I am not writing this article hoping that you will hang onto every word I say, (ok so maybe I am just a tad), but I don’t want to say that Barefoot is the only thing out there for your horses hooves. The truth is that no matter how hard we Barefoot Trimmers wish there is always going to be the label ‘loonies’ next to our names (because of traditional farriers!). It is just the way it is. Most of you probably have heard of Barefoot but don’t really know what it is about and maybe there are a few who have never heard of it before. There are a lot of myths out there at the moment, trying to give barefoot a bad name. I am only writing this to tell you the facts and hopefully make you decide to give it a chance.
Let me ask you a few questions first: Do you shoe your horses? If yes why? I mean what is the point?
We have nailed heavy metal shoes to our beloved friends hooves for the last few centuries because some people claim that it is for the best. But let me ask you this: Wild horses don’t need shoes and have less hoof problems then out domestic friends, isn’t that enough to tell you your horse doesn’t need shoes?
We wear shoes so our horses need shoes. Trust me I have heard actually heard this statement a few times. In my personal opinion I think that because our horses have become such a huge part of the family that we actually forget that they are horses, we rug them in winter because we hate the cold, but some horses don’t need to be rugged because of their thick natural coats, it is the same with shoes.
Humans started out barefoot, we were able to walk on every terrain without shoes, and yet today if a modern day human tried this there would be no way their feet could handle the pressure without shoes. We NEED shoes because after a long time wearing them our feet are soft and very sensitive. It is the same with horses, the longer they wear shoes the more sensitive and soft their hooves become which in the long run equals a lot more hoof problems. All Barefoot is, is mimicking the way wild horse’s hooves wear down by running through the varied rough terrain. This makes the hoof stronger which equals less hoof problems and no need to shoe.
Barefoot is not a new thing but it is starting to grow more popular around the world as people start to realise the benefits. We catch and break Brumbies (Mustangs for America) to use as stock horses because they are hard and sturdy beasts. This is because they have to survive some of the roughest terrain around and the harsh weather Mother Nature throws at them. It is not just their head and upper body that are much tougher than domestic horses, but also their hooves.
When Brumbies walk, trot and gallop (it is very rare for a wild horse to canter), along the sand of the dessert, the rocks of the mountains and the water in streams and lakes, the hoof wall grinds against those surfaces and keeps at a certain length. This is what we call the natural trim. If in the right paddock that has varied terrain very similar to the wild then they can self wear their hooves in the same fashion. Barefoot just in encourages this.
Did you know that stress rings (those bumps that line the whole hoof) are not natural? I admit that this shocked me at first. I mean every horse I had seen had them, so they must be natural right? Wrong. These lines get their name because of what they show us, STRESS. Every line represents a time that was stressful for the hoof. They do grow out as the hoof grows, but they will always come back if you shoe or just have your horse unshod. Because barefoot is a kinder way to look after hooves you wont get stress rings unless something is dramatically wrong like founder.
This also brings me to an important issue. Does your favourite horse/pony suffer from laminitis or founder? Most horses do and if you said no to the question above, it is more than likely that your horse has suffered and you have not noticed. This happens a lot. Going Barefoot actually helps keep laminitis at bay, and has even been known to cure it. Now I am not telling you that we are miracle workers, but we can cure some horses. I know that some of your farriers have probably told you that there is no cure, they just no open to it. Not only do we do what we call a rehab trim, we also but boots on the horse, fit the boots with pads which offer some cushioning to the hoof so the horse can walk a little better. We need to get the horse moving because without the pumping that occurs when the hoof connects with the ground the hoof gets no blood flow. We need blood flow to help cure the hoof.
Now lets talk conformation. So what does conformation have to do with hooves? Well a good Barefoot trim equals a good conformation. Barefoot Trimmers not only look at the hoof, we look at the whole body. You can tell so much from the way a horse stands. If it stands holding one side more than the other you know that there is something wrong with that side. This could be pain or stiffness. Barefoot Trimmers trim for the whole body not just the hoof. There might be a reason why one side of the hoof wall is short than the other, we try and work out that reason before we trim, so we know what we can do without making the horse uncomfortable. A comfortable horse means a nice conformation.
When you finish reading this article I would like you to go out and do this little activity with your horses hooves.
You will need:
1 hoof pick
1 ruler
1 marker or texter (a dark colour so that it stands out more)
1 a piece of paper to write measurements down
Step one: Pick out the hoof with the hoof pick to clean it.
Step two: When you have cleaned the hoof I want you to measure the frog.
Step three: Divide the measurement of the frog by two.
Step four: Starting from the tip of the frog measure the answer from step three, make a mark.
Step five: Draw a line across the hoof where that marker is. This is where the hoof should end. If it doesn’t your horse’s hoof is too long or too short. Probably causing the horse’s feet to hurt.
Barefoot trimmers are trained to do this exercise first. So we know where to trim and where we can’t go past.
I hope what I have written has answered a few questions you had about barefoot and maybe have made you want to learn more.
Please feel free to check out this websites for more information:
www.wildabouthooves.com
www.hoofrehab.com
www.thenaturalhorse.com.au
www.cavallo-inc.com
www.easycareinc.com

Written by Clare Cornish