Stolen Horse--Man is BACK in jail!

[rodriguezpoultry]

Oh...I see what ya'll are saying.

Is it not possible to have a farrier trim or do I need to learn how to do it?

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

There ARE people who do barefoot trims but they are not as easy to find as conventional farriers. If you cannot find one, well, I know I do my own trims for anyone going barefoot. When we were still competing we shod our cutters, although I am not sure I would still do that today. Simple basic trims are not difficult to do as long as you do not let it get ahead of you. But if you put it off for months, then go find a pro. (That barefoot site belongs to a pro, btw).

JMO

Rusty

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I think that's great Max is going barefoot. He will be so much healthier for it. If you use a regular farrier and not one that specializes in barefoot trims, just make sure they spend the extra time and round the edge - some call a pasture roll or mustang roll. It prevents cracking.

I think I have provided you The Soul of the Horse link before discussing barefoot horses.

Here is a video about a horse the owner was told could never go barefoot.

Soul of the Horse link:
http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/what-a-year/

 

[geebs]

RoPo: It has been proven time and time again that farriers do what they do.. They don't necessarily embrace the barefoot thing... I would love it if they would.... However it would tell them that they wasted thousands of dollars on equipment and that is just a hard pill to swollow.... not impossible but just difficult...I have turned a couple of farriers and more than my share of Vets.

Barefoot is a holistic approach to the horse and a COMPLETE understanding on the physiology of the hoof and it's function within the whole being. If you have a horse that doesn't have too much atrophy then a novice could keep up... Get some books and read.. If you decide it is for you....Invest wisely in the best tools you can afford... I personally like GE for nippers... The knife isn't that important as I rarely use it... I do like a Belotta rasp and I replace it ever 20 trims. Get a nice handle for your rasp one that fits your hand. Gloves are a biggy... A file that you would use to sharpen a chainsaw and a jackstand... (homemade ones are nicer than the plastic as it is lightweight and tippy) Ramey has the most user friendly book out there... There are some videos also I think by Jaime Jackson. I like to read up and keep current with Dr. Bowker.. Some really fascinating studies are going on right now with fluid dynamics and how it cushions the foot upon loading. There are some great videos on you tube... If I can be a resource to you...LMK. I will gladly help a horse out in any way I can!!!!

SWACK...that is for Max.

There is a transition period for anyone taking shoes off... including ppl... He will get used to it...You can buy tennis shoes for him in the meantime for riding and they are comparable in price to a one time shoeing and they last forever....(well nearly)... Odds are he is sensitive due to tissues being covered that shouldn't have been... Make sure he has good frog health and that it is FAT and tough.. If there is any fungus treat it and pick his feet out daily... Keep them clean like it was a candy dish you would feed children out of...I get my horses feet done ever 3 to 5 weeks depending on the horse... No more time lapses than that or I am going to have peripherial loading..

I know this is a lot to digest.. But it is a ball to see them use themselves beyond what other horses can....NO JOKE... They can move free er with great action after they have transitioned and they live longer with better eyesight and better lung function... No kidding.

 

[debilorrah]

Ok, I have a question on the barefoot thing - we are fairly new to horses, and they are currently barefoot. We have rocky sand type dirt in some areas and concrete hard dirt in others. One of them is showing cracks and someone told us they need to be shoed. Is that true and if so, why? Help.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
He is not big. He is HUGE! Duke is 14.7 hands and 900 lbs and he is a BIG snot. He ONLY likes me. No one else can go near him unless they have carrots. And once those are gone he comes right back to me.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
That is ALOT of eye opening information. I can work with Duchess' feet just fine. Duke is a pistol though. I can get a halter on him, and it takes about 2 hours to saddle him. He would make a GREAT bucking bronco in a rodeo...

 

[Buugette]

He looks amazing... and in those pictures he truly looks like he is smiling. He must be so happy to be home.

D

 

[ShrekDawg]

wow thats great, glad hes finally barefoot now. oh and he looks so happy in those pictures, glad you finally have him back!

ETA: oh and also, yes he is a HUGE boy!, lolz

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

The barefoot thing is not going over well...

He's really tender. I feel bad making him move at all.

He hates moving his front end now and will forcefully step with his left front (which is the flatter of his fronts by my unknowing eye). I wish I could keep him on sand or something, but I know if I do, his feet will never get tougher. Going downhill on the concrete is the big thing for him. He takes twice as many steps to do it as he did before. I think he needs roller skates...