Content

Intro

1. Rockley Farm
2. What drew me to barefoot
3. "My horse can't go barefoot."
4. The three foundations of barefoot success
5. A barefoot hoof doesn't lie
6. Going barefoot can change how you see everything
7. Update Sep'22

"A horse is the only one of God's creatures who's not allowed to walk on its own feet.
We put metal on them, it's going to mess with everything."

Quoted from an unnamed rancher

Now, before anyone groans, “Oh noooo… a Barefoot-is-Best plug,” I promise you this page isn’t here to guilt-trip anyone.

I’m not here to twist anyone’s arm behind their back, and I’m certainly not here to make anyone feel like a bad horse owner for shoeing.

In fact, I’ll say it right up front – and I’ve believed this for years: "Far better a comfortable shod horse than an uncomfortable barefoot horse." Actually, that line came from Bruce (can't remember his surname) from an old barefoot forum (UKNHCP) back in the mid 2000s. Bruce take a bow - it's so true.

But… (and there is always a but…)

If you’ve been considering barefoot, it’s usually not because you’ve woken up one morning and fancied a new hobby. Most people explore barefoot because they feel they’ve run out of options – or because they know in their gut that something needs to change.

And yes, it can be really hard work. It’s not a fad or a trend. It’s a complete re-education - you’ll likely have to unlearn things you thought were cast in stone… and then learn them again properly. But when it works, it can be one of the most rewarding changes you ever make for your horse.

1. Rockley Farm

If you’ve been looking into barefoot seriously, you may already have come across Rockley Farm. Rockley is run by Nic Barker and Andy Willis, and it’s a small hill farm in the Exmoor National Park with a long history of supporting barefoot transitions with hoof-related lameness.

Nic’s work played a huge part in early barefoot education in the UK - she certainly had a profound effect on my thinking - it was she who also started that same UKNHCP forum. It's probably fair to say that without Nic, EquiNatural wouldn't have been born, Kelso probably would have been PTS, and Murf would have remained shod his entire life.

At the time I was looking to take Kelso barefoot (2006-ish), DDFT damage was the latest buzz word going around, and starting to override the dreaded 'navicular' diagnosis, which was the blanket term used by vets to diagnose hoof lameness. It was so prevalent that it was almost considered an epidemic, and no surprise, because as new research was published, courtesy of Dr Renate Weller, we started learning that ...

• For every 1-centimeter of extra toe length, this results in an extra 50-kilograms of force acting on the tendons.
• For every 1-degree drop in sole angle where the DDFT inserts into the coffin bone (affected by palmar angle) can lead to a 4% increase in the pressure exerted by the DDFT on the navicular bone.

Almost two decades later (where did that time go?!), most horses that end up at Rockley are usually in last-chance-lameness-corrall, usually when the vets have given up on them with either very little chance of recovery, or worse, a PTS prognosis. Back then, most Rockley clients had a diagnosis of DDFT, collateral ligament or navicular bone injuries, usually (but not always) following an MRI. 

Rather brilliantly, most insurers now cover a Rockley rehab, but back ine mid-2000s they didn't. Owners had to front up the cash, but it was worth every penny, with an incredible 80%-plus of horses returning to the same level of work - if not greater - than before they went lame.

To this day Nic's site remains one of the most valuable resources I know for owners who want to understand the principles behind hooves, movement, environment and feeding. If you’re curious, you can explore Rockley here: https://rockleyfarm.co.uk/ - and make sure you click on Barefoot Performance page where you'll see a gallery of awesome Rockley Rehabs still competing at high level.

2. What drew me to barefoot

Back in the mid-2000's our Kelso's hooves were in a dreadful state - he was constantly tripping, couldn't keep shoes on, and was losing chunks off his hoof wall each time. Meanwhile, the word "barefoot" was only just beginning to be talked about in the UK, and it instinctively felt right for my horses to satisfy my 'natural' direction - as a family we were already riding bitless and treeless.

However, back then there was very little knowledge about transitioning a horse comfortably - most thought it was just a case of taking shoes off and getting on with it. There was very little practical knowledge available about how to transition a horse comfortably, and (crucially) there was almost no mainstream understanding of how strongly hooves are influenced by feeding and lifestyle. And at that time, we were based on Salisbury Plain - which was extremely flinty and sharp.

