HighPerformanceBarefootHorse

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High Performance Barefoot Horse?
© Anya Lavender.
What does this mean?

The model high performance barefoot horse is the wild one, living in an arid environment, who's feet are so tough that she can travel on rough terrain for many kilometres per day without a problem. Her feet are kept worn to perfect balance, and grow enough to keep up with that wear. She has short walls, thick soles and a fully functional frog, with thick, strong digital cushions & lateral cartilages. That is why this model of care is also called 'Natural Hoofcare'.

These animals are MADE, not bred! However, it takes more than just good hoofcare to create them. It is about their whole diet, management and environment.

A 'high performance barefoot horse' is one that can cope easily with the tasks required of it, without hoof protection. It does not matter what breed or type of horse.
In reality however, carrying the weight of a rider, performing athletically & at speed, asked to endure more on abrasive ground than growth can keep up with, and often living/fed in less than ideal(for hoof & health) situations, domestic horses will usually require artificial protection/support in some situations at least.
So why is the natural model so important then, if it may be unrealistic to many?? Because understanding how hooves function optimally enables us to take what measures we can to facilitate strong, healthy hooves in our horses, to avoid lameness and hoof problems, and also to understand the 'cons' of our horse's situations, to take necessary measures to minimise negative effects.

Many a horse with chronic 'bad' feet and lameness issues has successfully made great improvement, if not complete recovery. Many an old horse has been given a new lease of life. 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.

So, what is are the important factors?? How do I turn my horse into a high performance barefoot animal?

Thankfully these days, it isn't just a question of barefoot or conventionally shod. There are other options such as Hoof Boots which make it easy and economical(not cheap outlay, but they generally last ages!), to provide adequate & healthy protection and support when necessary! Comfort is very important, as hooves that can't be used comfortably, aside from not being nice for the horse, won't function optimally & can lead to other issues. So don't just force a bare foot horse to put up with stuff, in the name of 'transitioning' ~ protect him where necessary!
Diet & Nutrition

Environment & Footing

Exercise & Lifestyle

Hoofcare

You will need to provide your horse with as natural a lifestyle as you can manage. The basic considerations with regard to lifestyle are;
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24/7 turnout of around an acre at least, large enough to run around in, rather than a stable or yard.
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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.
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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.
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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. Another option is creating a 'track' around the pasture. Google 'Paddock Paradise' for more info.
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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 generally beneficial to their feet. **Comfort is an important consideration if they're weak footed though. Pea gravel or such can be a great option which even pathological hooves can usually find comfort in.
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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. *Too much food/calories/sugars are problematic though, especially if they've been overweight long-term.
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Free access shelter, in the form of a run-in shed or a few good trees.
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Next, you will need to pull his shoes, if he has them, and find a good 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, many 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;

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A farrier's rasp. A good professional quality one is advisable, as it makes the job so much easier
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A hoof knife. If you choose the hook type, you'll want a double sided one or a right and a left handed one. If you choose the loop type, the medium size is generally most useful.
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Hoof nippers. If you're only doing 'brush up' trims, or you will do it often enough for them not to become too overgrown, then nips may not be necessary. However, I find that most of us live in the 'Real World' where life can get in the way, so it can be handy to have them on hand.
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A pair of good gloves to protect your hands and wrists. Cut resistant is a good move, as are ones that cover at least part of your forearm.
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A knife sharpener, and a small wire brush to clean the rasp.
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A hoof stand. One that will also cradle the hoof is preferrable.
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A farrier's apron or chaps to protect your legs.
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A camera - to record progress and provide pictures for professional help.

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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!

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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 Easyboots. 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.
If after weighing it all up, you decide this is not for you, here's a piece on how to minimise the damage of metal horseshoes.

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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......
Hoofcare for Horses & Donkeys
High Performance Barefoot Horse * Harmful Effects Of Shoes * Bad Conformation? * Minimising the Damage of Horseshoes * Donkeys * Hoof Problems and Lameness * Trimming Principles * Lifestyle as it Relates to Health
* Best Angles for Pictures * Links & more info ~ feel free to suggest further sources to add!

Humane Training

>Why train? * Basic training principles * Why reward based * Punishment

Preparation, Management and Care Managing your Horse * Feeding and Caring for your Horse

My Business & Getting Help From Me
My Training Experiences * My Hoofcare Journey * Champ's Story * Benny's Story
My Animals & I