Sooooo, let’s get this straight… some horses, instead of running around freely with lovely springy feet that absorb the nasty concussion and help keep their legs sound…. have hard plates of metal put on. Really?! Isn’t that like wearing a pair of trainers made from iron?
And the way they’re put on is…. nailed on? With a nail? In the hoof? Er, ok…. sounds like something developed years ago that you’d read about in a history book…. (My hoof boots sound much more comfy.)
And just for good measure, in horse shoes, the horse’s blood flow actually comes to a halt for a split second with every heartbeat? Come on, someone’s pulling my leg!
Here’s what my Mum, Lucy Nicholas, of Trelawne Equine, distributors of barefoot boots, says about the subject in her article in May’s national HorseScene mag…
Time to question horse shoes?
I feel strongly that horses are better off without shoes, for several reasons – for example, research tells us that horse shoes focus weight upon the hoof wall, leading to abnormal loading on the edge of the hoof wall. This is called peripheral loading.
Let’s look at the facts. The introduction of road systems circa 2000 years ago by the Romans led to barefooted horses becoming sore or lame when asked to pull or carry heavy loads on unforgiving surfaces. The practice of nailing metal to a horse’s hoof began around 400 – 500 AD, but did not become widely practiced until around 1100-1200 AD, at the time of the Crusades and the development of the mounted cavalry.
It would have made perfect sense that horse owners of this era would have utilised the skills of blacksmiths to create protection for their horses’ hooves. However, a practice that has remained largely unchanged for 1500 years surely warrants 21st century examination?
Blood flow actually comes to a halt with every heartbeat, when shod
Dr Robert Bowker VMD PhD is Professor of Anatomy and Director of the Equine Foot Laboratory at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in America.
Bowker is a pioneer of research into peripheral loading; a negative situation that always occurs when horse shoes are applied.
Peripheral loading is dependent upon the hoof’s surface – a hard surface increases peripheral loading, while a softer surface decreases it. Peripheral loading severely interferes with blood flow inside the hoof; Bowker’s research shows that with a shod hoof, blood flow actually comes to a halt for a split second with every heartbeat, at the level of the horse’s fetlock. This situation is clearly not conducive to healthy tissue growth in the horse’s body.
The last word
Mike Chawke of Ireland’s Little Farm Stud is an RF(BngC), MF(IMFA), CE-F qualified farrier and says: “Why not try leaving your animal in its natural state, and simply fit hoof boots when you want to ride? One major advantage is that your horse’s hooves will expand and contract as nature intended.”
If you are a horse owner, farrier or a barefoot hoofcare practitioner, and would like to discuss with us any of the points raised here, please find us at http://www.facebook.com/TrelawneEquine
Visit www.trelawneequine.co.uk for more info.
Tags: barefoot, barefoot hoof care, barefoot trek, concussion, endurance, glove barefoot boot, hoof boot, Hoof boots, horsecare, horses, long distance riding
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