It’s almost spring…should I consider leaving my horse barefoot this year?

A question more and more horse owners will be asking themselves in the weeks to come. The benefits of leaving your horse barefoot has received allot of press as of late. Almost every major equine periodical has featured an article touting the benefits of leaving a horse barefoot. Even the traditional farrier community has opened up to some degree. I recently attended the International Hoofcare Summit in Cincinnati, OH and much to my delight; it featured a surprisingly well accepted lecture by one of my mentors, KC LaPierre. The increased attention, along with the positive results many horse owners are experiencing, are firmly establishing natural hoofcare as an accepted method of horsekeeping. Thus, the infamous question…Joe; do you think (your horse’s name here) can go barefoot?

There are several factors to take into account when making the decision. Common sense dictates that a horse with poor hoof structure, or that has been shod all winter, will have a difficult time achieving a high level of barefoot performance immediately. Yet, ironically, many of the hoof deformities that would lead you to the conclusion that going barefoot would be difficult or even impossible, are best rehabilitated barefoot. Now is the time to decide if you want to pursue the possibility of performing barefoot by contacting a reputable trimmer or farrier that specializes in natural hoofcare. There is still time to get a good foot under your horse and if nothing else a much healthier foot to shoe if it becomes necessary. You are setting yourself and your horse up for failure if you wait until mid-season to pull your horse’s shoes and try the “barefoot thing”.

Fortunately, many of our horses have been barefoot for the winter and are already one step ahead; many times they simply require refinement to successfully perform barefoot. Again, common sense should take precedence over tradition or pressure from your farrier. If your horse does not need shoes, why shoe him? Sounds simple enough, but I am amazed how many horse owners just assume they are going to have to shoe their horse when the season starts. As well, basing your decision to shoe solely on previously failed attempts at going barefoot may have some merit, but they can also be looked at as learning experiences to build upon. Once again, the key is finding the right person to trim your horse. Trimming a horse to perform barefoot is significantly different than a traditional pasture trim or trimming a horse to shoe. Understand that while natural hoofcare and traditional farrier sciences share some commonalities, the foundational principles of each are fundamentally different.

Perhaps the greatest factor when making the decision lies not on the state of your horse’s feet, but the owner’s reasons for and commitment to making the transition. Going barefoot to save money or because John Lyons and Clinton Anderson were spotlighted in an article about going barefoot will only lead to disappointment. With all the evidence now available supporting natural hoofcare make your mind up to give your horse the benefit of the doubt and allow him to develop the best possible foot he can, not just to see if he can perform barefoot, but for his overall health. Allow six months to a year to make the transition. This does not mean your horse will be unusable for six months, on the contrary most respond relatively quickly, but may require adjustments in trimming technique or conditioning to develop the healthiest possible foot. Consider this; a horse on a strict six week trim schedule is only trimmed eight times a year. KC LaPierre refers to this as “trimming to the fifth dimension”, with the first four dimensions being actual planes on which the foot is balanced and the fifth being TIME.

Obviously, not every horse will be able to perform barefoot. There are times when the use of a shoe is necessary and even beneficial. So, will your horse be to perform barefoot? You won’t know until you’ve tried. Until next time, God Bless you and your equine partners.