Going Barefoot

Forrest, team player in the barefoot process

Three weeks ago I decided to remove the shoes of my horse to go barefoot. It was about time! Well, I've been thinking about it and talking about it for almost a year. I almost did it last summer. But because she was unbalanced and living on rocks I decided to postpone at that time. I worked with my farrier toward a better balanced feet (yes we could have done it without the shoes too) and continued my research. The more I was studying the hoof and observing horses the less I could stand shoes. But what decided me for good is when my horse told me in December, during her last shoeing, that she was done with it. She didn't want them anymore and it was clear. She wouldn't stand still when the time to nail them would come and gave me the look "What are you doing?". I thought how can I work so hard on building trust in my horsemanship when she shows me something and I don't step up for her. By the next day my decision was taken but first I had to wait for her to grow some feet again.

At that time I didn't know about the pasture. It just happened mid January and it was a blessing. Although there is still rocks in the pasture there is also lot and lots of grassy area. She just has to be aware of where she walks which is actually a good thing.

On January 21st I asked my farrier to pull the shoes off. I cannot say she felt good right away and even today she is still sore. I know it can take some time to adjust and although it can be painful to watch her walk on gravels or rocky path I know it's temporary and for the best!

So in the meanwhile I bought her boots. Not so much to ride her but for now it's to give her some relief when I take her out of the pasture and then to go back to our training (online and liberty). It's not miraculous but its helps for sure. After three weeks now she is doing better. But as Marjorie Smith said: 

"Be patient and trust the horse to heal."

 I am patient and very happy that a little bite more, I let my horse be a horse.

Renegade boots

What going or being barefoot means?

In touch with the earth has it is intend to

When a horse is barefoot, the flexing of his hoof pump an enormous amount of blood into the hoof capsule every time the hoof hits the ground; and it pushes it back up the leg when the hoof leaves the ground.

The blood circulation in the legs protects the joints, the ligaments and the tendons. It nourishes them.

When metal shoes are nailed to horse feet, it restricts the circulation because the hoof need to flex to pump blood.

Without proper circulation the nerve endings quit transmitting and the horse looses the feelings. The white line lacks nutrients and becomes weak and stretched.

Nailing metal shoes on a horse also weakens the hoof wall and it eliminates the natural shock absorption mechanism. The frog must touch the ground. It needs to be able to expend to absorb the impact.

The transition from shod to barefoot
The transition represents the time to rebuild and restore the hoof. Pulling the shoes has for direct effect improving the circulatory system and firing of the nerves.

It can take several days, weeks or a month to recover. But if the hoof are not healthy it may need months (6-8 months to a year) to grow a new hoof capsule.

Finale freshly trimmed after pulling the shoes

Interesting fact about why horses in transition are "sore on gravels":

The transition from shod to barefoot is not about "toughening up" the sole. It is not the sole that is sore, it's the corium -- a layer of living tissue on the bottom of the coffin bone that grows the sole. Iodine or other drying treatments do not speak to the actual problem. Putting gravel in the horse's turnout to "toughen the feet" will work against you; wait until after transition is completed.

When we have a stretched white line -- due to the lack of nutrition in a shod hoof, or due to the mechanical forces of a flare -- the coffin bone sinks away from the hoof wall and presses down onto the sole corium. The corium gets inflamed by the constant pressure of the bone. When the horse walks on gravel or rocks, it hurts. It's like when you have an inflamed finger; you'd rather not bump into sharp corners with it.

The horse will not go sound-on-gravel (or other hard, uneven terrain) until the white line has healed and tightened up, and the coffin bone is held firmly up inside the hoof wall. This should generally happen within a year.

Source: www.barefoothorse.com/barefoot_Transition.html

Going natural

Going barefoot is more like a philosophy and lifestyle. It goes beyond pulling the shoes. The horse nutrition plays a major part. A horse needs to be able to graze full time or have hay/forage available 24 hour. Attention must be brought to the amount of sugars in the feed and to the right amount of minerals and vitamins. A poor diet will damage the white line and hoof health.

A horse also needs to be able to move. 24 hour turnout is ideal but when no choice, long turnout are necessary. Hoof need continued movement for health and healing.

Finale with her pretty boots:)