I had to do something urgently for Kelso, so I started browsing online - purely by chance I stumbled across the UKNHCP Forum run by the very same Nic Barker at Rockley Farm. From that moment on, my entire life - and my horses' hooves - changed, not to mention a complete vertical re-education of everything I thought I'd ever known about horse care.

3. “My horse can’t go barefoot.”

Over the years I’ve heard every possible reason why a horse “can’t” go barefoot, and I completely understand where those fears come from.

But here’s the thing. In most cases, it isn’t that the horse can’t go barefoot. It’s that the transition needs the right foundations in place, and it needs time.

Here are some common ones:

• "We do too much road work so the feet will wear away too much - we can't possibly go barefoot." Au contraire. Tarmac can actually be one of the most useful tools for helping hooves adapt. It’s one of the best surfaces for gradual conditioning. A bit like us walking on a pebble beach - ouchy at first, then gradually the soles of our feet become more resilient.
  
  
• "My horse is a thoroughbred - we can't possibly go barefoot." Ah yes – “typical TB feet.” A myth! I've taken two TB's barefoot, including Carmen, our TB mare who's still very much with us. Somewhat surprisingly, they were our two easiest transitions - both of them, and I promise both of them, walked off without a care in the world the very instant the shoes came off. Thoroughbreds can do brilliantly barefoot with the right foundations - they’re often far more capable than people give them credit for.
  
  
• "My horse's soles are too thin - we can't possibly go barefoot." This was my Murf, and is an easy excuse that the professionals spin. But - it's the very reason why a horse should go barefoot. Thin soles often reflect how little stimulation, lack of correct function, and/or poor diet the hooves have had over time. Transition them to barefoot and you'll see those soles become strong and robust, able to stomp over anything.

• "My horse goes lame when he loses a shoe - we can't possibly go barefoot." Another common one. And this is where hoof boots are invaluable as transitioning takes time. A shod hoof simply isn’t used to functioning the way a hoof is designed to - the hoof has been encapsulated in metal so the entire structure - sole, hoof capsule, inner soft tissue - has become atrophied, inflexible and soft. No different to us if we break a leg - when the cast finally comes off, the tendons/ligaments/cartilages/muscles will have tightened and shrivelled.

• "Our area is too stony -we can't possibly go barefoot." This was a big consideration for me, living in sharp, flinty Wiltshire. This is where hoof boots can be a genuine life-saver. Boots allow you to keep your horse comfortable while hooves adapt gradually, rather than forcing them to cope before they’re ready.

Pulling this together? Here's a thing - fact is that any and every horse can go barefoot; it's us humans who think they can't. I promise you, any horse can be sound on any surface without shoes after proper transitioning - and here are the foundations to barefoot success.

4. The three foundations of barefoot success

If I could give you one honest takeaway from years of barefoot experience, it would be this - barefoot isn’t just “taking the shoes off”. Long-term barefoot success rests on three foundations:

1. Feeding - Hooves reflect what’s going on inside the horse - a hoof doesn’t grow strong on luck. Forage quality, protein, minerals (vital), and overall nutritional foundations all matter. UK grazing and forage is known to be mineral-poor, which means feeding a consistent mineral balancer as part of their daily routine to add in the missing nuts and bolts.
   
2. Environment - grass turnout and day-to-day stressors all influence how hooves cope and adapt.
3. Movement - Movement is not optional for hooves. Regular movement - including plenty of smooth tarmac conditioning - is one of the most powerful tools we have for helping hooves develop strength and function over time.

There's one more important foundation - Time. Lots of it. And a ton of patience, even when you're losing the will to live, because trust me, you will. But keep the faith and stick with it - these days there are hundreds of barefoot support groups on the socials to help you through helping you get our horse comfortably barefoot-sound.

5. A barefoot hoof doesn’t lie

"The negative side of nailing a shoe to a hoof is that you automatically lift the hoof from the ground and therefore take away support from the underside of the frog and sole."

