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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
   
Location: Montana | ETA: I had my wires crossed...the horse has soft feet, not thin soles. She has been kept shod if being ridden hard/a lot or on a lot of rocks, which keeping one shod isn't a big deal to me. But I was just wondering if you have a really awesome barefoot trimmer/farrier (which I have, angles are always good, trims even, etc.), if you can ever get a horse with soft feet to go barefoot? I'd rather just keep shoes on than to have one lame or sore, but thought I'd ask those who have experience. Thanks!
Edited by mtcanchazer 2016-08-12 2:47 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 912
Location: Alabama | I would pass on the horse. I've had two thin soled horses in the past and one with navicular like issues. Lesson learned. There are too many good footed horses out there...
To answer the question. Two years of good trimming and no they never got over it. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| Thin soles are a pain even with shoes, pads, etc. I don't personally believe the results you want could be achieved even by the best farrier's. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | True on the thin sole horses, I have one now, I got him barefooted for now, he grass flounder this spring so keeping shoes off for awhile to maintain his feet, and use the soft rides on him. But even shoed hes still a bit ouchy on hard ground, I'm very lucky cause I have sandy soil out here and I can let him go barefooted.. If you do get a thin soled horse, soft rides is a plus to have for them.. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| To transition a horse from shoes to barefoot takes anywhere from 6-12 months.
When I transitioned I rode in hoof boots, and kicked them out in the pasture bare foot.
Iodine on the soles helps toughen them up but it still takes time.
I picked the ground they ran on.
To this day I still have some who have never had shoes on and are tender footed on rocks.
Moisture in the ground can make them more soft. This year we have had quite a bit of rain so my horses feet a softer then previous years
Point being you need patience to do it properly |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | cheryl makofka - 2016-08-12 5:56 PM To transition a horse from shoes to barefoot takes anywhere from 6-12 months. When I transitioned I rode in hoof boots, and kicked them out in the pasture bare foot. Iodine on the soles helps toughen them up but it still takes time. I picked the ground they ran on. To this day I still have some who have never had shoes on and are tender footed on rocks. Moisture in the ground can make them more soft. This year we have had quite a bit of rain so my horses feet a softer then previous years Point being you need patience to do it properly
Thanks, that is most helpful.  |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
| I had a 19 yo, always been shod horse with not the best feet, come to my place this time last year. The gal who owned him could not afford farrier prices in NoVA so she gave my barefoot trimmer a try. Horse was very owey for the first two-three months on any ground, then he all of a sudden was totally fine on nicer ground (arena), then after another few months started walking over gravel with barely a nod. Now he is back to running as good or better than ever, pulling 1D and 2D checks, still barefoot. It does take time. |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | I'm not afraid of the time it takes, and have been reading up on Venice Turpentine as well and am going to look into iodine. I can afford to keep one shod, and she doesn't require any special shoes or pads (according to the owner, and have had two good recommendations on the owner) but I like the barefoot approach. Plus in the winter mine pretty much get turned out because it is often too cold and too snowy to ride. My main mare and I have clocked better times in certain arenas with her barefoot than with her shod; but she's also one that gets a little ouchy if you ride her on a lot of rocks, but fine otherwise. I also know every horse is different. I had one with brittle hooves, and if you kept him trimmed every 8 weeks or so, he was okay, but his had more of cracking problem than a soft problem. Also, if it gets down to that, I think I'm going to have xrays of her feet to make sure there isn't another issue such as laminitis or navicular. But I always ask those with experience as so far I have been pretty fortunate with the horses I have had with them having good hooves. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| I like keratex hoof hardener, i have tried the barefoot method, where i live summer and fall the red clay packs like concrete. I personally would shoe draw out soreness with magic cushion, ice , and keratex and I've used prevacox and isoxiprine |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | If she's shod, she's fine, and if she's not shod and in soft pens she's fine, but I'll look into keratex as well. :) Thanks! |
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