Why barefoot trimming?
Having barefoot horses just makes sense. Horses are born without shoes and have lived without shoes for hundreds of years. Natural Barefoot Trimming is modeled after the normal wear patterns of healthy mustangs in the wild, some of the strongest and soundest horses there are today. Even before I knew about natural barefoot trimming, research had told me that barefoot hooves were healthier and stronger. Shoeing a horse requires you to drive holes in the hoof wall, causing weakness. A steel shoe impedes proper circulation. Imagine walking around all day on a slab of steel, how much your back and legs would hurt. Add to that, feeling as if your feet were asleep during that time because your circulation was compromised. Not a pleasant experience, to be sure. In addition, within just a few days, any shoes that fit when they were applied are already becoming restrictive, as the hoof continues to grow while the shoe does not. The shoe will be far too small long before the horse is due for a reset. That is not to say that there are not circumstances that warrant shoes, but in most cases, they aren't a necessity, and can often cause more harm than good.
With my own horses, my experience was life changing. I had always used farriers that gave my horses standard pasture trims, which equates to a shoeing trim, only without the shoe. In return, my horses would get cracks, chips, and tender feet regularly. I tried several different farriers over the years, trying to find one that could keep my horses sound without shoes, and finally came across a natural barefoot trimmer. Within the first 4 trims, my horses were moving better, playing more, and keeping nice solid hooves with no chips or cracks. Horses that had been diagnosed with arthritis or suffering just plain old age aches and pains were suddenly sound, and I realized it was because the standard trims, combined with the typical 8 week trim cycle, was the cause of their chronic stiffness and soreness. I was sold. And not only that, I realized I was passionate enough about it that I wanted to pursue it as a career.
Natural barefoot trimming is typically done on a 4-5 week cycle, and using the hoof as a blueprint, we trim to keep the horse balanced for their own unique conformation. The use of a "mustang roll" prevents the typical cracks and chips you would see with a standard pasture trim, in which the edges are left squared. The roll also encourages a stronger hoof growth, as you no longer have separation and flaring of the hoof wall. The shorter trim cycle more closely mimics natural wear patterns, and since less hoof material is removed at each trim, there is less adjustment. A great many horses are sore for a day or two after a regular 8-10 week trim because so much material has to be removed, it essentially throws the entire body out of alignment as it adjusts to the trim. For example, think about walking around in high-heeled shoes or boots for several weeks, and then suddenly switching into flip flops. I can promise you would have very sore legs for a few days. This is what happens to the horse when there is too much time between trims.
Not every horse can be barefoot, but most can, and those that can benefit greatly from the natural barefoot method.
Having barefoot horses just makes sense. Horses are born without shoes and have lived without shoes for hundreds of years. Natural Barefoot Trimming is modeled after the normal wear patterns of healthy mustangs in the wild, some of the strongest and soundest horses there are today. Even before I knew about natural barefoot trimming, research had told me that barefoot hooves were healthier and stronger. Shoeing a horse requires you to drive holes in the hoof wall, causing weakness. A steel shoe impedes proper circulation. Imagine walking around all day on a slab of steel, how much your back and legs would hurt. Add to that, feeling as if your feet were asleep during that time because your circulation was compromised. Not a pleasant experience, to be sure. In addition, within just a few days, any shoes that fit when they were applied are already becoming restrictive, as the hoof continues to grow while the shoe does not. The shoe will be far too small long before the horse is due for a reset. That is not to say that there are not circumstances that warrant shoes, but in most cases, they aren't a necessity, and can often cause more harm than good.
With my own horses, my experience was life changing. I had always used farriers that gave my horses standard pasture trims, which equates to a shoeing trim, only without the shoe. In return, my horses would get cracks, chips, and tender feet regularly. I tried several different farriers over the years, trying to find one that could keep my horses sound without shoes, and finally came across a natural barefoot trimmer. Within the first 4 trims, my horses were moving better, playing more, and keeping nice solid hooves with no chips or cracks. Horses that had been diagnosed with arthritis or suffering just plain old age aches and pains were suddenly sound, and I realized it was because the standard trims, combined with the typical 8 week trim cycle, was the cause of their chronic stiffness and soreness. I was sold. And not only that, I realized I was passionate enough about it that I wanted to pursue it as a career.
Natural barefoot trimming is typically done on a 4-5 week cycle, and using the hoof as a blueprint, we trim to keep the horse balanced for their own unique conformation. The use of a "mustang roll" prevents the typical cracks and chips you would see with a standard pasture trim, in which the edges are left squared. The roll also encourages a stronger hoof growth, as you no longer have separation and flaring of the hoof wall. The shorter trim cycle more closely mimics natural wear patterns, and since less hoof material is removed at each trim, there is less adjustment. A great many horses are sore for a day or two after a regular 8-10 week trim because so much material has to be removed, it essentially throws the entire body out of alignment as it adjusts to the trim. For example, think about walking around in high-heeled shoes or boots for several weeks, and then suddenly switching into flip flops. I can promise you would have very sore legs for a few days. This is what happens to the horse when there is too much time between trims.
Not every horse can be barefoot, but most can, and those that can benefit greatly from the natural barefoot method.