Keeping Horses Barefoot: a Healthy Horse From the Ground Up

The Dressage World takes a look at how to have a more sound horse:

by Sarah Warne for Eurodressage
Hooked on the more natural form of horse foot health, well known US dressage competitor and trainer Shannon Peters made the move to barefoot or performance trimming for the health and long term soundess of her horses.

The Barefoot Hoof--A thing of beauty

 “My motivation to try barefoot trimming started because one of my FEI horses was chronically sore footed in normal shoes,” Shannon told Eurodressage. “However, we found that he would be perfectly sound each time we took him barefoot.”

What began with one problem horse evolved from there and today Shannon has almost all of her horses enjoying the benefits of barefoot and most of her student's horses as well. "It was my idea to try it in the beginning, my farrier at the time did not suggest it and it was definitely not the norm for performance horses," she admitted. "I switched over to a qualified barefoot trimmer Sossity Gargiulo and her husband Mario.”
Shannon advises that there is truly a difference in a “barefoot trim” and the "pasture trim" that most farriers use and that horse lovers must be sure to find a farrier who can perform the right one. “I believe barefoot trimming is good for all horses. Even horses with bad hooves -- mine being one of them -- can perform well if the foot is given enough time to heal.”

Wondering why the technique is so rare among competition horses, Shannon believes there is a misconception about one’s ability to train and compete horses barefoot. “I have several horses that may have needed to work in boots initially, when they first came out of the shoes," she explained. "On these horses I use Easboot Gloves, but they all eventually have been able to train and compete without the extra protection, even the GP horses.”

Peters hopes that this more natural shoeing method gets more popular for “our horses sake” and she believes the growth in barefoot shoeing will come from an increase in rider awareness and knowledge of the subject. “If people learn that there are ways to make their horses more sound, increase the longevity of their partners, and have happier and healthier partners, I can’t see why barefoot trimming won’t continue to grow in competitive dressage,” she stated.

Certain that it has improved all of her horses' hooves, Shannon believes that the method restores the symmetry of the hoof, among many other noticable improvements. “The natural blood pumping mechanism of the foot starts to work properly again, legs tighten up, and the horses are just, in general, more sound. Also their self-carriage improves, as well as straightness, willingness to move forward; the list goes on.”
With 12 of her horses working barefoot, Shannon has now been using this method for three years and does not see any change to her alternative shoeing approach in the near future. “I don't see that changing. I have so far had no reason to put shoes back on my horses. All of the horses have trained better, are more fit, balanced, and sound, than ever before."
As for negative side effects, Shannon is convinced there are “none whatsoever," and while the practice is also less expensive, that is not her motivation to go barefoot. “I would pay twice the amount for the health of my horses.”

Going Against the Grain, Barefoot Trimming
Dedicating several years researching hoof problems in horses, Dr Melanie Quick has spent almost 40 years working with horses and as an equine lameness veterinarian, animal chiropractor, acupuncturist, farrier and trimmer, Melanie knows all about the benefits of barefoot. “I have spent the last 8 years intensively researching the pros and cons of the various trimming methods,” says Dr Quick. “I was confident within 6 months of starting barefoot trimming that it could achieve profound results with the correct application. However, there was a lot of research I had to do to figure out why there seemed to be a variability in the results achieved on the larger horses. I have been happy that I’ve solved these issues in the last couple of years, and now I need to write a book on it!”
 For the complete article:
http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2013/02/09/keeping-horses-barefoot-healthy-horse-ground