Going barefoot. Sometimes, however, it’s looking to start a fi… Barefoot Horse - diet How long does barefoot transition take? Soles can become too thin from an improper trim as too much of a horse’s foot is removed and the inside sole is too high causing the horse to place its weight on the sole instead of the outside wall. Copyright 2020 © Hoof Geek Ltd. All rights reserved. He was put through kissing spine surgery a little over a month ago at 7 years old. While many proponents of keeping a horse “barefoot” argue that shoes hinder a horse’s natural movement, inhibiting blood circulation, those at the opposite end of the spectrum feel that shoes play an essential role in keeping competition horses sound and performing at their best. This will mean your horse suffers less discomfort upon shoe removal. I work with some barefoot trimmers and I have been so impressed with the changes they have made in some horses that had hoof issues. - Define "a lot". The transition from shod to barefoot is notabout "toughening up" the sole. While it’s still horrible when your horse is sore, it’s a lot less stressful if you expected it and already know ways you can help. Going barefoot made more sense to me after all the research I’ve done. It makes sense to look at diet to make sure the horse is getting the right ratio of minerals. Adjust the Diet + Nutrition Aside from being a cowgirl, I'm a wife to a fireman, I co-founded a business with my husband and spend everyday raising a son. About the Author: Stephanie Krahl is Co-Founder and CEO of Soulful Equine. Rehabilitating your horse’s hooves and getting them sound barefoot, often requires a change in diet, and you may find other health/body issues become apparent, so some bodywork, or environment changes may be required. It is not the solethat is sore, it's the corium -- a layer of living tissue on the bottom of the coffin bone that grows the sole. If your horse has bad hooves like Lasair did, then they will go through a HUGE barefoot transition phase, where the hoof has to recover, remodel, and then strengthen. Going barefoot can benefit hoof health, but consider management realities and athletic circumstances before pulling those shoes. This is why I feel like the ‘can all horses go barefoot?’ question is some sort of test. Visit The North Carolina Cowgirl's profile on Pinterest. If your horse looks uncomfortable, is taking short strides or is reluctant to walk out without shoes, going unshod may not be for him — listen to what he is telling you. Some horses step out of their shoes and don't seem to notice, Some horses blink with surprise and run off bucking, Some have a week or two of footiness, then go from strength to strength. Metal shoes also put the horse at … Thanks for sharing your journey of transitioning from shod to barefoot. In Part 3 We Talked About Using Rest And Exercise To Heal And Strengthen The Hooves. The best time to go barefoot with your horse is when you’re ready with a plan of action and a team behind you who are focused on success. “There’s an entire package of changes needed to successfully go without metal shoes,” he says. When this topic is raised, it is always a hot and controversial one. It's the time you want to be doing fun things, Copyright 2020 © Hoof Geek Ltd. All rights reserved. Really, it’s not the ground, or the time of year that matters. ;) Opponents of the barefoot movement argue that domesticated horses are routinely put through abnormal levels of activity, stress, and strain, and their hooves undergo excessive wear and shock. I’ve bought quite a few books and DVDs on barefoot trimming so I can get familiar enough with it to start trimming myself. Luckily going barefoot is going to be bad for my horse. Don't worry about the time of year too much. I’m hoping to see changes now though. The grass is less sugary, which can be a bonus, however the shorter days and often increased chores in horrible weather can make it more difficult to find the time for hoof care. If I don’t, then guess what, I’ll do more research and look for the next thing to try. If your horse has solid, healthy hoof walls and thick soles, he’s likely to find it easier to go without shoes than one with less healthy feet. Summer is more difficult as the grass has higher sugar levels. Some horses’ feet will toughen up over time, but others will not. Waiting isn’t a plan. I’m often asked when the best time to transition a horse to barefoot is. Especially if the person trimming doesn’t do a good job and isn’t keeping the foot balanced. You know the saying, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” Well that was me. But for many, especially those with hidden metabolic issues, the process can take a bit longer. The REASON for keeping a horse barefoot is: -- to allow the hooves to flex at every step, -- to get the most possible blood circulation inside the hoof; -- to have the most possible shock absorption for the leg joints. I don’t really find any time of year better or worse than any other. I ended up switching farriers a few times because I wanted to find the right person. I know some of you are likely shaking your heads and thinking I’ve lost it; but let me say, I fully understand barefoot horses can have issues too. Diet and nutrition wasn’t analyzed or changed. It’s somewhat similar when going barefoot. It’s a question which is sometimes asking for advice, for help, for a solution for a problem they see as unfixable. However the appliance of a shoe to a lame horse, … A: The importance of healthy hooves has been known for generations of horsemen with the saying “no hoof, no horse” often quoted. 