It is raining Bull Shit!

 

I'm always bothered when it rains BULL SHIT!

Especially when it pours all over the equine world!

When the impact affects the well being of a horse and leaves the horse's human confused, distressed and with no idea which way to turn, it makes me positively mad.

Sadly,  I bet most horse owners will recognise the flood of BS I'm about to expose.  This true story involves a young warm blood, a very caring owner, a farrier,  some mysterious spasmodic lameness and a monsoon of BS!

The lovely mare is shod in front and bare behind.  She's not in work, having just moved to a new yard and a new human owner. Both girls are taking their time to get to know each other and to settle into their new home.  So far so good!

On occasion over the last few months (on soft ground) this sweet natured horse is lame.  At times hopping lame! There's no heat, swelling, lumps, bumps or cuts or nicks.

She arrived with foot X rays which the new owner's vet has looked at and said shows navicular.    She's also got side bones on both front pasterns.  Neither fact is the subject of this post.

A reputable farrier (as they all are) came, recommended and fitted T-Bar Shoes on both fronts, saying "they will give her more support" and "in a few days she'll come right"!

...There it is... the Bull shit... 

For a few brief moments everyone nods and agrees knowingly, mostly because we've heard this sort of BS from farriers for decades.  It's familiar, therefore we assume it's correct.  Minutes later your brain kicks in and you start to question what's just been said (I hope).

What exactly do the words "ssupport her more" mean?  

A dictionary definition offers us this: 

                "Support = 

a thing that bears the weight of something or keeps it upright"

Example: "the best support for a camera is a tripod"

Helpful, but the horse isn't like a camera and therefore not unstable without shoes beneath it!  Nor will a horse fall over or fall down without the support of shoes. How do I know?  I have 3 horses all barefoot and none of them fall down!  They all manage to stand vertically upright, unaided, just fine.

True, the shoes will bear the weight of the horse, but we all seem to forget that the horse was designed by nature for it's feet to bear it's own weight.  Never are horses born wearing man made shoes.

So, is it possible that shoes do provide some sort of support to a horse or horse's foot?

We humans wear underwear (largely for support)  - meaning to hold things up, or in, and in one place - still! This doesn't apply to feet - especially not a horses which are rarely still!

We also wear shoes, again not to support our weight but to protect our feet from cuts and from the terrain. Our weight bears down on them (as with a horse) and receives no relief in the process.

As children Start right shoes were the so called "best" because they 'supported children's feet'.  Sounding familiar?  There's a difference.... Start right had a reputation for letting children's feet grow and move.  They didn't cause pressure points or remain fixed around the foot as metal shoes on horses do.  They were not the best because they held our feet into a static posture preventing us from running, rolling our feet or bending, quite the reverse!

Can we learn something valuable from that for our horses foot care?

Sadly horse shoes are not mirroring the wonders of a Start right shoe.  Instead they hold the whole foot immobile and unable to bend, roll, and flex.

This is far from helpful and far removed from how nature designed the horse's foot to operate.  Anything that stops the hoof from flexing, side to side, is hindering not helping the horse and is out of step with what a healthy hoof needs.

Fortunately for humans, we can take our shoes off after a long day in them to get some relief.  Unlike our horses!

So far, I'm at a loss to imagine how a T Bar shoe can provide support and help a horse to 'come right'.  Perhaps I'm missing something more fundamental about the workings of a horse's foot. Perhaps I'm getting side tracked with parallels to humans, our shoes and support underwear?

Let's get into equine foot mechanics, then maybe we'll discover what the farriers seem to know (or believe), or just BS us with!

Some of my own observations: 

1) It seems to me that the T Bar rests across the back of the frog and across the heel purchase area, both usually untouched by traditional u shaped metal shoes.  So, presumably the horse has no feeling in this area and can't feel this new point of pressure!  Wrong many horses will be bruised to bits below the T Bar, we just can't see it.

2) All the different bits of anatomy in the foot work together to form a cohesive functioning whole. If one bit is not functioning correctly, this can cause strain on other areas. This strain may lead on to some of the well known hoof problems such as Navicular Syndrome, White Line Disease and Laminitis to name a few.

3) When asked, most of us have no idea what the function of any individual part of a horses foot is for.   For example how would you answer this question.... "what is the function of the horses toe?" When I was asked that 3 years ago I had no idea whatsoever!  Not something I'm proud of but I quickly went and found out!  

Truthfully, we don't stop to think about the function of particular parts of the foot.  It's so basic,  we ignore it.  Yet, if we stopped to consider  the function of each part, we would be able to make more informed decisions about hoof care and spot the BS when it hits us from the so called 'experts'.

As an example the horse's foot has the following functions:

• Support of the horse’s weight  - (who'd of guessed it?)

• Propulsion - (sends the horse forwards, upwards etc)

• Shock Absorption - (useful to prevent pain big time)

• Circulation - (critical not just for blood but to send kinetic energy around the foot)

• Protection for internal structures -( most of us don't even know what those are)

• Traction - (grip to you and I - so that's how barefoot horses can jump and do dressage)

4)  I recommend investigating the function of the frog. To wet your appetite here are 3 of the main functions (and yes, there are more)....

