The Shoe Protects the Hoof
Recently I was talking to someone who still shoes her horses. She said to me,
“I don’t need to worry about the hoof, as the shoe protects the hoof.”
I was dumbstruck… speechless…stunned. I have had many conversations with this person on barefoot trimming, but obviously, I have not fully explained what barefoot trimming is all about.
Neither, have I managed to explain fully, the horrendous damage shoes do to a horses hoof, because if I had, they would have removed the shoes…or at least they would not have said,
“I don’t need to worry about the hoof, as the shoe protects the hoof.”
The Obvious
The obvious, may seem obvious to me, but I guess like everything until you ‘get it’, it is not obvious. Maybe my use of the english language needs to improve.
What Shoes Do
Shoes are not protectors of the feet. They do untold damage. They deform the hooves, and eventually disable the horse completely.
We spend fortunes and many hours keeping horses. Yet at the same time many of us, then go and shoe horses which creates diseased and ill functioning hooves. This eventually creates a lame horse, who is of no use, to anyone.
We Cannot Pretend
I spent ages questioning whether keeping a horse barefoot was the ‘right thing to do’. I kept thinking I must be wrong. I was surrounded by shod horses and owners who all thought, I was potty… had lost the plot… and was just being an airhead…
I finally trusted myself, and realized that, we can never get away with shoeing, however much we might like to! Because by attaching a piece of metal to living tissue, in this case the hoof, this metal then prevents the hoof from expanding and contracting with every step the horse takes…
The consistent long term damage is immense. Never get persuaded otherwise.
John Holt (a huge fan of mine) once said:-
“We are generally taught what to think but not how to think. We continually need to apply critical thinking to what we are taught, because some things turn out to be simply wrong. While other things we are taught, can be much improved upon.
Never just rely on doing things a certain way, because it has been traditionally done this way.”
This quote can apply to so many things. It certainly applies to the majority of hoof care.
On Another Note…
On another note, I have just experimented today with a new head on my Ryobi power tool. I use this when trimming the bars. The new head is outstanding. Very exciting….I will tell you more in my next update.
Preparing a Shoe
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Another way to help the “shoe protects thinking” ridiculous thought, is to say that the shoe….. as it PROTECTS it also PREVENTS the hoof from BECOMING and MAINTAINING the toughness that nature intended and planned for the hoof ……….
By taking away the “ABUSE” that signals and stimulates natural growth and density of the hoof our domestics miss out on that vital STIMULATION (generally from birth) and so starts the “UNDERDEVELOPMENT” from the beginning of their lives of their hooves.
So making it SEEM to us, that our horses “need” shoes…..!!
Laurie, Elizabeth, Colorado USA
I’m one of those believers in bare feet surrounded by horse owners and barn managers who think I’m misguided. My “new” horse
is starting his transition to barefeet. (I just lost one who was bare foot for 15 years!) My quest now is to find an equine veterinarian of
like-mind who can help me through the process. My trimmer is
excellent, but I am going to need reinforcement. Your site is so informative, I’m hoping you can guide me to a listing source for veterinarians (podiatrists?) in my area (northern Virginia).
In articulating my beliefs to my barn manager and current vet, the information I culled from your website gave me the confidence and
knowledge to make my arguments. I have not convinced them,
but I have thoroughly convinced myself and am totally empowered.
Thank you.
I am totally with you on this one but be patient with folk, I remember clearly the day the penny dropped with me.
This was after many conversations and many courses. I would say stay with the positive message which beams from your site, and we will all catch you up eventually.
My husband was showering our horses in the yard at the weekend and a visitor remarked at the laid back acceptance and attitude of our girls. This is about environment, and all round getting horses living like horses including bare feet.
Sorry to all the people who tried to get through to me when I wasn’t ready to hear but, rest assured you were all part of where I am now and I am truly grateful. (So are our micro herd).
Fantastic site, keeps me sane.
Elaine x
I think when you explain that the hoof is , in fact an auxiliary pump to a heart that is too small (for the size of the animal) and then talk about the need for the contraction and expansion in order for that pump to work, it hits home.
Also when I thought about it in terms of the fact that the hoof isn’t fully grown till a horse is as least 4 years old, and most race horses get shod at 18 months… meaning the horses hoof growth is completely deformed by this slid iron bar – (as in)the growth HAS to go somewhere – think of teenagers in braces – we put them on teeth to stop movement one way and to force it another way.
The only way a hoof can grow (with an iron bar that prevents it from following its natural form) is upwards and inwards in a contracting pinching flow – rather like a volcano.
At some stage it all turns to custard
I LOVE this site.
Cheers
Cathy Dee
Comment:
I have really enjoyed this article although it is upsetting and so sad that most of the horse community is ignorant about their beloved horses’ feet. I was once one of them too, many years ago when my kids were little and we had ponies. I dearly wish I could do that over again. We had a laminitic pony whose poor little feet took such abuse although I was doing my best with the feeding and spending lots of money with the farrier who kept putting shoes on and giving me bad advice. I guess, having all those kids as well as the horses allows less time for research and there was little information about then, before the computer revolution. I have to forgive my own ignorance but do my best like you, to spread the word. I will keep the braces analogy and the heart helping pump in my armory.
I enjoy knowing I am doing the best I can do in leaving my horses all unshod even though my best riding horse has taken 3 years so far, to transition thanks to the damage done by shoes in the previous 10 years or so. Even the barefoot trimmer I employed was not a lot of help. I am doing it myself and at last we are getting somewhere.
I would like to know much more about using a tool. I am about to buy one as I really need some muscle to keep my 5 in good shape.
This site keeps me hopeful during tough times. Thank you.