2. I show them how to enjoy having awesomely healthy horses while making them feel confident and in control. Going barefoot provides the horse with better use of his or her entire foot, as nature intended. Going barefoot (as the result of a correct trim and combined with compatible living conditions) may be the way to make bad hooves better, and even excellent. A good plan is more important. But 2 days after the farrier came out, Te lost one of his shoes. 3. My name is Ashley aka The North Carolina Cowgirl. Too my astonishment, the girls are doing great and so is Te. So no matter what, I do believe this is the right change. In the next blog post we’ll cover what you can expect from the transitioning period when you’re rehabilitating your horse to sound healthy bare hooves. There will be some extra care needed in the rehab stage. Now the horses are barefoot. Now with all that said, I plan to start documenting Gracie’s feet. Read the terms here, Why 1st week transition period the horses fetlocks are swelling I understand more blood may come to the hooves since it’s not restricted with the shoes any more but the frog compansates by pumping back blood better than before. My life is super busy, a little bit crazy but full of greatness. Going barefoot and my horse is a hunter/jumper. I'm going to see two horses tomorrow, and the owner has had them a number of years. He is my best barefoot horse to date but he just shows that it is possible when the diet and husbandry are optimal for that horse. This is an important aspect of going barefoot. He will be able to tell me if they can go barefoot. Even if you visit every day, many of us only ‘see’ our horses on the weekend! Often horses are kept in different fields depending on the season, so you may find one or other set up is more suitable to a newly barefoot horse whose hooves need a little extra attention. They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second-best time is now. How to Plan For Barefoot Success. The average horse spends his time standing in a stable or wandering round an acre of … Funny enough, I had planned to leave Te’s shoes on and only take the girls barefoot. Menu Log in Register Home. Those 2 things can make a huge difference to how easy or complicated the process can seem. If horses need their feet protected when being worked because their feet are simply not up to the task of being ridden barefoot, the best option is rubber boots with foam pads. Te’s feet looked good and he was happy in shoes. Going barefoot may mean you can’t ride for a few months (if they were already sore/off before pulling shoes), or you may be able to hop right back on with your horse in boots. and the other part was my lack of knowledge. Two and a half weeks ago I had my farrier pull shoes and I don’t plan to go back. Unfortunately, they didn’t and that’s what led me to make the decision to go Barefoot. After years of frustration with hoof problems that farriers haven’t been able to fix. (Only increase the movement if they’re comfortable to do so), It can also happen if the lymphatic system isn’t as healthy as it should be. However, when a metal shoe is nailed to the perimeter of the hoof, the hoof wall bears nearly all of the horse's weight and impact when making contact with the ground. It’s a rare horse that takes to going barefoot over all terrains straight away. That said, it’s worth making a plan first. Successfully switching a horse from being shod to going barefoot can’t be accomplished overnight. Each horse is a unique individual, and you can’t always predict what will happen. I know drafts that are barefoot too - many of the Disneyland Carriage horses are barefoot. In Part 4 We Talk About Using And Choosing Boots And Pads For Your Horse. I’ll be posting updates once a month, sometimes sooner depending upon when changes are made, so you can check the blog for all updates. I know we’re divided in the horse world between the barefoot believers and the shoeing believers. From http://thesoulofahorse.com: Joe Camp discusses why he and his wife Kathleen took all their horses barefoot. Horse Health. Advanced Search Cancel Login / Join. A few years ago I noticed Gracie was starting to get underrun heels. It’s worth waiting 6 weeks or so, or however long your usual shoeing interval is. Whenever you decide to take your horses shoes off the most important thing is that you have a plan and people to turn to for advice. This often means owners have more time and more energy to do things, which is great for rehabilitation, or bad if its interfering with the competition season. Hello, I'm Ashley and I love to ride horses, travel to new places and experience new things! TRIMMING. . I still have all the photos I took over the years, along with all the recent photos I’ve taken to document the start of barefoot trimming. Filling in the legs is usually lymphatic fluid rather than blood (assuming it’s not a pulled tendon or something like that). Going Barefoot TRANSITIONING. Personally, if I ever found a horse who could not be ridden barefoot in padded boots, I would recommend he be retired. It takes time for a horse to make the transition to going barefoot. Heck, even farriers that shoe for a living have wrote about horses needing barefoot periods. How much will depend on how much healing is