1. Circulation – pressure into the back of the foot squeezes blood vessels in that area and pushes the blood to other areas of the hoof, the pressure varies depending on the phase of the stride.  

2. Traction – the frog is made of soft horn that is non-slip (like the pads on a cat’s paw) and the wedge shape helps arrest forward motion as it digs into soft surfaces. 

3. Flexibility of the hoof capsule – the frog allows the hoof to absorb uneven ground by allowing independent heel movement.

These 3 functions all require movement in the back area of the hoof.  Sideways movement, vertical movement, and movement such as rocking or listing side to side like a boat.  Having read that, how can a T Bar shoe, that holds the foot in a fixed position.... promote health in the horse's foot?  

I don't get it!  Do you?  Could you explain it to someone in your own words and not notice how daft it sounds as you try! 

Facts and observations aside, on this occasion, I hope I'm proved wrong and that our lovely warm blood mare comes right and soon, for her sake and that of her human partner.

Meanwhile I shall not limit my views about the misunderstanding of the role of the T Bar shoe and helping horses be free of pain, if for no other reason than simple logic.  I can't yet see any logic behind why we continue to view it as a helpful devise, can you?

Useful Further Reading on the Equine Foot and Anatomy:

http://www.appliedequinepodiatry.org
http://www.natureshoof.com

Hind Leg Mystery

How do you know...?


It was almost three years ago when I bought Grace and she joined my herd of two to become three.

She was perfect - met all my criteria, (OK was a little taller than I'd planned...), passed my trainers keen eye and so she came to live with us.

The great thing about getting to know a horse is how suddenly all the small things that you take for granted with your other horses, become noticeable in the new horse, especially when absent!

With Grace one of the first things I noticed was that she wouldn't pick up her hind feet to have them picked out.

She's a heavy girl, and to say the least it was quite a battle.  Not many of us, enjoy battling with back legs on a horse we barely know.  Bottom line was the only way I (or others) could pick out her feet was to let her rest her foot on its toe.  Then with  my head almost on the floor, I'd try to see what I was doing and pick away.

She was barefoot behind (and still is).

This troubled me.  At first I thought 'is she lazy'? Instinct said that was a pretty lame excuse.  It was only six months later that suddenly things changed.

The cause of the change?  I removed her front shoes too.  It was a stressful, worrying time, going barefoot for the first time, with your dream dressage horse, against the vets advice.  What faced me underneath those shoes was horrific for a 6 year old, and convinced me that barefoot couldn't be any worse!

Right Fore at 6 years of age, when I removed her shoes.  No part of the foot is healthy! March 2012

Left Fore. Awful structures - lack of! March 2012

However, within just a few weeks of those shoes coming off, I suddenly noticed she was able to lift her hind feet actually off the floor.

I still had to do the work and hold her legs while picking out.  She didn't hold her own weight voluntarily but there was definitely air clearance off the floor!

For the last three years, she's become very responsive and helpful and offers to lift each foot as you approach.  I can only conclude that as she became more comfortable in her front feet she was able to weight bear on them more, in order to lift her hinds up.

However, last night, two and a bit years on, and there was another small but significant change.  Suddenly not only did she lift her hinds as I went from foot to foot, but she actually held her own foot up in the air, without me having to bear all her weight of it and her back end!

It was very noticeable - just ask my poor old back!

So, I'm posting about it.  Why? What's different?  The only thing that has suddenly changed is the fact that for the last week she has been living out, with very little stable time.  She has a large paddock to roam around in.   Nothing else has changed.

Grace on the right (Solar over on the left)

I can only conclude that with more room to move, and more time out moving, her back end is toning up and she has less tension and more ability for self carriage - (not the way dressage riders dream of) but hey ....!

Thing is, last night she also lunged like a schoolmaster - a total pro, I was so proud, (somewhat surprised too given we've only been at our new yard for one week).  The old woman was watching and commented that "she looked so relaxed" and she did - throughout her whole body.  For example I had noticed (and this was before the feet picking out experience) how much more movement she had through her hocks and how much she was stepping underneath herself.

So, how do you know ...when your horse is getting enough turn out?  When small things shift and change especially in areas that you previously took for granted.

I share these observations assuming others may have noticed similar 'small things' about their horse, that defy explanation, but which surely if we notice them, when they don't seem right - probably aren't!  That in itself beckons us to keep looking for solutions and not to quickly assume we have a 'lazy' horse or 'disobedient one'.

I can't take credit for knowing these benefits would be realised, although I can take credit for being obsessed about giving my horses turnout above all other priorities.

One very pleased human.

Presumably one comfortable horse too!

For completeness the same front feet photographed on Friday August 15th  2014....

Right fore.

Left fore

KIS-S

... Keep It Simple - Stupid!

I really don't think we place enough value on keeping things simple!

In London yesterday a colleague and I were discussing the virtues of growing up in corporate life and learning to negotiate with Trade Unions.  We had other great 'career grooming' experiences we shared, all of which boiled down to one premise:

"it takes a lot of effort to make something look simple"

Tonight, as I was enjoying grooming my herd one at a time, outside in the evening warmth I noticed how little I have had to do this year to groom out their winter coats.  Unlike last year where I remember weeks of daily rubber curry combing.  

