has solved the main hurdle we faced last time.

The other thing is our soil is VERY sandy, which is quite erosive in itself, but hopefully by doing it at this time of year it shouldn't be so much of a problem.

I'm quite nervous of it, but I think once we're past the first few months the benefits will far outweigh the inconvenience... I hope!
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She is already shod to similar principles as the NB approach
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She has her toes fairly drastically cut back, with squared off toes and quarter clips, but her feet are just too 'diddy' to be able to accommodate anything remotely wide webbed, which is half the problem as it makes it harder to give her the wide base of support that she needs.
The other problem is that she has an imbalance that we are trying to grow out which we've been using lateral extensions to try and remedy, but they are just causing her to pull her shoes off (despite overreach boots) and damaging the hoof wall, which makes it harder to keep them on.... it's a vicious circle!
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I've been quietly following your posts re. Jack's (? is it Jack? I have a feeling that I may be wrong, v. sorry if I am!
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) shoeing for MONTHS now - I'm glad to hear you've finally been able to put your mind at rest about it!
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I know I'm a Wuss!
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I just wanted to enjoy a few more days of the 'Am I doing the right thing' torture
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She's on HiFi light, unmollassed sugar beet and equilibria feed balancer twice a day, so I think/hope I've got it covered nutritionally
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Unshod with a farriers pasture trim and a Barefoot horse are two very different things.

A pasture trim from a farrier is just that.... a pasture trim, for horses at grass. Some/few horses can work with a pasture trim. Barefoot gets a lot of bad press from people who get a pasture trim, call it barefoot and expect their horse to work.

Barefoot is a long term comittment to a different method of trimming and hoof management. The shape of a barefoot hoof is entirely different. It can take a year or more for a horse to transition to barefoot. I am not talking about Strausser her, but the non invasive methods!

If you got a Barefoot trimmer out, they would correct the shape of your horses feet over may be a year or so. There would no longer be a heel problem.

A Barefoot horse need never be foot sore as boots are used during the transition. Also, walking the horse on rough ground, like stones is part of the conditioning needed for the horse to be worked Barefoot. Rather than covering gravel, Barefoot horses are provided with hardcore/ gravel so as to condition the feet.

Some farriers are also trained as barefoot trimmers, but they are few and far between.
 
Aaaah ok, yes i see your problem then.

While jack is long toe and low heeled (long pasterns too), he does have nicely rounded feet meaning that they're quite wide at the widest point of the hoof.

Im sure you're doing the right thing. I know how difficult it is when you dont know what to do for the best and that awful "what if"" thing is horrid!

I wish you good luck
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p.s. yes its jack
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A Barefoot horse need never be foot sore as boots are used during the transition. Also, walking the horse on rough ground, like stones is part of the conditioning needed for the horse to be worked Barefoot. Rather than covering gravel, Barefoot horses are provided with hardcore/ gravel so as to condition the feet.

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I am intending to use boots.... are there any in particular that you would recommend? Old Mac G2's seem to be the top of my list at the moment? Or is it something that needs trail and error? Excuse my ignorance, as I said in my OP it is new to me!
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Agree that conditioning will be needed, but thought little and often as she adapts would be better than just taking away her shoes and expecting her not to notice the gravel? I was going to use carpet to start with, as I'm keen not to make her any more sore than I absolutely have too....
 
My tb mare is now barefoot behind...tho she doesnt work anymore...but she adapted brilliantly at the age of 19...Her feet have never looked so good! My farrier said she would find her own balance and she has and is fine...far less knocks and bashes to her own legs as well. He shoes a lot of racehorses and thinks they are much better without shoes. She has fronts on as she did get a bit stone foot sore during summer (well the sort of summer!) and they carry 75% of their weight on the front so this helps her.
Another horse at my yard is barefoot all round and does everything...with no difference.
 
