| Guidelines for Transition to Barefoot |
Horses did not become lame overnight.
They also won’t heal overnight.
There was damage being done to the hoof for years before lameness was visible.
Lameness Rehabilitation and Maintaining Performance Barefootedness
Through Natural Boarding
__Freedom of movement 24 hours per day (NO stalling- not even over night!)
__Living conditions which provide exposure to the elements
__Living conditions, which provide varied terrain (mud, pasture, gravel/concrete)
Terrain should be the same as the horse would encounter while riding.
__Herd life of peers- more than one horse in same area (goats etc not considered peers)
__Free choice of hay or grazing 24 hours per day, hay fed at ground level
__Daily exposure of hooves to water (mud/water in pasture, daily hoof baths)
__Natural amount of movement (~ 10-15 miles) per day.
__Trimming as necessary to maintain physiological hoof shape
(Possibly more than once per week)
__No bedding in shelter, pasture ("bedding" means anything that would absorb/retain ammonia, straw,
shavings)
__No blanketing, leg wraps splint boots or other type of "protection"
__No conventional painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce discomfort during rehabilitation
NO SHOES
Additionally the horse will need
__Daily walks (no riding),
ideally 60+ minutes per day (Can be divided into 2-3 walks per day)
__on mostly soft, non-concussive ground
__on mostly hard, smooth ground
__No sharp turns or small circles, no longing
We are very strict about what is required for the care of a horse but without all of these
elements the method won’t work!
Options For Less Than Ideal Living Conditions
There are always things that an owner can do to work around an environment that isn’t perfect.
Small Areas
Spread the hay all over the area in small piles.
Put hay/grain at opposite end of the area from the water.
Divide the area in half with a partial fence, the horse can’t cut across
Drill holes in a 5gallon bucket and put treats in for the horse to play with.
They also won’t heal overnight.
There was damage being done to the hoof for years before lameness was visible.
Lameness Rehabilitation and Maintaining Performance Barefootedness
Through Natural Boarding
__Freedom of movement 24 hours per day (NO stalling- not even over night!)
__Living conditions which provide exposure to the elements
__Living conditions, which provide varied terrain (mud, pasture, gravel/concrete)
Terrain should be the same as the horse would encounter while riding.
__Herd life of peers- more than one horse in same area (goats etc not considered peers)
__Free choice of hay or grazing 24 hours per day, hay fed at ground level
__Daily exposure of hooves to water (mud/water in pasture, daily hoof baths)
__Natural amount of movement (~ 10-15 miles) per day.
__Trimming as necessary to maintain physiological hoof shape
(Possibly more than once per week)
__No bedding in shelter, pasture ("bedding" means anything that would absorb/retain ammonia, straw,
shavings)
__No blanketing, leg wraps splint boots or other type of "protection"
__No conventional painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce discomfort during rehabilitation
NO SHOES
Additionally the horse will need
__Daily walks (no riding),
ideally 60+ minutes per day (Can be divided into 2-3 walks per day)
__on mostly soft, non-concussive ground
__on mostly hard, smooth ground
__No sharp turns or small circles, no longing
We are very strict about what is required for the care of a horse but without all of these
elements the method won’t work!
Options For Less Than Ideal Living Conditions
There are always things that an owner can do to work around an environment that isn’t perfect.
Small Areas
Spread the hay all over the area in small piles.
Put hay/grain at opposite end of the area from the water.
Divide the area in half with a partial fence, the horse can’t cut across
Drill holes in a 5gallon bucket and put treats in for the horse to play with.
| Gravel in areas where the horse stands or moves a lot will help to wear feet. I often suggest people walk horses on gravel an hour per day to wear the feet, it can cut down on trimming for the owner. It also conditions the hoof. The trim only fails when the owner fails to implement ALL the aspects. |
| Contact Me balancedhorse@hotmail.com 309-368-7299 |