Barefoot Horses and the Natural Trim

What's all this buzz about keeping horses barefoot?  That's right, no shoes for competition horses, not just those sitting out in the pasture!  A new movement is afoot, and the buzz is that barefoot with a natural trim is the best thing for the health of your horse's foot.  Learn more about it here!

How does it work?  The brief overview is that a farrier specializing in the naturally trimmed barefoot horse will trim your horse, frequently; on average every 4 weeks.  The trim is special; it is designed to return your horse's hoof to the state nature intended.  It is based on the hooves of wild horses.  

Unlike the regular farrier who trims and rasps the bottoms of your horses feet until they are flat--the perfect state for applying a horseshoe--the natural trim farrier follows the natural shape of the hoof, which is not flat.  The hoof is finished with a beveled edge called a "mustang roll."  A healthy sole and its toe callous are not thinned or cut away.  Much like your foot does when you get used to going barefoot in the summer, the calloused hoof is not ouchy.  It can take a while to develop the callous, as well as to correct damage caused while shod or improprely trimmed.

Because it can take a long time to develop the callous and to return a hoof to good health, some barefooters use boots when riding.  Products such as Easyboots protect a tender hoof from rocky ground.

Interested in going barefoot?  Take the time to educate yourself about the correct natural trim, and take the time to locate a properly certified natural hoof care practitioner.  Some natural trim barefoot horse owners even learn to trim their own horses.  Clinics and training sessions are available for the do-it-yourself horseowner as well as for the professional farrier who decides to go natural.  The certified natural hoof care practitioner uses non-invasive horse handling techniques.  Combined with ergonomically sound positions for the farrier, a natural trim does not have to be risky or backbreaking, yet another reason to learn to do it yourself.

Need another reason to switch to a naturally trimmed barefoot horse?  How about no more lost shoes?!  Your horse is always ready to go when you are!  And with a good natural trim, problems like cracks, bruises, abcesses and unsoundnesses from other causes, including laminitis, can disappear.  If you need more reasons to go barefoot, check out one of the books listed below.