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Regular
Posts: 84
| I m going barefoot on 2 barrel mares..i started with taking off back shoes and rolled the toes. one mare is fine, the other is a little oucy....how long does it take to get comfortable? and I was thinking of waiting until back feet were fine, then pulling front shoes and trying it...I have soft rides if we tie on concrete or for stalls, I have been putting turpentine and durasole on bottom of feet... is there anything else I need to do? my husband is a farrier so they will be rasped correctly every 3 or 4 weeks or when ever i see something funny.........anyone else barefoot??????thank you |
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 "Hottie"
Posts: 1373
 
Location: Okemah,OK | All ours are barefoot. Some we pulled all at once, some we pulled the backs a few weeks before the fronts. Most transitioned a lot easier than I expected but some took a few weeks to be completely comfortable. We have boots for all of them, that we were able to turn them out in if they were sore. Now I use them when I haul, for gravel and for concrete. If you don't have boots you can turn them out in, maybe try to make something temporary with padding and duct tape. Sounds like you're on the right track and in good hands. Biggest problem I see people have is they do the wrong type of trim, like they're prepping the foot for a shoe, or the get lazy with the boots. Yes, boots are a hassle but so was losing shoes! I LOVE my barefoot ponies! |
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 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
 
Location: Texas | I have a 6 yr old that has never had shoes that my granddaughter is riding now. We try to keep him off of parking lots and rocks but sometimes it is not possible. So far he is doing ok. Planning on buying him soft rides soon but am unsure about size and fit. Do you just put them on the front? or all around? |
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Regular
Posts: 84
| we use softrides all around. go to their website and it will show you how to measure their feet so you can order some. ive never turned mine oujt in softrides except once with a mare rthat had a sore hoof...and I finally found one of the soft rides in the pond....
yes, billy knows how to do the barefoot trim and roll the toes... im excited... all my young horses are barefoot and hopefully will stay that way......
we tried the razor shoes and did not like them...... |
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 It Goes On
Posts: 2262
Location: Muskogee, OK | I've found initially when transitioning that it is super helpful to just pull the shoes and not trim at first (just rasp the edges and clean up a LITTLE to prevent cracking/chipping). Let them get accustomed to that for a week or two and then proceed with regular trimming.
I keep mine barefoot! I too like using soft-rides for them at shows or when trailering. |
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 "Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | I use easyboot Epics to transition mine. You can get the red pads (firm) to insert and keep them comfy for turnout or riding. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 133
| annemarea - 2014-02-04 7:36 PM I use easyboot Epics to transition mine. You can get the red pads (firm) to insert and keep them comfy for turnout or riding.
Pete Ramey said that he really under utilized the hoof boots when he first started doing the barefoot thing-- that using hoofboots really helps the process along for the horse. Mine will wear hoof boots (I like Renegades) for about 3 weeks and it makes a huge difference. |
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"Hottie"
Posts: 1373
Location: Okemah,OK | annemarea - 2014-02-04 9:36 PM
I use easyboot Epics to transition mine. You can get the red pads (firm) to insert and keep them comfy for turnout or riding.
We don't have that brand of boot, I think ours are Cavello? They're not the soft rides. You really need something that you can turn them out in the pasture wearing, especially for the transition period. Once we got past that, my biggest enemy is concrete. My main horse is pigeon toed so he'll "rasp"his heels off on concrete. I have to be pretty strict about using boots when we travel to fairgrounds and places like that. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 349
| Easyboots were a life saver for my HS rodeo mare who had nervicular and started a little ouchy. Havnt used them in 2 years and we go gather on all terrain. Pony transitioned easily. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | My horse went barefoot this winter and his feet cracked terribly with the frozen ground. How do you keep them looking pretty? After seeing the barefoot journey thread I was really inspired to consider going barefoot but I don't think my horse could handle it. |
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"Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | hammer_time - 2014-02-05 2:37 AM My horse went barefoot this winter and his feet cracked terribly with the frozen ground. How do you keep them looking pretty? After seeing the barefoot journey thread I was really inspired to consider going barefoot but I don't think my horse could handle it.
Diet is a big one when looking at good wall connection! But the thing you have to realize is that you have to completely grow the foot out before you will have good wall connection at the bottom, where you see the cracking/chipping. So, low starch diet (no rye grass, molasses, sweet feeds), and allow them to grow a complete new foot from hairline to ground (6-8 months). |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | annemarea - 2014-02-05 7:53 AM
hammer_time - 2014-02-05 2:37 AM My horse went barefoot this winter and his feet cracked terribly with the frozen ground. How do you keep them looking pretty? After seeing the barefoot journey thread I was really inspired to consider going barefoot but I don't think my horse could handle it.
Diet is a big one when looking at good wall connection! But the thing you have to realize is that you have to completely grow the foot out before you will have good wall connection at the bottom, where you see the cracking/chipping. So, low starch diet (no rye grass, molasses, sweet feeds), and allow them to grow a complete new foot from hairline to ground (6-8 months).
Oh wow....yeah that makes sense. I mean, I probably won't do it with my rodeo horse because he's always had shoes....but definitely something to consider with the young ones coming up. But then I worry about not having the resources to continue correctly. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I want to go barefoot. I tried it on one of mine a couple of years ago and they were so ouchy for months. I am going to try again. Sure wish I had thought about it when they were out for 3 months with throat condition . |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
| My two competition horses are just about a year into barefoot and balanced trim life. This winter has been about as frozen-ground as you can get what with all the moisture, then deep freeze, and back and forth. I just had trims done and no cracks whatsoever. Zan had an abscess, but it looks like it was from when I transitioned feed programs earlier in 2013. It was old, and very shallow on his wall. Last September at our state finals I did hand walk them across the gravel areas. This April I will most likely be able to ride them across the same areas, at a walk of course.
Boy went back into the rotation last summer so he's only 3 or 4 trims in. He's still sensitive for the first day or three after a trim, or was on this harsh ice, and then he was fine. He'll probably toughen up completely by this summer at the latest, maybe even mid spring with spring growth to work with.
It takes some time, not just one or two farrier cycles, for all the parts afftected to adjust. But you will be growing a truly healthy foot once the nails are out of it. |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | What about a rope horse? Are bare feet ideal for hard stops? |
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Regular
Posts: 84
| you have a rope horse in san diego? roping is not as hard as running barrels on their feet....I know lots of barefoot rope horses...a long time ago people used to put sliding plates on a rope horse, but no one that I know does anymore....I see a lot of barefoot breakaway horses.....
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | myvwranch - 2014-02-05 6:34 PM you have a rope horse in san diego? roping is not as hard as running barrels on their feet....I know lots of barefoot rope horses...a long time ago people used to put sliding plates on a rope horse, but no one that I know does anymore....I see a lot of barefoot breakaway horses.....
No he's back home. Trying to get moved out of here!  |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I pulled my mares shoes towards the beginning of winter. Didn't want to deal with the snowballs in her shoes. She was never outchy or sore. She runs across the gravel driveway and walks over rocks with no stumbling. I am going to otry and keep her barefoot, if possible.
She's clubby on one foot. So when she is shod, I have to have her reset every 4 weeks to keep her angles correct. And she pulled several shoes and bent a few more going around barrels. Being barefoot, I wont have to worry about any of that. I rasp her clubby hoof down every other week or so. Barefoot is the way to go if it's possible. |
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