Barefoot trail horses

[Jim Apple]

I would like to know how many of y'all ride your horses barefoot and why.

As many of you know I have been a farrier for 28 years and chose to let my anvil start rusting back in 1994, and since then have devoted my professional life to educating horse owners about the myths and truths of barefoot.

I would also like to invite EVERYONE to attend my annual spring trail ride on March 21st. at Percy Warner Park. (I will post more info on the events page soon.) The last ride we had 32 barefoot horses, lets make it more this year!

Please share!
Jim Apple

[LFALTL]

We give the horses a supplement that contains Biotin. Which is supposed to be amazing for hooves....

[Jim Apple]

If a horse has a healthy diet it will have more than enough biotin in the body. The excess will be processed out of the body as waste.

The mane, tail and coat get the lions share before the feet get to eat.

So my question is this- If we truely have a healthy horse what would happen with the top-dress of biotin?

Jim Apple

[Angel(Jimmie)]

Hi Jim,
I just joined this site and so far I love it. I too have gone barefooted with my horses. I was told my app mare would need shoes for the rest of her life. But when she stepped on her foal and bruised him, I pulled her shoes
off. I still had issues with sore feet and absesses, but found a natural farrier and my horse has been sound for
over 6 months. I haven't ridden her much, but hope to do so this spring. Where is this Percy Warner Park?
My other two horses are doing great barefooted.
Jimmie(Angel)

[Jim Apple]

Percy Warner Park is on the west side of Nashville, Tn. Try googling it.

Check the events posting later for more details later.

Jim Apple

[Debi Pandorf]

I have a hunter that my daughters showed quite extensively in Fl. He came up lame after every reset. I tried different farriers, feeds, supplament.... after to much watching this lovely horse suffer, I told the farrier to take off the shoes..Let's try it... He never took another lame step. He has little to no heel and apparently the shoes put pressure on the ligaments going into the knee. Bottom line we showed him barefoot and did very well... granted you have some who will look at you like an oddity ....but that is what was best for him. I do strongly believe that every horse is an individual and must be looked at in this way... once you say this works for every horse.. they will prove you wrong.

[Jim Apple]

You just explained why I stopped shoeing almost to the letter. I saw time and time again horses that I worked get better after pulling the shoes.

2 + 2 over and over and over = lightbulb moment for me!

Quit shoeing in 1994 and it was the best thing for the horses I ever did.

As far as the horse will prove you wrong, thats the truth if there ever was any.

I trimmed 27 horses today, 25 at one place and 2/3 had shoes on when I started trimming them, and about half of those had corrective shoe jobs that were costing $160.00 and up and still were lame.

All the foundered horses are sound ( good diet ), the couple with navicular aint' navicular.
( pulled off eggbars, pads and heel wedges and put on hoofboots just for riding )

( scratch head ) who would of thunk it?

Thanks for sharing,
Jim Apple

[LFALTL]

Are you saying its bad for my barefoot horses to live on pasture, 24/7?
So far they are OK they have been barefoot for just about 1 yr, and turnout on pasture 24/7. They also get hay, grain, biotin and garlic as supplements.... might I be about to experience some trouble?

[Jim Apple]

LFALTL,

I see more problems with feet horses on 24/7 green pasture turnout than on those on 24/7 drylot with limited green grass time.

Are you going to experence any trouble? Its hard to say, and if it aint broke dont fix it!
I just choose not to turn my horses out on grass all day every day.

Your farrier SHOULD be able to give you educated advice on this, ask him if he sees any red flags for one or all of your horses.

I am glad to hear that they are doing so well, Keep up the good work!

[LFALTL]

Haha.. if it aint broke... always.

thanks. Fingers crossed then! :)

I'm sure my farrier knows her stuff. I will ask though.

[Jim Apple]

Do you know Nora Miller that trims up your way?

I come up to Larry Whitesells and trim all his horses once a month over in Baxter. Maybe I see y'all around the Golden Corral at lunchtime! Come up and say hey....

Jim Apple

[LFALTL]

Yup, Nora is our Farrier.

I dont think I have ever been to Baxter, I am more likely to be in the "harvest bread company" for lunch!

[Jim Apple]

Tell Nora that I said howdy!

Jim Apple