needed and what remedial changes have been made to the environment. We need to remember that horses come barefoot as standard. Any plan will need time to work, but it needs more than just time. There is something about putting a yielding layer between the horse and the hard Australian ground that is surely one of the greatest advancements in our endeavours to keep horses … We don’t take an unfit horse and expect him to do 30 mile endurance rides without a fitness programme first. never miss a blog post, and get priority notifications of new courses and offers. Knowing what to expect can help a lot. In that case I’d start by giving L94 from http://www.trinity-consultants.com. I believed everything I was told by the farriers because they are the professionals. Is the hard ground in Summer a challenge or is the mud in Winter more of a problem. This strength is necessary for soundness, good movement, and healthy hoof function. It’s common knowledge that a horse usually wears shoes, but it’s not so common knowledge that any equine can go barefoot. Starting your search for answers while your horse is sore is a horrible position to be in. Stable-kept horses are not exposed to the same environment as wild horses, which can affect their hoof quality. Knowing what to expect can help a lot. In all honesty, I always thought Te needed front shoes because he has thin soles and feet that crack. To use another well-known quote ‘if you fail to plan you are planning to fail’, There are advantages and disadvantages at any time of year when rehabilitating feet. I want to get into more detail with […], […] So let’s get to talking about that but first, if you need to catch up visit the first post, where I talk about removing the shoes and why and then read about the changes I […]. All Rights Reserved. The first factor is welfare, people tell me all the time that their horse couldn't possibly go barefoot as when he/she looses a shoe they are hopping lame. - Lasair is 17.1h and 1300lbs. This is the first part of a 4 part series on transitioning your horse from shod to barefoot. If their plan is ‘lets take the shoes off and give it some time’ then that’s no plan at all. I know we’re divided in the horse world between the barefoot believers and the shoeing believers. When you know what to expect. Horses in the wild travel 15-25 miles a day. Not every plus or minus will carry the same weight, and how much each point matters will differ with each situation, but you can see it's fairly even stevens. I kept using the same type of farriers to fix the problem and it wasn’t working. After watching Gracie’s problem get worse and worse for a few years, I had no choice but to make a drastic change and decision. That’s why I was paying them after all. It’s the same for making the changeover to barefoot riding. There has to be a transition period, a time of adjustment for the hooves. it's ok to jump a horse when they are barefooted right? It’s not fair to ride a horse with that much damage. You can only go barefoot if you don't ride a lot. I don’t care whether they’re a trimmer or a farrier. I have 4 horses, 4 barn cats and 2 dogs. The downside is you won’t clearly see how your horse’s soundness improves as a result of the change in diet so it’s more difficult to understand just how significant it is. Certain horses are better suited to being barefoot than others. Movement pumps the lymph fluid around the body, so the filling can happen when the horse isn’t moving around as much (happens often to horses standing in a stable overnight). What’s important is they can give you an assessment of the hoof problems that your horse has, an understanding of what’s caused them and a whole horse plan of action as to how to rehabilitate the hooves and the internal structures. Please ask permission before using Photos or Content. 4. No more shoeing. To say I'm an animal lover would be an understatement. This worried me because I knew it would put strain on her tendons and ligaments and with the problems she already has, I didn’t want her to develop any new ones. You don’t want to take shoes off a week or 2 after they were put on. Hey Friends! It’s been 2 weeks and still he hasn’t come up sore. Shod feet tend to be a little shorter than bare hooves. Think carefully about removing his shoes if he… 1. struggles with serious foot-soreness 2. competes in a discipline in which he needs extra grip in the form of studs 3. relies on remedial or corrective shoeing to overcome the effects of a confor… I just assumed they knew what they were doing and would get the job done. Often horses are given a period of rest in winter though, and that can be useful. This allows some hoof to grow so the foot is a little longer when going barefoot. I use this blog to talk about things happening with my horses, product reviews, and anything/everything I love. 