horses feet

Question
My mare keeps pulling her shoes off in our web fence about every 2-3 weeks. So I've decided to try letting her go barefoot.  It has been 8 days and she is still sore especially on hard ground. I barrel race and go to different arenas in Florida. Do you suggest that I run her barefoot? How long will it be before she isn't sore?

Answer
Hi Angie!  Thanks for your question.

Horses hooves that have been in shoes are much like our own that have been in shoes for a long period of time. It takes time to be able to go completely barefoot without a "care in the world" (like we used to do when we were kids! *GRIN*) ... the same thing for horses.

The best thing I can tell you would be to hand-walk your horse 10 mins. a day or a bit more down a smooth, level TARRED road. That will do more than all the Durasole or Hoof Hardeners in the world. Try to take her where there are not rocks or gravel. I suspect, as with most horses that have been shod, that her soles are thin and need time to grow and toughen up. In the meantime, staying off gravel and other uneven ground will help to prevent bruising and possible abscessing. Something you don't want to have to deal with at all.

All horses are different in their rate of becoming totally "rock crushing sound" barefooted. There are many different factors that play in with the development of new hoof and conditioning of old. Thsi includes lifestyle - diet, environment, use, turnout etc. That being said I can't tell you it will take X days for your horse to be totally comfortable in bare hooves. My experience tells me that if she is troubled now and its only been 8 days, that a good 4 months will be needed for her soles to toughen up and become comfortable. Walking her daily, as I suggested, can cut this time in half. Once again, however, there are other variables that come into play. i.e. a diet high in sugar and carb (think sweet feed) will wreak havoc with horses' hooves ... and their metabolic system. Better to feed a whole grain (whole oats) or a hay replacer pelleted feed with free choice hay than to feed a sweet feed or concentrated grain that is coated in molasses. What goes in - grows out.

You can purchase boots that can take the place of shoes. I would recommend that you look into purchasing some Old Mac G2's with pads and gaiters. Have them on your mare for 12 hrs. a day then 12 hrs. off. Give her some toughening up time and then time to "relax" in the boots.

Hope some of this is helpful to you.

:) -- Gwen