The model high performance barefoot
horse is the wild one, who's feet are so tough that she can travel at
speed on rough terrain for many miles per day without a problem. She
suffers virtually no lameness throughout her life, unlike most
domestic horses. That is why this method of care is also called
'Natural Hoofcare'.
This is a HOLISTIC approach. These
animals are MADE, not bred. However, it takes more than just good
hoofcare to create them. It is about their whole lifestyle and
environment.
A 'high performance barefoot horse' is
one that can cope easily with any task that is asked of it, without
hoof protection. It does not matter what breed or type of horse. It
doesn't matter ~ to a certain extent ~ the age or the state of his
feet prior to him 'being made' a high performance barefoot horse.
Many a horse with chronic bad feet and
lameness issues has successfully made the transition. Many an old
horse has been given a new lease of life.
This 'method' is
suitable and beneficial for
ALL
HORSES!
"Yeah, but..." I hear you say. You're
right, it's not quite as straight forward as it may sound. There are
some requirements that make it more or less desireable and attainable
for many PEOPLE. It requires effort, a desire to learn and extra time
on our part. It is often not the easiest way out for us - certainly
not as easy as handing the full responsability of hoof care and
health to a farrier.
If after weighing it all up, you
decide this is not for you, your horse will still benefit greatly
from wearing boots such as Old
Macs rather than metal shoes, or if
this is still not an option, learn how to minimise
the damage of metal horseshoes.
But if you are willing to learn how to
care for and condition your horse, he will benefit greatly and you
will be rewarded with a healthier, tougher, surefooted horse who will
not suffer the vast majority of lameness and hoof problems that are
common in conventionally managed horses.
How
do I turn my horse into a high performance barefoot animal?
Firstly, make sure you make an
INFORMED decision on this. Study all the theory you can, to make sure
you understand the principles. There are a number of great sites and
other resources on my links page that you can learn from. It is highly recommended
that you attend a workshop or clinic if there is one available in
your area.
Be aware that there are a few
different philosophies and techniques out there, as with most
subjects, so it's important to learn about the pros & cons of
each. There are those that do not follow a truely natural model, and
there are those that may cause the horse pain, in the name of
healing. When looking at different methods, keep in mind the
principle 'First, do no harm'. Here are my
reasons for doing what I do and not
following certain methods.
You will need to provide your horse
with as natural a lifestyle as you can manage. The minimum considerations with
regard to lifestyle are;
24/7 turnout of around an acre at
least, large enough to run around in, rather than a stable or
yard.
Herd life - preferably at least
one other horse, but other grazing animals are better than
nothing. This will motivate movement, as well as being good for
his mental health.
A horse requires near constant
movement and exercise. If he is not able or motivated to get much
in his paddock, his owner needs to provide as much as
possible.
One way of motivating them in the
paddock is to spread their hay throughout the paddock in very
small piles, separated as much as possible, and ensure their water
source is as far from the food as possible.
Mostly (or at least, some) firm, dry ground. Soft ground
and deep bedding can be detrimental to their feet. Having to cross
or stand on rocks each day is beneficial to their feet.
Near constant access to grasses
and herbs, or if this is not sufficiently available, good quality
mixed grass hay and some lucerne is appropriate. His diet will
need to be supplemented with appropriate nutrients.
Free access shelter, in the form
of a run-in shed or a few good trees.
The horse should be able to get
his feet wet daily. This will help them avoid becoming
brittle.
Next, you will need to pull his shoes, if he has them, and find a
NATURAL
hoofcare practitioner that will trim your horse in a physiologically
correct way and instruct you. If hands on help is not available in
your area, you would be well advised to have a few email/photo
consultations at very least when attempting it yourself.
If hands on help is available, it is
up to you whether with help, you learn to do the job yourself or
continue to employ a professional. Because trimming generally needs
doing more often than the conventional 6 weeks, most people choose to
do at least part of the trimming and touching up themselves.
Therefore, you will want to buy some gear. You will need;
A farrier's rasp.
A double sided, or a right- and a
left-handed hoof knife.
Hoof nippers.
A pair of long, tough gloves to
protect your hands and wrists.
A knife sharpener, and a small
wire brush to clean the rasp.