What's different this year?

Either Grace or Essy insist on sticking out their tongues for Barn Photos!  Always!

I can only think that its somehow linked to less rugging up over the winter.  An advantage of indoor American Barn life has kept the temperature in the stables a lot warmer than normal, and much more consistent.  Less severe rises and falls and no howling winds. 

As a result, is it possible that their skin just hasn't had to 'hang onto' its fur so ferociously?

Essy early June 2014

Solar Sue early June 2014

They've also been out in the field rug free a lot earlier in the year than normal.  All told these things have somehow made a difference.  The thickness of their coats wasn't any less, compared to other years.  Coat loss didn't start any earlier or later, its just required a lot less man power and intervention by me!

Essy's sweet itch has still not returned for another year, nor too thank God did last year's 16 weeks of mud fever 'hell' make a come back!

We've had no mystery rash on Grace's neck, nor any cellulitis and everyone is still barefoot without an abscess in sight! Given all the rain and flooding we endured this winter I'd say that alone was quite a result!

.... Long may it last!

 
I'd say a simple life is paying back ten times over for this little herd of happy horses.  So has it been easy or does it take a lot of effort behind the scenes to have so few problems to show for it?

It does take a continual level of human effort, vigilance and "thinking".   James Hart tonics and Naturally Animals herbs are critical to maintaining internal health, varying what i offer by month and in response to the environment and weather.

This was especially important this winter given we moved yards in October 2013 and didn't know the grass and soil quality, acidity etc. of the new yard, not having experienced a winter there before.

Grace early June 2014

Foot care still takes daily wire brushing, stone removal and close scrutiny.  I check walls for rings, cracks and signs of equine digital elastocis.  Soles and frogs are treated daily with Iodine disinfectant solution. On top of that once a week I carry out a health check on the herd so I know what's normal for each horse in terms of their temperature, breathing rate,  gum colour, hydration, digital pulses and pelvis alignment.

As with any good film, theatrical production or business presentation - there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes to keep different breeds, of different ages in fine 'fettle'.

It's a job I wouldn't swap for anything or with anyone.  It's a job I highly recommend and the devil is most definitely always in the detail!

Barefoot Gallery No. 2 Essy's new found hind feet

Some things can't be rushed and shouldn't be!

Aged  21, shod all his life,  it was scary to consider removing Essy's shoes.  Kat and I spent time considering, assessing and discussing before we went ahead.   Luckily I had confidence from seeing first hand the transformation in Grace's feet.  However, would a horse in it's 20's cope as well as a 6 year old did?

Decision was eventually made, hinds came off on August 9th 2012.

No regrets!  Not one day's lameness, no abscessing.  A perfect transition, thanks to Hoof Wraps, and sole mate pads and a fab Podiatrist! 

I'll let the photos get the message across....(hinds only below, fronts to follow)

The Starting Point!  Not healthy feet!

Dubbed toe, not much periople, foot clearly off balance

Bull nose/dubbed toe. Under-run heels. Poor horn quality.

No inner outer wall connectivity, wall separation, seedy toe, no heel purchase

Lots of White line disease, out of balance foot, no heel purchase, bent bars etc

Under run heels.  Poor horn health.

Progress by February was already significant (even after going through a winter period of varying conditions wet, dry, snow, wet, dry, stable confinement (due to snow) etc.), which is never ideal for feet whether in transition to barefoot or not!

Feb: More balance, more upright hoof.

Much better horn quality allround. Heels already less under-run

Inner /outer wall connection!  White line disease almost gone. Heel Purchase appearing

Better frog to foot ration.  Frog mass improving.  Toe much healthier.

By November 2013, 15 months into the process:

 

Healthy looking foot.  Better shape and proportions. Quarters even growing and frog density much improved.  Toe great!

Healthier frog. Strong looking toe. Straighter bars.

Good quality hoof horn.  No more dubbed toe.

Photos don't reveal changes in the quality of the digital cushion behind the heels or the presence (or not) of the frog spine.  However they do show clearly any health improvement around some of the visible structures (bars, frog, toe, quarters, etc.) which are essential for the proper functioning of the foot and development of the internal arch apparatus.

I hope these photos (and more to follow) suggest it's never too late to start to make a difference for our horse's comfort and well being.   Do your homework, get some knowledge and then go and find an expert trained in understanding the internal structure of the foot, then it's never too late to start as your horse's comfort won't be compromised through lack of knowledge.

So, will a horse in it's 20's cope as well as a 6 year old?  Absolutely!  Age showed no negative impact in the speed with which Essy grew strong healthy hooves.

My learning has been 'not to let age be a put off factor'! It's all in the mind; usually OURS!

Envy or Inspiration?

Is modern day horsecare easy or hard? 

There's good news and bad news in broadening your horizons to do better!  

Over the last few years I have had many moments wishing I could go backwards, back to a time where I knew less!  The saying 'ignorance is bliss' has really resonated.

I haven't chosen to remain ignorant - not when it comes to trying to do the best for my horses.  However, 'further education' has come at a price as my mood has swung from inspiration to envy.

Here's why...

