Going Barefoot with your Horse or Pony- Advice on Equine Barefoot Hoof Care from Lucy Nicholas

Lucy Nicholas proprietor of The Saddlery Shop and barefoot hoof care expert is the author of the JA Allen book: ‘The Barefoot Horse - an Introductory Guide to Barefoot & Booting’ in our latest blog we take a look at some helpful advice and insights into barefoot care for those horse owners interested in making the transition. Lucy says... " Many owners make the decision not to shoe their horse or pony. Going barefoot does require specific management and care; and as we know, some horses’ feet may be harder to maintain in good condition than others - often based on the owner’s available time and resources! Hence, making the transition from shoes to bare feet on a horse with less than perfect hooves may take time, patience and some investment. In order to keep your horse’s bare feet well maintained, you should consider three key points: 1.) Regular trimming. 2.) A good balanced diet containing all the essential vitamins and minerals that he needs. 3.) Exercise – this is very important in encouraging natural movement and restricting confinement. How to choose hoof boots A set of hoof boots provides adequate support and protection to the hoof when you are making the transition from shoes to bare foot - often known as ‘transitioning’ There are very many brands and types of hoof boots available, to fit very small ponies right up to large heavy horses, such as shire horses. So there is something available for almost all horses. Sizing Once you have chosen a suitable boot for your horse or pony, it needs to be correctly fitted according to the manufacturer’s instructions. There are a couple of points you should consider with regard to sizing: 1.) Does the boot go on easily? 2.) Does your horse’s hoof fill the inside of the boot in a snug fashion, without any bulging or gapping? 3.) Check that the fastenings are not too tight. You should not be able to twist the boot from side to side by anymore than 5 degrees (unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer), as this could indicate that the boot is too big or the wrong shape for your horse’s hoof. Likewise, if you are finding it difficult to get the boot on, it could well be too small, so try the next size up. This also applies if you are finding that you can only just do the fixings up. Rubbing If the boot is too small it will rub, making your horse’s foot very sore. Check the measurements again and try the next size up to see if this fits any better. Read more about hoof care here >