Peter Glimberg, farrier at Peder Fredricson's training farm, Olympic team rider Tokyo 2020

One of the most surprising things about barefoot is how quickly it gives you feedback.

This can feel stressful at the beginning - two steps forward, one step back - it'll make you doubt yourself, make you think you’ve made the wrong choice, and to hell with it - let's just shoe them again. But - it's actually really important feedback. Imagine - if your horse had stayed shod you may never have known that your horse's hooves were shouting a really important message until maybe it was too late. Immediate feedback is a powerful by-product of the barefoot horse.

Metal easily covers up early signs of lameness, with substantial hoof damage created over time the longer your horse remains shod. This causes damage to the circulatory system of both hoof and leg which leads to lack of proprioception, where the horse literally can’t feel their feet, as well as reducing traction.

(This is exactly what was happening with our Kelso, and why he kept tripping, because he literally couldn't feel his feet - same as us when we sleep on an arm and it goes numb - same thing.)

For the record, when my metabolic, footy Murf was being trimmed, I asked my trimmer to leave around a millimetre of extra hoof wall proud of his soles, so he had a tiny bit of sole-support for comfort, so he could regrow what he wore away, toughening his sole as he went before the next trim. Back in the UKNHCP forum days, the aforementioned Bruce coined another phrase perfectly; "They wear what they grow, and they grow what they wear."  It might have been the other way round - can't remember, but you get the idea.

6. Going barefoot can change how you see everything

It's an education for sure; time-consuming, challenging, and not for the faint-hearted. A client of ours whose horse, Foxx, had very challenging hoof issues, was advised by her trimmer that if she wasn't prepared to put in the hard work, not to even bother starting. Thankfully, our client was determined and went all the way to success, but full disclosure, not without its trials.

Not only is going barefoot a massive learning curve, but also factor in variable livery yard restrictions or lack of facilities, because we can only work within the environment we've got - which can make it more challenging.

That said, taking your horse barefoot will absolutely change how you view:

• feeding
• movement
• turnout
• hoof care
• stress
• the horse as a whole

It will probably take over your brain - and your life - for a while. But for many owners, it becomes one of the most educational and rewarding shifts they ever make.

As it turned out, Kelso thrived in his new metal-free world, and contrary to all the expectations regarding the TB myth, both ours barely noticed their shoes had come off. Cookie, our adorable hairy traditional cob, also rock-stomped from the onset - every farrier/trimmer thereafter always said her feet were the best they'd ever seen, which was always lovely to hear. Then our adopted MacAttack (2017) also had the most perfect feet once we got them right. What's not to love?!

But there's always one. Dear old Murf was a work in progress from Day-1. Having been given the IR label at age 7, every year without fail he had the typical spring/summer footy hooves which no matter what I threw at them, I just couldn't get him comfy 100% of the time, so until he decided to retire himself aged 24, we were in and out of hoofboots.

Taking my horses barefoot was a literal vertical learning curve. But these days? I don't even think about it, other than to admire them on a daily basis, and also getting very excited when I see another barefoot horse out riding...

If you’re considering barefoot, go gently - no guilt, no pressure - because whatever choices you make – shoes or no shoes – the goal is always the same. A horse who is comfortable, confident, and able to move freely.

Update - Sept'22

For the last two decades hoof rehabilitators and horse owners have experienced extraordinary results with taking previously shod horses barefoot, but there has been very little research done to support these results scientifically.

We know that studies so far have shown that iron shoes increase concussion when the horse lands, that they interrupt the blood supply to the hooves, and inhibit the hooves’ ability to contract and expand. Equally, the renowned podiatry researcher, Dr. Robert Bowker VMD, has also shown that shoeing can be the direct cause of caudal heel pain, also referred to as our old friend "navicular disease".

However, with next to no specific research comparing the performance of a barefoot hoof to a shod hoof, the debate between pro-shoe and anti-shoe has relied mostly on belief, tradition and personal experience. Until now.

A new, comprehensive research project by The Swedish Agricultural University (SLU) and Agria Animal Insurance, scientifically determines the difference between the barefoot hoof and the shod horse hoof.

See the study here: New Research on why Barefoot Horses remain Sounder than Shod Horses