NO SHOES: THE TRANSITION FROM SHOD TO BAREFOOT
by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser
In the interest of their horses' health and welfare, more and more horse owners
are turning away from the traditional horseshoe. A successful transition from
shod to barefoot, however, depends on a certain amount of knowledge and specific
conditions to enable the horse, after a time of transition, to be ridden or
driven over any terrain without problems
For most horses, the transition from shod to barefoot means some amount of stress
and discomfort. Not only do they have to grow accustomed to a new way of movement,
they must also contend with changes in the shape of the hoof, the corneal coffin
joint and the joint ligament. The discomfort or lameness in the period after
the shoes have been removed are NOT due to excessive wear of the hoof; with
the few hours of daily exercise most horses get, this is not a danger.
The reason for the problems encountered after removing the shoes is the healing
of a deformed hoof, altered from its natural, physiologically sound shape.
Two hundred years ago, the English vet Bracey Clark already stated that a hoof,
after only a single year of shoeing, becomes deformed, ie. contracted.
How severely the deformation of a shod hoof is depends on several factors. Among
these are: how long the horse was shod, what type of shoe was used and at what
intervals the horse was shod, the type of work it was used for, and whether,
as a young horse before its first shoeing, it had good conformation and sound
hooves.
However, even an unshod hoof can, through incorrect hoofcare, lack of exercise,
drying out, and lack of varied terrain, become considerably altered from its
normal, functioning form, and present problems without ever wearing away too
much horn.
In a deformed hoof, the shock absorbing mechanism cannot function as it should.
This results in pressure, crushing and inflammation inside the hoofwhich
the shod horse does not feel since, as a result of the reduced blood circulation
caused by the shoeing, the hoof's nerves are numbed. The unshod horse, however,
can clearly feel the discomfort from pressure or infection, and therefore goes
short or even lame, especially on stony ground.
Deformed hooves must be healed in order to relieve the horses suffering,
as pain-free movement is only possible with healthy hooves.
But a crippled hoof does not heal by itself, just because the shoe has been
removed.
Even boots are not the answer in such a case: with them, a horse with deformed,
crippled hooves can walk reasonably well for years, without any healing taking
place.
After the removal of the shoes, it is essential that deformed hooves be professionally
trimmed (by someone who understands about the NATURAL HOOF) once a week, for
about a quarter year, in order that the hoof and the coffin bone regain their
natural, healthy, physiologically correct (and functioning) shape. This reshaping
process, understandably linked with some inflammation and pain, can take weeks
or months, and for severely deformed hooves even a year or longer (in such a
case it is advisable that the treatment take place in a clinic for the first
few months). The transition period is necessarily a time of restraint for the
rider; he must make allowances for the horse. It would be unrealistic to ask
for the same performance during the changeover period as while the horse was
shod. Anyone who is not prepared to take all these things into consideration
would be well advised not to attempt the transition to barefoot.
Moreover, success can only be expected when, at the same time, the living conditions
of the horse are optimal. Providing this flight animal with freedom of movement
around the clock (through an open stall with paddock, allowing the horse to
choose whether it is outside or in), is an essential prerequisite for the successful
healing of deformed hooves and the transition to barefoot.
Copyright Dr. vet. med. H. Strasser
Blaihofstr. 42/1, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany
Tel/Fax: (011) 49-7071-87572
Ed. & Canadian contact: Sabine Kells at email: textorder @ shaw.ca
©2006 by The Horse's Hoof. All rights reserved. No part of these publications may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher and/or authors. The information contained within these articles is intended for educational purposes only, and not for diagnosing or medicinally prescribing in any way. Readers are cautioned to seek expert advice from a qualified health professional before pursuing any form of treatment on their animals. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.
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