Imagine that today you learnt that over 75% of your 'lifestyle' was causing you stress; impairing your immune system, messing with your mind, and depleting you emotionally.  That it is robbing you of your very nature - the essence of who you are, your genetics and your rightful purpose on this planet.   Worse still you aren't in control of any of the influences upon your lifestyle - you aren't living YOUR life at all.

Heavy stuff!

How would you react? 

Be overcome with fear, panic, dread and a sense of hopelessness at it all being so wrong? Or, be filled with desire to ACT NOW and make some changes?

How long could you keep going without change - surviving only by suppressing and denying your new found knowledge - after all most people around you are living the same way so it can't be too bad! Right? 

Conversley if you chose to act and change, where would you start?  Where would your support network come from as you'd be going it alone?

Of course I've had to teach myself that there is a middle road. Its about figuring out what we CAN change, and what we can't.  What we can do NOW and what we have to plan to do or work towards over time.

Back to good horse care...

 

It doesn't matter how many books, articles or blogs I read about caring for our horses, I am still hit in the gut with a hammer when I read about what horses need and realise I'm still falling short.

Here's a simple short summary of what a horse needs:

• Horses need to be out in the fresh air
• Horses need to be moving 24 x 7 (able to roam between 8-20 miles a day)
• Horses need to eat at ground level ALWAYS
• Horses need a diet free of sugars (other than those naturally occurring in grass)
• Horses don't need Molasses (at all, or carrots etc)
• Horses don't need metal shoes
• Horses need companionship of, and physical contact with, other horses
• Horses need access to herbs, berries, bark, and different grasses to select from as needed
• Horses need free will
• Horses need to be able to have fun with other horses
• Horses don't need to be clean and mud free!

An absence of any of the above starts our horse on the downwards spiral towards stress.

I read books about people who have gone to extraordinary lengths to deliver the above for their horses.  Every time I do, I am inspired by their courage, determination and love - followed quickly by a deep slump into guilt for not having done so yet, for my own horses.

It's easy to find yourself in a pity party looking out from the corner through green stained tears.  Envy dripping from our lips as we utter weak defences for not doing more for our horses, such as ...

 'its ok for them they have their own land and can do with it what they want'

'in America you can find big plots of land dirt cheap, but not here in the UK and especially not in Berkshire'

'at least they did it as husband and wife; and had each others support'

'she was so lucky that her husband and kids were happy to up sticks and move to the country'

'its easy to take risks if your husbands a vet'

'well if you don't have to work full time and travel for your job of course you can build a tight bond with your horse'

Etc. Etc.

What started out as inspiration can change to envy and resentment.  If left untamed these feelings can build into reasons for not even trying! Lamentable in its extreme.

The truth is we all have challenges in moving towards our goals whoever we are, whatever our starting point. Books don't always reveal the whole story and things can often sound idyllic in a book - to inspire us - that's the point!

In our own desires to live our dreams or improve our lifestyle we know that moderation is our best friend.  We do what we can, and keep looking for opportunities to get closer to what we desire. When changing our own life or that of our horses I recommend a step by step approach.  Below are some tips of the things I have introduced gradually and successfully, so far.

Ideas to get as close as we can to offering our horses a less stressful lifestyle:

Diet

Diet is in our control.  We are the ones who decide what and when our horses will eat.  There are a couple of simple things we can do to help our horses have a stress free diet:

Feed little and often (just like humans).  Avoid large feeds as the small intestine is not developed to cope with large intakes of food. 

Check all feeds for molasses and if present, gradually eliminate it from the diet. Molasses in the diet will stress the horses organs such as the kidneys and liver.

Phone your feed supplier and find out exactly what is in their feeds.  What oils?  Many will not mention oils but will include them.  Find out if there are any GM products?  Can the supplier guarantee their products are GM free. If not!  Don't buy them, keep shopping! 

Grazing

Horses are grazers, so anything we can do during stabled time to re-create the grazing habit will enhance their lives.  

They wander around, picking at food as they go.  Putting all their food in one place does not encourage them to move from one eating spot to another, so even some thing as simple as dividing the night hay into two lots and placing them in opposite parts of the stable will enable them to “graze” and make decisions about where to eat.  

When grazing, they have to bite everything off with their front teeth before they can chew it, but in the stable, they don’t need to do this. I feed my horses LucieBrix from Simple Systems which are foods that they do need to bite and they may enjoy a good gnaw on (one or two  a day), to replace the same amount of hay.  

If you are not familiar with these, they are 1 kg blocks of compressed lucerne chop or grass chop, offered dry and whole, ideally at floor level.  

Lucie Brix

A high fibre feed such as LucieFibre Cubes in a feeding ball will also increase eating time and provide a diversion.  

Ensure enough forage is provided so that your horse is not without some thing to eat for more than 2 hours.  For good health horses need to eat 2.5% of their body weight in dry matter per day.  Whilst grazing is hard to quantify, if they are out for, say, 1/3 of the time, then assume that 1/3 of their requirement is met from grazing and the rest must be supplied in the stable. 

Last year I spent time on the phone with Equine Behaviourist Justine Harrison discussing pasture management ideas and how to combat boredom or loneliness.  She suggested hiding food, herbs, bark and branches under safe objects in the field e.g. Tyres.