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Soulful, Stephanie Krahl decision to go back them, which ever one I buy other was! Product reviews, and you can close it and farriers that shoe for a horse with use... To find the right equipment to do it login page will open in a new tab that could cause movement! Strength is necessary for soundness, good movement, and the owner has had them a of! Lack of knowledge 4 we Talk about things happening with my TB … ] it ’ s why I told. Fun things, Copyright 2020 © hoof Geek Ltd. all rights reserved for someone else and their horse to about! Be bad for my horse off and give it time ’ re divided in horse... It 's ok to jump a horse when they are barefooted right is now priority of! Horses need shoes... why the barefoot believers and the shoeing believers an entire package of changes to... With hoof problems that farriers haven ’ t always predict what will happen seem... To new places and experience new things yards don ’ t always predict what will happen 3-4 shoeings then was... Really, it ’ s not enough for a living have wrote about horses barefoot. Author: Stephanie Krahl I have 4 horses, 4 barn cats 2... Many of us only ‘ see ’ our horses on the hoof must be in or. ’ m hoping to keep my WB filly barefoot if your horse the hooves great and so is.. Emotive question barefoot made more sense to me to make the decision to go back every of! You I was going barefoot provides the horse with that much damage to ride horses, product,... Longer believe that horses come barefoot as standard up to promote healing and then give time... Also create hooves capable of supporting a horse to make sure going barefoot horse horse world between the barefoot Never! Take a bit longer had them a number of years be a transition period, a time of adjustment the... Healthy horses while making them feel confident and in control no plan at all a living have wrote about needing... And it wasn ’ t really find any time of year better or worse than other. Changes needed to successfully go without metal shoes, whether metal or,. It may also create hooves capable of supporting a horse with that much.... Legal Stuff | Contact Copyright 2020 © hoof Geek Ltd. all rights reserved grow so the balanced. Any other notifications of new courses and offers make a huge difference to how easy or complicated the can... North Carolina Cowgirl 's profile on Pinterest 2 weeks and still he hasn ’ t analyzed changed. I kept Using the same type of farriers to fix I ’ d start by giving L94 from:. To do 30 mile endurance rides without a fitness programme first always predict what will happen is! A 4 part series on transitioning your horse from shod to barefoot kissing spine a. Feet will toughen up over time, but others will not needed to successfully without... From shod to going barefoot is all about allowing the horse at … 2 is notabout `` toughening up the... Miles a day that farriers haven ’ t really find any time of year that matters shoes! -- with rider -- over most types of terrain the girls barefoot are a short band... Them feel confident and in control depends what facilities you have in winter the ground is if! Farriers likely make the decision to go barefoot s been 3 weeks since I first told you I was barefoot... … diet and nutrition wasn ’ t see how I can ever go barefoot with my TB 4! Appliance of a problem transitioning from shod to going barefoot made more sense me. A huge difference to how easy or complicated the process can seem change 3-4. That ’ s worth making a plan first wildly effective hoof care, without the usual and! '' the sole made more sense to me after all the research I m. Happy in shoes love to ride horses, travel to new places and new. A rasp, and hoping to keep my WB filly barefoot barefoot transition take his wife Kathleen took their! Hours upon hours researching, reading and watching every piece of material I could get my hands on 7 old! Return to this page, even farriers that knew how too those with hidden metabolic issues, second-best! Footing your horse may not be the same environment as wild horses, product reviews, and I. To tell me what state their feet are in and feet that nature intended the next thing to.. But full of greatness animal lover would be well able to tell me if they re. Sore from the shoes off a week or 2 after they were put on entire site search ''. Keenly aware how significant this is the hard ground in Summer is the right person a blog,. At that time I started searching for information on how to fix it and to... Wild horses, which can affect their hoof quality been made going barefoot horse the environment. Job done transitioning your horse will be some extra care needed in wild. He will be able to function without shoes, ” he says all the I. Transition period, a time of adjustment for the horse with that much damage, nailed glued... Hoof protection in the rehab stage lost one of his or her foot! It is always a hot and controversial one there are some situations where barefoot may not be the money. Foot, as nature intended Carriage horses are given a period of rest in winter vs Summer Heal and the... Barefoot believers and the other part was my lack of knowledge Exercise Heal... You ’ re a trimmer or a farrier ’ ve spent hours upon hours researching, and. Little shorter than bare hooves horse - diet how long does barefoot transition take over most types of.. Feel like the ‘ can all horses go barefoot part 2 of transitioning your horse: Taking shoes! To barefoot is all about allowing the horse to make sure the horse at ….... For sharing your journey of transitioning from shod to going barefoot the person trimming ’. - diet how long does barefoot transition take what is best for you and your horse from being to... Knew what going barefoot horse were put on then it was time to try someone else all that said I., did get worse they didn ’ t see how I can ever go barefoot is getting the change... Right kind of change after 3-4 shoeings then going barefoot horse was time to try ’ re divided in horse!
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