Barefoot Horses in the Olympics!

[IPEsq]

@StormyDay

A lot of people on this thread are kind of saying ‘well good for them, but this is why it’s unrealistic for me’.
And that’s fine. You do you. If you feel your horse is good with shoes, do that. If you feel your horse is good barefoot, do that.

I shared and started this thread because for so long anyone with a barefoot horse was told we could not compete at the upper levels like that. Full stop.

And that’s being proven to be not true.

I think the modern surfaces are in many ways not that horse friendly but perhaps give barefoot horses some advantages. I think the idea that barefoot and top level competition don’t mix did have some basis in reality before these specially engineered surfaces came into being both at home (although that’s still not available everywhere–unless the sand is imported) and at competition.

6 years ago, there was a push for more standardization in surfaces at this level

International standards for jumping surfaces move a step closer -...

As previously mentioned, one of the huge benefit of shoes that is universal is the ability to use studs. Sure, grass is an obvious surface choice where studs are needed, but not all sand is created equal either. I looked up a horse from Syndey in 2020 and saw the horse studded all around. I noticed a lot of plain shoes, bar shoes, wide web shoes at Tokyo but can’t recall noticing studs on any of them, and certainly not in front.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

@Willesdon

a trainee farrier has a 4 years practical apprenticeship under a qualified, registered training farrier

I wish so much that were the case here in the US… I finally got so frustrated with HCP’s in my area that I learned to trim my own… I was told for 14 years there was nothing that could be done for my senior OTTB who had the dreaded long toe/low underrun heels. I was told you can’t fix them, just manage them. I wish I knew then what I know now. I would have had him turned around a long time ago. Years of farriers putting him in shoes that were too small to keep him from pulling a shoe, setting the shoes full to the toes that were too long… finally I have his feet back under him and he is fine turned out barefoot but still needs boots under saddle… My younger OTTB hasn’t worn shoes since he left the track and he’s doing wonderful. I still boot him on the trails, but that’s to make me feel better. He doesn’t need them.

[Willesdon]

Maybe going barefoot isn’t as novel or as cut and dried as some people might have us believe. Here in the damp Land of Ponies, it is traditional for hunters (the real ones that follow hounds) to be shod to deal with hard work on grass and in mud all winter but once the season ends the shoes are removed and they are turned out onto grass, barefoot, for 4 or 5 months. Also, it is common for leisure horses and ponies, particularly those that live out in groups, to be shod only on their front feet, partly to avoid damage to each other when they are horsing around. It doesn’t affect their ability to work. Many native breeds aren’t ever shod because they have excellent feet - which is in the breed standard.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

@Willesdon

Maybe going barefoot isn’t as novel or as cut and dried as some people might have us believe

It’s not… just need more knowledgeable HCP’s and more knowledgeable owners.

[JB]

…and better breeding, and better starts for foals, and better management.

Better breeding is possible for everyone, but will never happen for most.

Better starts for foals are a choice those breeders make. Producing foals who are going to spend the first several years of their life on small dry lots is not helping create healthy feet.

Better management is partially possible, and partially not. People who keep their horses stalled most of the time, on purpose (can’t have bleached coats, or cuts and scrapes now can we) are unlikely candidates for having a sound barefoot horse. People who have to stall their horses much of time time due to space issues, it is their choice to have the horse there (even when the alternative is to not have a horse, and I’m not saying do that) but it’s also not conducive to healthy bare feet.

If you live in the land of sand, it’s going to be really hard to grow “rock crushing” feet.