Roaming

Horses are migratory and love to hack out for this reason especially in a group.  Try to get out on a hack with friends whenever you can.  If it is safe to do so, as you have more than one horse, you could even have a go at riding and leading.

Boxing up to a new place to hack will be enjoyed by your horse as much as the rider!  On longer hacks, stop where safe for your horses to graze for a few minutes every hour to 1.5 hours, as it is unnatural for horse to go more than 2 hours without eating and after this will no doubt feel as hungry and as tetchy as we do if we have not eaten for about 6 hours.

A fellow blogger and horse lover Issy Clarke lets her horses 'snack as they go' and documents her personal journey of learning with her horses on her blog: The Spoken Horse.

Always travel with hay/lage and feed your horse when you arrive and before you re-load afterwards, providing you stick with forage for example the Simple System Feeds – do not ride off any grain based feed!

Fresh Air

In a natural (wild) environment horses have plenty of fresh air and distant views and feel safer with space around them.  Always leave stable/ barn top doors open and if at all necessary and possible  provide additional views by cutting a false “top door” into the back or side of the box.

Wood

If your horse is in a manicured paddock with no trees, bushes or hedge row - dont' accept it and do nothing.  Get your gardening gloves on, and go out to collect twigs, bark, branches (avoid oak) and place them in his paddock and/ or stable to chew on at lib. (See Grace munching on bark below)

Herbs

We don't need to blame the land owner for not planting herbs or allowing them to grow.  We can substitute them very easily.   Offer them daily or put them out in the field/stable in bowls.

A variety of naturally growing herbs are affordable and stocked by tack shops to make it easy to buy.  Herbs such as nettles, peppermint, rosehips, chamomile flowers.  Experiment with the seasons and notice which ones your horse is drawn to each season and make a note for next year.

If you have time and the interest collect cleavers, nettles and dandelions each season, dry them if needed and then offer them to your horses at no cost and lots of pleasure!

Company

Horses are sociable and depend on their pals to help look out for predators.  Provide some means of contact if your horse is in a stable without the ability to hang over the door and see a neighbour.

Grace with bars in both side walls and rear window

Bars between stables are great; grills (like the ones sometimes used over the stable door) set in to adjoining walls are just as good.  I have even seen just one brick removed from a brick wall between stables which enabled adjacent horses to blow at each other.  

Stable mirrors are also good as the horse will be convinced by his own reflection that he has company.  Do not place them near the feed bowl as they may resent such close attention when they are eating!

If you keep your horse on a yard offering only individual turnout to avoid injuries, then make sure your horse can see, and 'touch' another horse over a safe fence.  Alternatively check with other owners if they are happy for your horses to be given 'mutual self grooming time' with the owners present holding them both if needed.

Mutual self grooming time

If you own two horses or more but aren't allowed to turn them out together, be a 'pair' whenever you can;  leading them to and from the field together,  or when in hand walking in the menage as exercise.

Essy and Solar Field Mates for 16 years

Fun

I don't really know if horses like to play with man made horse toys. I should try it before I dismiss it.  Horses will have fun naturally by running and chasing about.  If safe to do so, and allowed by the yard then consider letting them have some 'mooching' time together in the menage regularly in the week.

My two tend to run about and play versus mooch about like two 20 year olds- hence the need for safety factors; leg boots and the yard owners permission!

I have found my horses seem to enjoy some one on one 'human time' simply walking by my side, talking, doing nothing in particular seems to be enjoyable as their ears flick back and forth as if listening intently. 

Parelli seems to be another potential source of fun and way of interacting with our horses which they again seem willing to partner with us in. 

Lead your horse around the yard (let him free if allowed and if safe) - let him explore 'off piste' the non horsey places.  My horses love tack rooms, club houses, and behind garages and stables.  They have a terrific sense of adventure through exploration so indulge in that and play to their sense of smell.

Treats

Go ahead and continue to spoil your horse, show him you love him but do it with a healthy option; replace carrots with Herbs!

Banish carrots and polo's and other human sweets.  We limit how many we give our kids so why would we think they are good for our horses?


Free Will and Rugs

This one is still under 'development'.  What I know is that at the end of the day I can't wait to jump into my 'sweats' /PJ's.  I love to get rid of the physical ties of the day from around my body.

With my horses,  I try to have head collars on my horses as little as possible.  I want them to feel free from ties too.  This goes for rugs too. From April to end of October they are all naked.  Indoors and outdoors. Winter is more challenging:  Grace needs to be clipped as she is in ridden work and gets sweaty which doesn't dry quickly.  Solar is 23 and gets stiff stabled overnight and so she is rugged during the winter.  Essy (king of heat) wears as little as possible in terms of rugs.  He wears a summer sheet only all through the winter overnight, unless it drops to minus 3 or 4 then a thin Polly goes on.

Most of us can't and don't want to turn out horses out for 365 days a year and not see them again as they do in the planes of America. We want to interact, spend time with them, ride and groom them daily. However,  its worth remembering that we do these things at a time of day to suit us.  With a frequency and intensity that we determine.  The horses wishes and mood to tolerate our desires are secondary, most of the time. So small gestures of flexibility (of letting go of the agenda or timeline) on our behalf, can go a long way to showing our horse that he isn't subject to our will ALL THE TIME.

