The Barefoot Horse

Marlene · Advanced

The Barefoot Horse

Barbara F · Grand Prix

It sounds like you had an awesome time, Marlene! I've been taking my horse out hacking a lot in the forest beside our barn. It's not very rocky, but there are lots of steep hills and there is a lot of different terrain - very good conditioning for my dressage horse!

My boy does have shoes (and a bit), but there are a few horses in our barn that are barefoot. All are happy campers!

Shoes or no shoes, I have to say that a lot has to do with who is trimming your horse's feet.

Some of the people at our barn tried a barefoot trimmer who made their horses LAME. They went back to their regular farriers, horses still barefoot and the horses are now fine. It seem to me that there are uncertified self-declared experts out there who can really take advantage of people wanting to switch from shod to barefoot and who can cause havoc with your horse's soundness.

Have you encountered any of that?

Marlene · Advanced

I haven't thank goodness. The horse's hoof is such a wonder of structure and function that the more I learn, the more I realize it could be really screwed up by someone, with shoes or barefoot. I read on the internet about people doing their own horses feet, especially when they don't have a trimmer in their area, which I guess if you had a good trimmer to train you, or some good workshops, might be okay. I have a neighbor who had to switch farriers because she ended up with two horses having problems with their (shod) feet. I do just a wee bit of rasping between when my trimmer's regular visit, but not instead of his work. Sometimes it's hard to be sure it was the farrier/trimmer or the horse, since my guy went footy once just about the time he was trimmed. BUT when I thought back I realized he was acting a bit stupid just the day before the trim (and in fact was uncharacteristically naughty while being trimmmed) and the pasture had changed from getting rain after a dry spell. One farrier told me lots of people don't even know enough to take their horse off the pasture or grain when they go footy. Being sort of new to all this I didn't realize at first that acting naughty might be the first sign of tender feet. I wish horses could talk, it would make it so much easier for those of us who are new to horse care.

Queenrider · Advanced

My 6 year old is still barefoot. He has never had shoes on in his life. My last TB needed shoes and special trims to keep her sound. It cost over $220 for the last few. Now this just costs $45. I think of all the money I save!

Barbara F · Grand Prix

" I didn't realize at first that acting naughty might be the first sign of tender feet. I wish horses could talk, it would make it so much easier for those of us who are new to horse care."

That is so true. It is why I became certified as a thermographer. The infrared scans are the closest thing to the horse being able to talk. I know this sounds promotional, but I hope lots more horse owners will call thermographers to look for the source of trouble, rather than guessing why their horse is acting somehow "off". I think it would make life a lot easier for the horses!