Horseshoes can damage horse's hooves, causing pain and even lameness. A natural farrier that uses the barefoot method will help your horse to have healthy hooves.
Horse hoof care is extremely important. There is a common saying among horse owners that says, "A horse is as good as his hooves." This saying has a lot of truth in it. A horse with unhealthy hooves can become lame. Unfortunately lame horses are not an uncommon problem among captive horses.
As people have become more educated about the structure and function of horse’s hooves, they have learned the damage that horseshoes can cause. Horseshoes can cause several problems in the horse hoof. The horseshoes are put on the horse hoof with six to eight inch nails. The nails often crack the hoof. In addition, the horseshoe prevents the hoof from functioning properly. The horseshoe interferes with the hooves natural blood flow and causes the hoof to grow incorrectly. These problems caused by the horseshoe can cause the horse pain and even lameness.
Natural horse hoof care uses the barefoot method. The barefoot method does not use horseshoes. A skilled horse farrier that uses the barefoot method will carefully trim the horses’ hooves to create a healthy and balanced hoof. A healthy and balanced hoof will enable the horse to live pain free and have better traction when walking.
It is a common misconception among horse owners, that horses need shoes to keep their hooves from wearing down too far. This is not true. Horses in the wild maintain healthy hooves by naturally wearing them down through many miles of walking and running on multiple surfaces. In captivity, most horses do not get enough exercise to naturally wear their hooves down. Most captive horses need a farrier to keep their hooves trimmed. A barefoot trim will keep your horses’ hooves healthy and allow your horses’ hooves to function correctly.
In between trimmings by your farrier, you will need to regularly clean your horses’ hooves to prevent infections like thrush. In addition the horses’ area should be kept clean. A horse that has to stand in manure or mud is highly susceptible to hoof problems. If you do not know how to clean your horses’ hooves, ask your farrier to show you how.
Horses that already have hoof problems, including laminitis will also benefit from the barefoot method. An experienced barefoot farrier will work with your horses’ hooves to bring them back to health. A horse that is experiencing severe hoof problems will often need more frequent care by a natural barefoot farrier until the hoof is healthy again. Most horses that have previously worn shoes will have at least some damage to their hooves.
When finding a farrier for your horse, it is important to get a qualified and experienced farrier. An incorrectly trimmed hoof can cause your horse pain or even lameness.
American Farriers and E-Hoofcare both have a list of farriers, including barefoot farriers.
