How Long Will My Horse Be Off Work?

Q: How long will my horse be off work if I were to take her shoes off and try a barefoot trim?

A: Any horse can go barefoot when given the correct program and true wild horse trim. The length of time it takes a horse to transition successfully can be immediate to several weeks. The length of this transition period depends on a number of factors surrounding each individual horse. First, the number of years that your horse has been in shoes will influence their transition period. A foal is born with a fatty material that makes up their digital cushion in the back of the hoof. As the foal grows and is allowed to move and exercise, the digital cushion along with the lateral cartilages in the hoof are developed into a strong fibrous cartilage giving the developing horse all the protection that nature intended for ultimate shock absorption in the back of the foot. If a horse has been shod since it was very young, that digital cushion in the back of the foot is not developed. The shoes have constricted the movement of the hoof, as well as the blood circulation and therefore prevents that critical development. When we take the shoes off a horse that has been shod for a long time, the back of the foot needs time to heal and develop once the correct movement and circulation have been restored. Putting boots on a horse after the shoes are pulled can speed that recovery rate and allow the horse owner to ride the horse immediately.  The boots provide the back of the hoof with a pain free, heel first landing necessary for the hoof to begin its healing process. This length of time required for healing depends on how much of that pressure release at the back of the horse‘s foot it receives. The more movement, the faster the healing rate.  If the frog is under developed, placing a wedge pad under the frog inside the boot will help encourage even faster healing. Like any muscle that is being developed, remember not to over do it.

A horse locked in the stall for long periods of time does not receive the movement necessary for the development or repair of internal hoof structures.  The foot needs that pressure release action in the back of the hoof in order to heal. If possible, when transitioning a horse out of shoes, place them in a 24/7 turnout where they can move at their own leisure and pace, preferably in a soft terrain.

Diet also plays a huge roll in the transition of a horse out of shoes.  Shoes hide the damage that has been done to the hoof over time. That damage is not only caused by the shoes themselves but also by the high sugar diets and highly toxic lifestyles our modern day domestic horses are living.  The current research now shows us how the sugars and toxins are playing havoc on the horses system and ultimately their feet. What goes in through the mouth comes out from the feet.  Horses cannot digest sugar in the hind gut where good and bad bacteria reside. The good bacteria are killed off causing hind gut lesions due to the results of bad bacteria mass multiplying while feeding on the sugar overload present in the gut. These bad bacteria die off quickly creating   endotoxins that leek into the bloodstream through the lesions and go directly to the laminae of the hoof causing inflammation.  To minimize the damage of these sugars and toxins, place your horse on a grass hay diet and minerals which is native to their species. Would you expect an athlete to thrive sitting on a couch all day eating cream puffs? Horses in nature move and run 24/7 in much tougher conditions and they thrive without all the added feeds our modern day horse receive. We don’t see founder or navicular in the wild. What we do see are strong healthy horses with feet tough as nails.  A high sugar diet is counterproductive to the horses system. Make it simple.

The hoof wall is thin and weakened by continuous shoeing. It will take several hoof growth capsules to restore the wall to a tougher, thicker protective shell. Until that time the hoof may experience ongoing chipping. This too will pass. Other factors that can determine the length of time to a successful transition are anything that causes a horse to move unnaturally, ie: a toe first landing, thrush, poor shoeing, invasive trimming techniques and unnatural diet, all resulting in weak digital cushions.  Finally, seek a Certified Natural Hoof Care Practitioner from a reputable organization to help you with this transition from shod to barefoot. It can easily be achieved. Be patient, your horse will be forever happy and grateful.

For more information about the AANHCP, how to get involved or to find an AANHCP practitioner in your area, please visit www.aanhcp.net

We look forward to sharing our knowledge with you and helping to address any questions or concerns you may have.

Sincerely, AANHCP Canadian Practitioners.

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