The tradition of shoeing horses began in medieval times when people first started to confine horses to stables; this unnatural environment caused hooves to deteriorate and made it necessary to protect horses hooves.    The domesticated horses of ancient times were ridden unshod as they had naturally strong hooves.  Ancient writings by Xenophon (c.428-350BC) refer to "toughening the hooves", the ancient Hittites, Nomads and Egyptians rode and drove their horses over long distances with no mention of any kind of hoof protection.  Wild horses develop naturally strong hooves roaming rocky terrains and deserts and trim their hooves naturally; our horses are so far removed from a natural existence that intervention of some sort is required.    Horses are the only animals that we subject to shoeing  camels, oxen and Llamas are used as pack animals all over the world with no protection on their feet.

Today, many horse owners accept regular shoeing as part of their horse care regime, but going barefoot can have many benefits, and more and more people are discovering that the transition to barefoot is not as difficult as it may seem.  Many well respected riders in a variety of equestrian disciplines now keep their horses barefoot  they range from dressage riders to endurance riders covering extremely long distances.  Often, these riders find that their results improve once their horses have been "rehabilitated".

It is commonly thought that riding without shoes will cause excessive wear, however a properly trimmed barefoot horse still requires trimming on a six weekly basis, even when ridden on roads.    It should be noted that in many cases, it is necessary for horses to enjoy more natural living conditions for a barefoot trim to be successful.  In some cases it may be necessary to use hoof boots whilst your horse adjusts to going barefoot.

Horseshoes restrict the ability of the hoof to expand when weight bearing, this affects circulation, shock absorption and leads to the hoof forming incorrectly over time  this prevents horses from performing to their true potential and can cause poor health and condition.  As well as causing considerable damage to the hoof wall, shoeing actually causes metabolic changes within the horse.   Interestingly, it is common for horses with problems such as navicular, laminitis, white line disease, sidebone, ringbone, hoof cracks and other common conditions to recover dramatically when their shoes are removed and a professional barefoot trim is employed.

Professional advice is essential when making the transition to barefoot; simply removing the shoes and maintaining the same routine will not result in a horse that can be successfully kept unshod.   In some cases, very specialist management may be required  some horses adapt better than others, the process can take anything between a few weeks to several years.    If we didnt shoe horses at the age of 4/5  the process would in theory be much easier! 

There are several types of barefoot trims, please explore our directory to find barefoot trimmers in your area.  In addition, please check the events section  many well know barefoot trimmers hold clinics throughout the UK including Jamie Jackson, KC La Pierre, Dan Guerrera  and others.   Many of these clinics train you how to trim your own horse and the trimmer will provide full support and backup whilst you are learning the skill.   To be a certified barefoot trimmer, 500 hours of hands on instruction is required  however many people are able to complete "maintenance trims" between visits from a specialist trimmer.

If you know of a barefoot clinic coming up in your area  please submit it to the events section completely free of charge.

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