I have my 2 ponies barefoot, both are sound and coping well. They were a bit footsore to begin with (although 1 had laminitis anyway so hard to tell...). I used Boa boots on 1 of them with great success. They're brilliant boots and I have even ridden him in them pretty easily. I wouldn't gallop about in or jump in them but they were perfect for turning him out in and going for little hacks and really helped. Their hooves do change (I assume you're having them trimmed by an actual barefoot trimmer and not just your farrier?), the quality in 1 of mine is amazing - after 15 years of cruddy hooves, they look wonderful!

I also had my Welsh D shoe-less, he was just trimmed by the farrier though so not proper "barefoot". I managed to compete him for 2 years before finally deciding I needed shoes for studs as he began slipping on wet grass when jumping. But I take them off him every winter and jump him on a surface no problem without
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I've got a TB with very weak feet...so I sympathise.
Going barefoot suits some horses...and not others....my Shire x has feet like iron...so will probably work unshod....uncertain about my 2yo as she has ok feet...but she's 3/4 TB so don't think they'll stand up to work.....and my TB barefoot just thinks she's broken all four legs...
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I'd suggest taking the hinds off first...then wait about two or three shoeings and see how sound your TB is...if she's ok, then you could try the fronts too....
A word of warning...my TB if left unshod ends up with her feet flaring and splitting all the hoof walls...which is difficult to correct...
I think it works well for natives/heavies...but TB's were bred for running fast over manicured turf...not roaming the rocky mountain ranges....
I'd also think about how many months of 'footsore' will you accept in case she does get footy...
Perhaps try going onto one of the barefoot forums for advice about boots, etc, and trimmers...although I personally would use a farrier...
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Thanks Sparrow... I was really pleased with how well my others adapted to going barefoot, but they were all out of work when I made the change... it's wanting to keep her lightly working that is making me apprehensive about it
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Encouraging to hear that there's a horse on your yard though that still does everything
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Hello Mistletoekises.
my horses are barefoot. what worked for mine was not doing too much work. riding only to keep growth and wear in balance. what is too much is not the same for all horses. 30 mins a day might be too much for some, but 2 hacks out a week of 3 hours might be ok because horse is only being ridden twice a week. its a case of trial and error.
Correct feeding is very important, feeding a feed balancer with additional magnesium oxide is beneficial for most.Also dont feed any feed containing molases, and preferably no cereals.
I have a hard standing area on which i place my horses hay, they live out 24/7 so are constantly moving around which helps with growth .
Best Wishes in your endeavour. I have found myhorses are capably of much more than I thought and do very well barefoot.
 
I'll look into the Boa boots then
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When you say you turned out in them.... did they keep the dirt out ok? I have visions of all the dust/dirt/mud getting inside the top of the boot and rubbing? I am probably way of the mark, but then am completely unaware of this whole other world of barefoot management!
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I was intending to carry on with my farrier. He has a clear understanding of what we are trying to achieve and has always been wonderful with my others that are naked (though admittedly not in work).
My friend (aka Teasel on here... waves!) has her horse done by an EP and is getting on well, but I think it is fear of the unknown with me - I don't want to leave my trusty farrier!
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Thankfully her feet aren't actually weak, but they are becoming so by the constant ripping off of shoes
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Not sure whether you read one of my posts earlier in the thread which I wrote in response to Tierra, but we're running out of options. She has a lateral extension on the inside of her right fore to try and correct an imbalance that is growing down (or at least not make it any worse!), but even with overreaches on she's still removing it... sometimes she even manges it overnight in the stable
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. So carrying on like that isn't really an option as it's wrecking her hoof
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I think I'm going to have to at least 'suck it and see', and at least at this time of year the ground is softer and I'm not getting much roadwork done anyway.
She's quite a toughie thankfully, Rage on the other hand loses a shoe and you'd think his leg had been lopped off at the knee
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Oh, and I'm a little bit too scared to go into a forum full of barefoot fanatics
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My two are happily barefoot- they had them off for their hols but are so content barefoot that I'm just enjoying spending less money until we need to start studding up for xc!!
One of them is a tb too
 
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Oh, and I'm a little bit too scared to go into a forum full of barefoot fanatics
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You don't have to announce your presence...just sneak in and lurk....and leg it once you've observed what you wanted....
Don't let them follow you back here, though!
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