Going barefoot requires specific management and care; and as we know, some horses’ feet may be harder to maintain in good condition than others so making the transition from shoes to bare feet on a horse with less than perfect hooves may take time, patience and a little investment!
In order to keep your horse’s bare feet well maintained horse owners should consider the following three main points:
- A good balanced diet containing all the essential vitamins and minerals that he needs.
- Regular trimming
- Regular exercise
How to choose hoof boots
Purchasing a set of hoof boots which provide adequate support and protection to the hoof when you are making the transition from shoes to bare foot – often known as ‘transitioning’ is crucial. There are very many brands and types of hoof boots available from The Saddlery Shop suitable for very small ponies right up to large heavy 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:
- Does the boot go on easily?
- Does your horse’s hoof fill the inside of the boot in a snug fashion, without any bulging or gapping?
- 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.
- 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.
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