When walking in hand, to or from a field, or to the menage, horses will tell us when they want to go with us or not.  Do we listen?  Can we now stop and wait for them for just a moment or two to show them they have free will (their desires count) - at least for that brief moment in time?

Even if they grab that moment to graze or chew on the menage fence - it's good feedback and data about our horses level of stress or need or inclination at that time.

Snack time on route back to the stable for Solar Sue

Feedback is a gift!  There's even a business book with that title.  Our job as conscientious owners is to solicit our horses feedback plane and simple!

As an exmpal Essy hates being rugged.  Always has.  He  pulls faces, and at times will go to bite you - clear feedback.  Ive leaned to go 'ok, if that's really how you feel, then no rug tonight'.  What's the worst that can happen if he's not rugged? He's indoors at night in the winter.  He may get stiff from lack of movement.  He may drop some weight burning extra calories to stay warm.  Or, maybe neither will occur and his coat will do it's job, keep him warm and all will be fine!

Sometimes we have to have the confidence that our horse really does know better than us, what is in his best interest! When we can, it is quite a pleasant relief!

Barefoot

I would never have imagined taking all 3 of my horses barefoot.  I had every excuse ready at my disposal.  If the time isn't right yet for you then begin with educating yourself, read, go on a 3 day Equine Podiatry course or simply hang out with others who have gone barefoot so you know more.

A good starting point is to get your horse's feet assessed by a podiatrist.  It often costs nothing and will give you some facts about if it is worth considering further for your horse considering his environment, diet, workload etc. 

If and when ready to go naked, start by removing the backs only.  If you do that, I'd give yourself and your horse 12 months before you then consider removing the fronts.  Take your time.  If you've shod your horse for 10, or 20 years, then another 12 months won't be the end of the world. You'll learn so much in the first 12 months of being barefoot that the fronts transition will be much easier.

Support

Don't forget YOU in all this.  Surround yourself by like minded people.  Follow Blogs by people whose point of view interests you.  Be around those who want to do better for their horse and who are trying day by day, step by step.  Share ideas and successes. Be open about failings so others can learn.

Go to conferences that interest you, and network.  Someone may be able to offer you advise and help right now that could help get you moving in the direction you want.

Final thoughts from an Angel!

I know I won't stop reading and questioning the way I care for my horses and my motives for doing things the way I do.  I'll continue to have guilt trips and worries as I go.  I can't pretend that Ive accepted that - I haven't - I do wish I was someone who didn't worry but for now that's not me!  What I do work on and try to improve is the degree to which I beat myself up! 

At times we all need help especially when wrestling demons like guilt, blame or self pity. I do believe and have personal experience to prove it that when we really need help it tends to emerge.  I had one such experience at a conference I attended last summer in Warwickshire. 

Having shed a few public tears of frustration at not being able to keep my horses the way I wanted, one of the other delegates on the table offered me advise, practical tips and lots of encouragement.  Many of those tips are captured above.  She went on to remind me that:

"...if it were not for us wanting to ride and enjoy them, horses could be extinct!  We do always have to compromise –we offer them survival, they offer us work and companionship, but we also have to respect their needs and whilst we cannot offer them the open, treeless, grassy plains of their natural home, we can make domesticity acceptable for them.  We also protect them from predation, seasonal shortages of food, harsh weather, repeated breeding and the other hardships that come with a free life...".

I think her words provide a reminder that no situation is ideal.  Her words do give m a sense of calm every time I read them.  I'm not a bad person for keeping horses.  Nor are you.  Are we perfect? No.  Can we do more?  Yes! If we keep trying to improve our horses lifestyle and work together to build on each other's ideas and have patience with those who try to mock them.

That's got to be the fastest route to getting more help to more horses and ultimately that will make many more human's lives feel like ones well - lived!

I'd like to publicly give my thanks to Jane at Simple Systems for being that Angel in Warwickshire who descended upon that day and into my life when reassurance was very much needed. Thank you Jan!

Barefoot Gallery - Grace

The Story So Far: Shoes to no shoes - Grace's transformation 

 

If a picture paints a thousand words and you want to see the 'before and after' shots, scroll down to the bottom of this post.

WARNING!

Transitioning to barefoot entails owner hard work, diligence, patience, positive thinking, a tough mental attitude to keep going, bravery, attention to diet, and lots of time for pad walking - here is the story of Grace's journey to healthy feet and my own emotional roller coaster journey to get there! 

Background:

I bought Grace September 10th 2011, aged 6.  Fresh from the continent she had been shod in front and not behind (allegedly). During the 5 stage vetting my vet had said she didn't have great feet.  I remember feeling a slight twinge of worry (no foot no horse came to mind)  but as everything else about her was perfect, I went ahead and bought her. 

Early Warning Signs:

Over the next four months two things changed:

Firstly a fellow livery and friend at my yard kept bringing up a website she was following all about barefeet and laminitic rescue cases. That site is Rockley Farm Rehab and I highly recommend a read if you are curious. I too became curious.

Secondly Graces' left hind foot (barefoot) began to change in appearance.  It became what is called 'bull nosed or dubbed'.  I had nick named it 'club foot'.  It looked like the toe had been sliced off.  I decided to ask my farrier what was going on.

