[drivingpairs] Re: barefot trimming
- From: "Claudia Cordeiro" <claudia@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 08:56:15 -0500
I have had my horses and ponies barefoot now for about 5 years, I have also
learned to trim them myself. They are doing just fine. The roads that I
ride/drive them on are limerock and can be tough sometimes. I do have boots
to use if I need them, the only time I used them was when I drove my pony in
Acadia, Me. She was not used to the abrasive footing and we did a lot of
driving. They all have nice healthly feet.
Claudia
Morriston, Fl
-----Original Message-----
From: drivingpairs-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:drivingpairs-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Peter & Rachel Eldred
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 7:30 PM
To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: barefot trimming
Hardy, so nice to hear an advocate of going barefoot if you can. I’ve
often thought that some people put shoes on just because everyone else does.
Why do we see so many dressage horses who never step foot outside of a nice
soft ring wearing shoes on all four?
It’s surprising how well many of them can do barefoot if properly looked
after.
Rachel in BC
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From: drivingpairs-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:drivingpairs-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Hzlax@xxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 1:20 PM
To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [drivingpairs] barefot trimming
Since Helen asked, be happy to response and share my experience. I drive
my pair of 17 hand Holsteiners barefoot since over four years including
competitions and it works good here. We always had them barefoot behind
since when we first got them as 3 year olds (they now turn 14), and would
only put shoes on behind when going to big competitions where we weren't
sure of the ground conditions and if we would need studs, so wanted to be
prepared for that with holes drilled to put studs in. At home we would pull
the hind shoes again. Once a year we would also pull the front shoes and
turn them out to pasture for 4 - 6 weeks. Over four years ago then, when we
brought them back from their pasture vacation on advice of our farrier we
decided to wait and see how long they could go before putting the front
shoes back on. Well, and we are still going :-)
But I don't think this works for everybody and all other conditions. It
depends very much on the feet, the footing, the amount of work, the climate,
moisture etc. Ours are working 5 times a week for about 2 hours. We work
mostly on wood chipped trails, plus some grass, some hard packed dirt and
some blacktop. We are in S. California where we have it dry - e.g. no rain
usually from about April through Dec., yet since we are close to the coast
it's not desert dry, so the feet do not dry out too much. In the winter
saison, like right now, when we do get some rain and things get wet, I need
to watch it a little more and be more carefull on how much I drive them on
harder surface. But in general I think my amount of work on our surface
seems to be just right. Less work and the feet get softer, more work and
they can get too short.
I do not have any special knowledge about barefoot trimming, but year
round I keep my rasp handy and I go over the edges a little all the time
when I see a little chip here or there, kind of like most women do with
their fingernails. I also rasp off a little on the toe when it looks like
it's getting a little long, as well as take off some inside flair on the
hind feet, etc. I have not needed a farrier for a trim in all that time, as
it seems I'm handy enough myself with the rasp. Our vet is also our farrier,
and when he is out I just ask him to take a look and tell me if it all still
looks ok. The feet do look very good, the heels are spread out a little and
not squeezed so tight together, as often shoes will do. The walls are much
stronger now then they were before, the frog is healthy and touching the
ground, but yes, they can get a little ouchy when they step on a some little
rock pebbles, just like we do when we go barefoot, especially now, in the
rain season when the feet are a little softer due to the moisture. But when
it gets dry again the feet are hard enough that even driving marathons in AZ
over some rocky gravel roads did not bother them. Nevertheless, I always
ran the risk when I competed on Advanced level and needed to pass the
pre-competition vet check on hard surface, that if they would take a wrong
step on a little rock pebble to or at the vet check that they might appear a
little ouchy or uneven or even lame. So at times we were asked to trot
twice, but usually on the second jog all would have been back to normal
again and we were never spun. But still to avoid that risk once before
going to an Advanced Competition I thought about having put on shoes in
front again. When my farrier came out to do it, he looked at the feet and
said, it would be a shame to put nails into them again, and his vote would
be I should try it without. So we did and were ok. I did have some raised
eyebrows and questions from Ground Juries on it occasionally, but since the
rules do not require shoes, and more importantly, they all had to agree that
indeed the feet really did look very good, they then always accepted it.
So for us, our horses, and our conditions this is working well, the feet
are healthy (and last but not least I save a lot of money too), but I am not
saying that this would be the best concept for everybody. It all depends on
your conditions. But try it out, first with just the hind feet, and see how
it goes.
Hardy
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