Spring is here. Is your horse due for a trim?
Naked Hoof Care
Get Naked.
Bare your soles.
Providing superior hoof care services to south-east Michigan since 1998.
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There is a revolution going on in barns across the country.
Mention the words natural hoof care or bare hoof care in the same sentence with shoeing and you’ll generate some pretty passionate responses from horse enthusiasts. On one side, you’ll get people who are passionate about providing their horses with care that is as close to what Mother Nature intended as possible. On the other side, those that truly believe, for one reason or another, that horses need shoes, have to have shoes, in order to have proper hoof care and stay healthy.
We’re here to offer you a unique resource when considering bare hoof care as an option in your horse care program - the perspective of a classically trained farrier, schooled in traditional methods of shoeing AND natural hoof care, who now practices bare hoof care – exclusively.
Above: Four year old off-the-track Standardbred mare. Note the rippling in the hoof wall, long toe, and flaring. Far right: After the trim.
The truth of the matter is that every horse can go barefoot. Every horse can do it successfully. Every horse can be sound while being barefoot and have the healthiest hooves possible for that horse.
Unfortunately, not every horse owner can go barefoot.
This is usually the deciding factor between seeing a successful (or not so successful) transition to bare hoof care. Why is this, you ask? Well, for starters, going barefoot can require a commitment from horse owners to put more time and effort into their hoof care, feeding, and housing programs. This usually consists of putting hoof boots and pads on their horses when turned out or being ridden so that the internal structures of the hoof can develop, having to soak feet or apply medications to correct chronic fungal or thrush infections, or both. It can also mean improving the environment and conditions that the horse is housed in order to establish or increase proper circulation within the hoof capsule, encourage movement, promote the development of underdeveloped structures within the hoof, or rid the horse of chronic infections fostered by living in an inappropriate environment. In a lot of cases there are dietary changes that also need to be made in conjunction with these changes to encourage healthy horn growth and/or stop recurring laminitic or chronic founder episodes. Bare hoof care, during a transitory period, is certainly more work than letting the farrier come by to put shoes on every eight to twelve weeks, writing a check, and then forgetting about it until the next visit. Fortunately, once these issues have been corrected and the hoof has developed properly it is no more work keeping a horse barefoot than keeping one shod. In fact, it is easier, more convenient, healthier, and certainly less expensive.
If natural hoof care is healthier than shoeing, why are there people who don't believe in it?
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Bare hoof care adversaries usually have stories for the barefoot-versus-shod debate. They all know a horse that had weak hoof walls that chipped, thin soles, bruising, lameness or any other host of issues that made the attempt at going bare impossible. Why the horror stories? These are horses that were not transitioned properly to begin with. You cannot take horses that have spent their lives shod (typically with too long toes and too high heels), pull the shoes, and expect them to travel soundly over road gravel. That is abusive. Some horses will be able to do this immediately, but most will require an appropriate transitory program that will encourage proper development of the internal structures. Some people will swear that their horse is worked too much to go barefoot. The notion that you’ll wear a horse’s hoof off is faulty. Horses are, by design, made for traveling significant distances on a daily basis. Our domestic horses may not be physically conditioned for it, but their hooves are still programmed genetically for it. If your horse is kept in an extremely abrasive environment or you ride more than 30 miles per day, hoof boots offer temporary protection that can be removed when the activity is over or worn for periods of the day. As the hoof develops, the boots can be eliminated. (We have yet to see a horse in our practice for whom this was an issue.)
There IS an appropriate solution for transitioning every horse from shoes to bare hoof care. Initially it may require more time and effort on the part of the owner, but it can be done successfully. Behind every barefoot horror story is an owner who would not or could not make the commitment to properly transition their horse. Fortunately, we’ve got the art of transitioning horses down to a science. Yes, we’re still learning ways to shave time and effort off of the process but we have some great ways to make it easier on you and your horse. We love it when clients share their tips with us on what they’ve done to make the process easier for them. Our goal is to provide you with the best bare hoof care available and to make the transition as simple and effortless as possible. It does take commitment, but your horses will be healthier and happier for it.
We strongly encourage you to do as much research as you can in order to educate yourself on proper bare hoof care. There are numerous theories and methodologies out there, and you ought to take an active role in deciding which program and approach is right for you and your horse. We have included a host of resources for you on our website to make this task easier. Check out our articles, visit the links we've collected to great sources of information on the subject, and visit our on-line store for all of your bare hoof care needs. We are adding new information on a daily basis, and welcome suggestions for links or requests for specific content.
For those of you that have already gone naked, feel free to e-mail us and tell us how bare hoof care has impacted you and your horse. We'd love to share your stories and pictures with others on our website. E-mail Barefoot@NakedHoofCare.com
Copyright 2007-2008, Laura Adams (site in its entirety)
Naked Hoof Care
Get naked.
Bare your soles.
Office: 734/428-2800