A conversation with my Farrier...

My farrier explained that it was erosion of the hoof wall caused by working her on the sand and rubber in the menage! 

I was shocked and confused (and worried that it could be a 'me- made' problem) so I asked him to come into the menage to check it out as the cause.  I was hoping when he saw the menage with all the rubber on top that he would change his diagnosis. ( I was beginning to think no more riding!).

He came, but he did not change his mind.   The conversation went as follows:

Farrier  "That's it.  This sand under the rubber is what's causing the problem"
Me       "why is it only affecting one hoof when she clearly uses both hind feet in all her work?"
Farrier  "its obviously the way she moves, she must drag this foot more than the other"
Me        "but I only ride her in the menage four times a week for about half an hour it's not much work to cause that effect, surely?"
Farrier   silent!
Me       "anyway wouldn't this toe dragging  have shown up in the vetting?"
Farrier   "not necessarily.  I see this a lot"

And that's the moment where all us horse owners are supposed to say...

(Owner) : "oh why didn't you say? If it's happening to others then that's ok, I'll leave it at that and take no further responsibility or curiosity in the fact my horses foot is disappearing!" Duh!!!

I walked away feeling that the whole conversation was at best surreal and most definitely suspicious.

I began to wonder if this sheared off toe could be man made by the farrier?  When your farrier is well known, wins competitions for his work all over the world you doubt yourself not him. If it hadn't been for all the reading I had recently started to do on the Rockley website my intuition might never have raised its uneasy head and given me a good mental shaking! 

As it was I was about to go on holiday for two weeks which would buy me some thinking time as to what to do next.  (At this stage it was only her back foot causing me concern but that was about to change too).

Holiday time February 2012

Two weeks provides a lot of thinking time. I decided to take some reading with me and properly immerse myself in this barefoot movement.  I had always considered it to be the action of 'do good, hippy types' who were trying to keep horses on the cheap!  Embarrassing to admit it but that's what I thought.  Maybe you have a similar perception, or worse!

My holiday reading changed that perception irrefutably.  The Books I read and recommend as a starting point include:

1. Paddock Paradise by Jamie Jackson
2. Feet First by Nic Barker and Sarah Brathwaite
3. Making Natural Hoof Care work for you by Pete Ramey

If you prefer to watch videos  - I began with Pete Ramey's DVDs' - it provided hours of education as I watched him rasp and care for a young ex racer in a lot of foot pain and unable to walk.  



How did I feel on holiday as I read my books?

Excited!
Lost!
Guilty!
Horrified!
Motivated!
Stupid at times! For having had so little foot knowledge after 38 years of being around horses.
 
I felt every emotion possible when you realise you are on the brink of discovering a new and better world which simultaneously fills you with horror at 'not knowing all this before now' and for any pain or discomfort you unwittingly caused your horse (directly or indirectly).

I felt resolved to find a better explanation for the sheared off toe but at the same time I felt alone in doing so.

I sensed my days with this farrier were short numbered but I thought it better to have more 'data' to help me decide what to do next.

Two decisions I made:

I  booked the vet to come and X Ray Grace's feet.

I  booked to have Gait Analysis to prove or disprove if she was toe dragging one hind.

The diagnostic results:

The X rays showed flat P3 in all four feet.

The Gait analysis proved she moved normally with no noticeable difference between her two hinds.

The Professionals recommendations:

The Vet reacted to the X Rays by telling me to immediately have her hind feet shod and "all 4 heels jacked up with pads" quote!

The Gait Analysis people recommended keeping her hinds bare for the dubbed toe and walk her extensively in 'sole mate pads' which they said would correct the problem.  They also recommended going barefoot in front.

Great!  So the experts are totally in disagreement and no one can shed any light on the cause of a hind foot that had lost its toe and i'm supposed to know what to do for the best.   No wonder some owners walk away and decide to do nothing.  Hardly surprising. 

If you look at this hoof and think "that looks normal to me" Please realise its NOT! It's neither normal nor healthy!  The foot is lob-sided.  There is flair to the outside.  The squared off toe (dubbed) is abnormal and impairing the foot's function. I have now learned that bull nosing (dubbed toes) is caused by a bulge in the wall NOT wearing of the toe, even if a farrier tells you otherwise.

I see many hind feet looking like this in shod horses, with toes bulging!  It doesn't have to be like this. My 'non horsey' step son thought this foot looked odd.  Often our problem as horsey people is that the more we seen feet that are not right or healthy,  all around us, the more we stop realising it's not how its supposed to be.  It's not right!

Think about it this way - why does the horse's hoof have a Toe at all?  It must have a function just as our toes have a purpose to balance us.  One of the equine's  main functions of the toe is to circulate blood and kinetic energy around the horse's foot. If the toe starts to bulge (like above) that function is impaired.  Pure logic and fact based on the study of the internal functioning of a horses foot.

An argument with my vet!

My vet and I had a very heated exchange about his verdict and advise to shoe all feet and pad up the heels all round.  I remember telling him that I felt to put shoes on all four feet was a "backwards step as she was already naked behind" so why would I put shoes on bare feet? My vet was utterly gobsmacked and told me as much.  He actually used the expression "I don't understand your point of view".

