Most
horses do not need to be shod.
This statement is capable of starting major arguments among horse people!
In
reality, the majority of horses in this country do little more than eat, get
brushed (if lucky) and stand around….with an occasional weekend trail ride or
roping. Yet so many people insist
that because he’s a horse, he needs shoes.
Even
horses used for regular, moderate work rarely “need” shoes.
Along with proper management, competent-consistent trimming is the key to
keeping a horse’s feet sound and healthy.
This includes a horse walking off SOUND following a trimming.
Far too many horse owners accept that their horse being lame for a week
following a trim is acceptable when it is not!
Furthermore, the addition of shoes does not solve the problem…it simply
masks the symptom. Shoes can
actually restrict the foot system and impede already poor circulation when
ill-fitted or improperly applied. They
can also place unnatural weight bearing on individual areas of the foot that
should be sharing the distribution with other sections.
Lameness often results when weight is not properly distributed through
the system. Keep in mind the entire
healthy hoof system is a moving, flexible one that benefits from being allowed
to expand and grow as needed.
In
order to maintain the barefoot state, the following requirements are necessary:
1.
A regular
schedule of trimmings tailored to the horse’s individual needs.
The 8 week schedule does not necessarily work for all horses.
2.
A
knowledgeable, skilled farrier who is willing to adapt a trimming system that is
beneficial to your horse’s well being and suitable to his discipline.
3.
An
investment in getting the horse from point A to point B.
This means accepting that initial shoe removal to the functional barefoot
state isn’t always easy and may involve some periods of rest for the horse as
the foot system is often extremely out of “balance” when the process begins.
I
suggest that owners talk to other owners to get referrals on farriers who are
willing to work toward the goal of a barefoot horse. Working toward a barefoot state is an excellent investment in
your horse. Postponing hoof
problems is extremely costly in the long run.