A hoof stand. One that will also
cradle the hoof is preferrable.
A farrier's apron or chaps to
protect your legs.
A camera - to record progress and
provide pictures for professional help.
Of course, if you can afford it, the
better quality your tools, the easier they are to use and the longer
they should last. But not all of us have unlimited funds and no other
commitments! So...
I advise you get the best quality rasp
you can. These are not expensive, as professionals go through them
quite quickly. Many people I meet tell me they have a rasp already,
that perhaps a farrier gave them. Often I discover these rasps are
blunt and rusty. The job is hard enough when you're learning, and a
good NEW rasp will make it so much easier.
Cheap knives will need more sharpening
and won't last as long, but they will do the job just fine.
Hoof nippers are only necessary when a
hoof is newly deshod or otherwise left to become excessively long.
Therefore, you may decide you don't need them if you plan to keep
your horse's feet in good order. Considering their irregular use, you
can also usually make do with the cheaper ones. Look for a set with a
narrow angle/thin blade edge, as these work better.
It is worth protecting yourself with
gloves - riggers or welding gloves are great. Some form of leg
protection is also advisable, because you can do some impressive
damage to flesh and clothes with a rasp and a knife, especially when
you're learning!
So I've done the above...
Does that mean my horse is now a high
performance barefoot horse? Unfortunately, in the vast majority of
cases, no. There is more preparation needed.
Most horses that have been left to
conventional care, even if not shod, will have some level of hoof
deformity and damage. This must be healed and the hoof be in good
working order before conditioning the horse to rough terrain.
I liken this to a person having an
injury or infection in their sole going barefoot. So long as the
disease is there, you will always have pain walking on hard or rough
ground and it will have a hard time healing. But if the injury is
healed and then you gradually expose your feet to hard ground, with
time you will be able to walk or run comfortably on any
terrain.
This healing and conditioning phase is
called the Transition
period.
It is uncommon for a horse not to require some hoof protection, at
least on the front feet, when worked on hard or rough ground during
this time.
To protect his feet, you may choose to
avoid this type of terrain altogether while he is healing, or you may
choose to buy a pair of hoof boots such as Old
Macs. Due to weight distribution and
other factors, it is often not necessary to use boots on back
feet.
The more exercise your natural horse
gets, the stronger and healthier his feet will become and the quicker
they will heal. Ideally, he should live on the type of terrain you
want him to be conditioned to, and travel many miles per day on
it(wild horses cover around 30-40km per day on average).
Obviously, this ideal situation is not
possible for many of us. Many horses live on soft pasture and only
get exercised on anything else a few hours per week, if that. The
level of high performance barefootedness you achieve depends a lot on
exercise and the amount of exposure to rough terrain.
In other than ideal situations and
with some horses, you may need to continue to work your horse in
boots some, most or all of the time when on hard & rough
surfaces. It depends on many factors.
For eg....
My old 21yo Arab X boy had deformed
feet from a lifetime of bad hoofcare and constant shoes when I
started learning about Natural Hoofcare, and yet he could cope with
just about anything I put him to, at least for the first 30km or
so......
My mare lived in a mainly firm, dry
paddock, but I was only riding her a couple of times per week, if
that. Our rides were mainly along gravelly dirt roads for 10km or
less. After a few months, using boots less and less often, she would
happily canter on gravel and rocky trails. After this, she only
needed boots on extra long, rough rides after the first 20km or
so......
My young boy, who I recently started
and has as yet had little out of paddock exercise, so far has thin
walls and soles that wear quickly. He currently needs boots
constantly when on rough or hard ground......
A friend's 14yo TB, bought 2 years
ago, has strong, healthy feet, apart from a full quarter crack that
she got as a 2yo and is proving slow to heal. She can go for miles on
paved surfaces without showing any discomfort or wear, but on rough
ground, with stones that can get into the crack she always needs
boots......
Choosing a Pet * Choosing a
Dog *
Choosing a
Horse *
Preparing
for your Dog * Preparing for your Horse * Managing your
Dog *
Managing
your Horse
* Feeding
and Caring for your Dog * Feeding and Caring for your Horse
My
Animals & I