I explained that I was realising Barefoot was a more healthy approach for foot care.  He snapped.  I'll never forget his next words to me, and I want to share them so that others can be ready with a reply should they face the same attitude from their vet...

Vet: "I don't understand your attitude, 90% of horses in this country are shod!"

It might be factually true but does that make it right?  I told him that if 90% of the public were obeiss would that mean I should follow suit too?

I ended that conversation quickly with him telling me he was sending a remedial farrier to re-shoe her!  I felt bullied, trapped and not in charge of my own horse's welfare. I sobbed on and off for most of that weekend!  I had no idea what to do next.  My vet had gone on to scare me half to death warning me that if Grace's heels weren't jacked up with pads to correct the flat P3 that in two years time she would be at liphook vet hospital undergoing  suspensory surgery!

Hence the tears!  I was frightened to death by his assurtions and by my lack of knowledge with which to reply.

I was in a not -so-great place! It's a place I am sure others have or will find themselves in.  Yet I couldn't let go of the barefoot issue.  Something about it made sense.  It resonated with me.  I had to keep going.

This is when the universe or fete kicked in and gave me a hand!  One evening I discovered the writings of K.C. La Pierre.  I sat up till after 2am reading his articles.  It all made sense.  KC is an American.  An ex farrier.  He is intent on finding a better way than hammering nails and metal shoes onto horses feet.  He founded the Institute of Equine Applied Podiatry.  He has trained others to follow his techniques, some in the UK.  I decided to contact one and arrange a visit for an initial assessment of Grace's feet front and back.

This is what she and I saw when we looked at Grace's front feet in March 2012 before her shoes came off.  It should look 'wrong' to you.  The folds, and uneven sole is NOT normal, not healthy and not right.  It looks like a lunar landscape full of craters!

A few weeks later, Grace threw both front shoes in the field.  I decided this was the sign to go ahead and try barefoot.  I phoned Kat and when she arrived this is what faced us with no shoes to hide the truth of her front feet.

I had no idea a horses foot could look this broken and in such poor health.  Shoes mask the truth.  As owners, we must start to look beneath the covers to be more informed about what's there!

The back feet weren't looking too good either...both a couple of stumps and not fitting a 17.1hh warm blood.

The list of problems evident with her feet included but was not limited to:

• Seedy toe - especially severe in the left fore
• No wall at the toe - both fronts
• White line disease - both fronts
• Severely under run heels both front feet (worst Kat had ever seen)
• Misshapen frogs without integrity, too much mass and poorly functioning
• No quarters- missing wall on both front feet
• No inner and outer wall connectivity - front feet all the way around
• False sole - front feet (tons of it as foot tried to stabilise itself)
• Deformed hoof syndrome (dubbed back feet)
• Even the structure of the hoof horn (tubules) were growing horizontally not vertically weakening the back of both front feet
• No frog spines on front feet
• Very poor digital cushion and cartilage - front feet
• Sole depth poor - front feet
• No heel purchase - front feet
• Bars were thin, distorted and laid over with excess growth - front feet
• Poor periople - fronts
• Lack of foot balance - front and hinds
• Flare - quarters and toe - front feet
• Front hooves - splayed
• Crushed heels - front feet
• Stress rings - front feet 
• Walls in poor health
• Feet x 4 all out of proportion in size - fronts too big and hinds too small

 8 Weeks later (by June 7th) things were looking better already even on her worst feet...

March 2013 - almost 12 months on.... the worst feet are looking better and better!

November 2013, back foot is beautiful!  Worst front foot has last of the seedy toe and a healthy hoof and foot!

With four fab looking feet, the work isn't done!  Daily her feet her cleaned with a wire brush.  Once weekly I treat her feet with a paste that is great for conditioning (or treating thrush) called Field Paste.  Twice a week I spray her feet with my home made solution of Essential oils that fight infection and bacteria as a preventative measure. Of course exercise and movement is critical.  Her diet is stripped down to grass based pellets only, minimum sugars, limited carrots and absolutely NO MOLASSES.

If I hadn't seen the transformation with my own eyes, it would be hard to believe her feet today belong to the same horse.   I know her feet so well now that any small change in them gives me feedback about diet, grazing, environment and lifestyle.  It's a great tool to have and a very unexpected benefit from the process.

Above everything I have learned (and continue to read and learn about) the most impactful thought I have is 'how lame would she be by now if I hadn't helped her feet back to health?'  

When I bought Grace she wouldn't or couldn't lift her hind feet to pick them out.  It was a nightmare trying to get her to lift them.  Two weeks after removing her front shoes I noticed she started to lift them.  Today, she raises them up hock height.  I now believe she couldn't lift them 2 years ago as to do so caused her to weight shift onto her fronts.  Given their condition this must have been painful for her. There's always an explanation for things our horses do, or don't do.  Half the time we just don't know where to look.

To think her feet were this broken by the age of 6, but how quickly I saw them transform.  So much so it gave me confidence to remove the shoes from my Thoroughbreds aged 21 and 22 after over 18 years of them wearing shoes all year round! 

Gallery No 2 to follow will share those photos!