Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:26 pm Post subject: Diary of Numpty Barefoot Owner
Hi - just need to share -
I took the decision to have the shoes removed from my "naughty" 5 year old 16.1hh IDxTB because I'd fallen off and he was having a few months turned away with other horses while I recovered, emotionally and physically! Within two weeks was banished to his own 2 acre part of the field due to bad behaviour, and within another two weeks a "companion" New Forest pony appeared for free. That winter was real hard work, mud, little grazing, no comfy stable. 2008 we had our first successful year, no back problems (for either of us!), a saddle that fitted, a schooling/hacking routine that worked, few behaviour issues, no shoes. Fabulous. Sadly both ancient ponies died, but I heaved a sigh of relief as had WHOLE 5 acre field for my two, taking care of companion pony to ensure no lami-attacks. Can you guess? Had easier winter, little mud, didn't pay attention to IDxTB, didn't work him after Christmas Day, had rock-crunching New Forest so-called companion, ensured IDxTB had plenty of access to grass, by April he was lame. Couldn't play, hack, go to clinics (New Forest's education has come on leaps and bounds!)
Waded through American websites, discovered Nic, Sarah, and Caroline's websites, bought THE book, found THIS forum, now think I understand.
Just wanted to say thank you to all of you, I am learning sooooo much, all I have to do is find what works for us. That's all!
Stormybracken you should celebrate the fact that you 'saw the light'. How many people do you know that would just assume he was lame because he was bare and then shoe him?
Probably most of them?
Good for you for making the effort to educate yourself.
And even better for making the effort with the NF. I grew up on them and think they are fab!
Ditto Ditto Ditto! I struggled for 2 years with my conscience before finally getting the shoes off in June this year, and am taking each day as it comes - literally! Funny thing, had my lovely trimmer round yesterday, who is also active on this forum (Hi SarahH!), and I was saying how brilliant this forum is and how it's almost become a daily obsession! SarahH then summed it up in a very wise one-liner which was 'it's great for support, cos you need support'. That's the great thing I'm finding about this forum - I'm a numbskull compared to probably everyone else and still such a beginner - every day is a learning curve and I'm now at the stage where I have to control myself not to get bogged down in too much science and new found knowledge otherwise I'll implode! On a 'profound' note, I also said to SarahH that if I'd done the barefoot thing 2 years ago when I first started thinking about it, I wouldn't have found Rockley Farm / Nic / recommendation to SarahH, and probably would have ended up having a farrier pasture trim which probably would have knackered my 4 pones even more than being shod. So my timing was obviously meant to be. I'm still such a newbie at this, but SarahH is so encouraging, and tells me my chaps are doing great, but more importantly the pones are telling me how happy they are, already!
Wishing you all the very best in your barefoot journey!
Thank you!
That is my one consolation that when I first had his shoes removed all the information I had and was open to was along the lines of "horses in work on roads need shoes", and although this is a very difficult time (hence typing at stupid o'clock) the information I need is here and in a form I can understand, bless.
And I agree with you about all the science. Although my vet and I are struggling, my farrier is turning up trumps, is totally on board, has checked out the Rockley Farm info. and we can have sensible discussions without getting narky. Obviously I've had second opinions, whether I've wanted them or not, and I'm in danger of missing something helpful because I can now spot mis-information a mile off and colour everything that person says after that. Also have to take my own advice and listen to my horse.
Taking rock-crunching New Forest for a lovely early morning hack in the woods once it gets light enough to find him in the field!
I worked/rode at a yard that was populated extensively with NF. They all worked several hours a day over a variety of terrain, with one day off a week. In the summer they often did 6 hour days. It was the thought of shoeing them that was considered odd, not keeping them bare.
You are right to listen to your horse and your gut. My beloved old horse was barefoot, bar 2/3 (?) sets of shoes all her life and I don't regret it for a minute despite all the grief and bitching we suffered. I do regret the shoes though.
Biggest problem I face at the moment is expectations - 'people' want instant miracle cures and don't understand that these things have to be worked for. Its the culture of instant gratification
Its great when you find this forum, I'm still grateful for finding it too.
I think you feel a bit like you are being accepted when you come on here, there is not one other forum where you can really say what you think about issues surrounding feet!
Really, I dont see why we are "looked down on" by everyone else who shoes because aren't they the ones doing the un-natural thing?
I am looked down on by my own friends' for not shoeing & for the diet that I keep my guys on. One in particular ALWAYS feels the need to make comments ... if Boy slips on wet grass while hooning around ... it's because he doesn't have shoes on. if Tyler is a bit lazy out on a hack or in the show ring .... i need to feed him some sugar. I did actually flip out a bit at her the other day over it , but to be fair I've had nearly 2 years of her making coments like that. I love her dearly but I don't criticise the way she keeps her horses, she should show me the same respect.
Ok, rant over
But i think my point here was yes, forum is wonderful place for likeminded people to share opinions without feeling looked down on
I think this forum's fab. I don't post that much but I read most stuff. We would never have found the wonderful Mr Patch without this forum .
We purposely went out to find a barefoot horse but when we first had Mr P a lot of people made comments around just getting shoes put on (the vet that vetted him said his feet were great but he'd need shoes to get extensions in dressage and for grip ). We just ignored them cos we knew we were right!! Mr P is regularly out and about doing RC stuff, fun rides and quite a lot of road hacking and the proof that barefoot works for us is there for all to see! The doubters don't pass comment any more (even when he's wearing his 'wellies' )and we actually get quite a few positive comments too, although the doubters would never believe their horse could do it!! I think it does help that there is now a small but significant portion of succesful barefooters, including a comittee member , in our RC now too
well I almost laugh (in a sad way!) at what we did when I got my TB : he was shod on front but not the rears and was lame with stiff right hock so I shod him on rears !! thinking was you can ease hock pain by shifting weight to the front Surprise suprise he did NOT improve. In fact he was promptly diagnosed navicular on the fronts. Sorted - how to ruin a TB! Prognosis from traditional approach was 1. varied depending on the vet who came out, but 2. generally poor.l
Lots of research was quickly followed by appointment with Sarah B (before she and Nic wrote the book) and the realization that we had fundamental issues to deal with. Following Sarah's advice, we have never looked back. All his problems have been improved by barefoot.
Jake has been bare for over 2 years and this summer on heavily restricted grass (zero during the day Feb - June) and UKNHCP-stylee diet he has come on leaps and bounds: we have continued to build solar concavity and more importantly collateral groove depth at a time I thought we'd surely in boots. HOW? by cutting out grass until June. I have further tweaked the diet by adding probiotic now he has teeny bit of grass during the day (what grass free area I have is too small now I have two geegees).
Jake manages loads of road work, fun rides, moutain rides and he has now what he always lacked in shoes - sheer goatiness. He can scrabble up those moutain paths with big smooth stones in mud like a little goat - ears forward all the way.
_________________ X
SueH with Jake and Clay
Last edited by SueH on Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:59 am; edited 1 time in total
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Hi - just need to share -
.
). We just ignored them cos we knew we were right!! Mr P is regularly out and about doing RC stuff, fun rides and quite a lot of road hacking and the proof that barefoot works for us is there for all to see! The doubters don't pass comment any more (even when he's wearing his 'wellies' 
Surprise suprise he did NOT improve. In fact he was promptly diagnosed navicular on the fronts. Sorted - how to ruin a TB! Prognosis from traditional approach was 1. varied depending on the vet who came out, but 2. generally poor.l
