“A horse must have shoes to be ridden or put into work, and attempting to do so barefoot may cause him to go lame and be ruined.”

You’ve probably heard this more than once, but it’s a mistaken belief that arises not only from our inherent impatience, but also from a lack of understanding about the natural lifeway requirements of the horse. This belief often leads to barefoot transitional failure and the perception that “going barefoot” is not possible.

Having pulled shoes from hundreds of horses and guided them into performance barefoot status, I would like to share some of my views about the reality of the transitional phase, and the associated requirements for a successful transition to barefoot soundness.

What exactly is transition?

Transition is the phase after pulling shoes when the horse rebuilds and restores his hooves, achieving a level of comfort, soundness and usability generally expected from a domestic horse. Not included in normal transition is the horse recovering from laminitis/ founder or other serious hoof aliments; this should be viewed as a state of rehabilitation and is not specifically addressed in this article.

Will your horse get sore or go lame if you pull shoes?

Yes, no and maybe. The act of pulling shoes to go barefoot does not cause soreness or lameness in and of itself. It does, however, greatly improve the circulatory system and the firing of nerves, and this will bring to light the true state of health in a newly de-shod hoof. It may manifest in the form of soreness and lameness during the transitional phase.

Genetics and bad trimming aside, it is the health of a horse’s feet at the time of shoe removal that influences immediate soundness and durability more than any other initial factor. Hoof health therefore plays a big role in both the extent and intensity of the transitional phase.

It’s about time

You might be asking, “How long is this going to take?” Depending on the terrain, horses with reasonably healthy hooves devoid of major wall flares and with relatively healthy soles and frogs can go back to work immediately or in several days, weeks or a month.
Horses with less than healthy hooves may need many months or a year or more to transition. In any event, one must not be overly critical of the horse’s way of going until at least one new hoof capsule has grown out.

For some horses, it may never be possible to achieve a satisfactory level of comfort and soundness without the use of hoof boots; for example, in the case of a horse with extensive prior damage, debilitation or untreated metabolic disorders that can cause perpetual low grade laminitis. It is my personal opinion that not all metabolic horses can be treated to eliminate all traces of laminitis induction.

Nevertheless, these horses still benefit greatly from going shoeless and should be provided hoof boots to be comfortable when ridden. The use of hoof boots is a tremendous tool for the transitioning horse and should be carried for use if needed when out on the trail.

Hint: All but the very best barefoot horses should at least carry boots on the trail in case of a stone puncture or if unexpected bad footing is encountered.

The myths and realities of abscessing

Abscessing will sometimes occur during the transitional phase, resulting in much discomfort and lameness. A common misconception is that abscessing is caused by the recently de-shod hoof when in reality the now bare hoof is merely facilitating the process of cleansing and healing.

Why does this happen? Iron shoes can restrict circulation, causing an accumulation of cellular debris within the hoof capsule. Removing the shoe restores circulation and the body goes to work removing the accumulated material. Unfortunately, some of this accumulation will not readily absorb into the bloodstream so the body uses the mechanism of abscessing to get the job done. (Think of a festering sliver in a human hand.)

I don’t view abscessing in an overly negative light but instead accept it as a possible part of the transitional process. This is not to say it should be ignored or that I am happy when I see it, but I don’t panic if it occurs.

Proper environment goes a long way

Footing and movement have an incredible influence on both the time for transition and the eventual level of soundness and durability in the barefoot horse. If your horse lives in a box stall on wood shavings and rarely gets out for exercise, then transition will take a long time. Don’t expect him to crush rocks on the weekends without the use of hoof boots.

A horse that lives in a large paddock on clean rugged footing where he can move many miles each day on his own will promote a quicker transition to barefootsoundness and rock crushing capability…

Kirt Lander is a natural hoof care practitioner and educator based in Arizona. A trimmer since 2000, he has helped hundreds of foundered horses. Kirt and his wife, Gina, enjoy endurance competition with their herd of a dozen barefoot horses, including their Arabian stallion Halim El Mokhtar, who received the nationally acclaimed American Endurance Ride Conference “Jim Jones Stallion Award” in 2005.  Kirt is the inventor, developer, and manufacturer of the Renegade Hoof Boot, designed for the barefoot performance horse.

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