My thoroughbred - with flat, white feet and very tender soles - yes, not your usual suspect for barefootedness! - pulled a tendon and had to have 10 months off in the field. This was 6 years ago. One of my immediate concerns was, what do I do with his feet? I didn't really want him wearing shoes during his time off but had horrible images of his feet becoming chipped and cracked beyond repair if I didn't keep him shod.
My farrier advised me to take his shoes off and let his feet get on with it! So I took that advice and spent the next 10 months in trepidation. His feet however were fine!
He was then declared fit to go back into work, but by this time I had got very comfortable with no shoes and had begun to read up on barefoot riding on the Internet, so decided I would give it a go. I also really dreaded having nails knocked in his feet again - it seems such a backward step having spent so long letting his feet adjust to natural living.
After much research and measuring I got easyboot bare for his backs and oldMac G2 for his fronts - and off we went! His transitioning was well under way as he had been lead in from the field regularly down a gravelly road, so really we never looked back. There was a stage when I put comfort pads in his fronts - but I think that was more for me than him!
After two years like that, I ditched the back boots and moved onto Old Mac originals on the front as his feet seemed to have become more round as they adjusted.
I have tried to go without the front boots but I think that is a step too far for his tender, flat feet. I ride mainly on road and tracks too, so it is quite challenge for his feet.
His feet are now hard and strong. He has no further problems with his tendon, nor the ringbone that developed during that phase. His boots stay on in all terrain and have never rubbed him - I do always use gaiters however.
All in all, I am a huge convert to barefoot, and hope that I never again have to have a nail driven into my horses' foot!
Sarah, Dumfriesshire.
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