I didn't realise it at the time, but in September 2011 my whole perspective on horses was about to change for the better. Drifter was forging badly in shoes and after being reassured by my farrier, then numerous vets telling me different things, I decided to do my own research and read online about what would be best for him. This is when I stumbled across the UKNHCP forum and realisation hit me like a tonne of bricks. I knew precious little about my horses health, and as someone who had always looked for an alternative way of keeping horses I couldn't believe I hadn't questioned it before. Shoes weren't the be all and end all of a sound riding horse, and after reading through very few posts, I had made up my mind that the shoes were coming off.
 |
| September 2011 - A day after the shoes came off - surfaces were no problem |
 |
| His right fore 3months bare - 2 distinct event lines which coincide with our worming cycle and when he had a colic scare |
Drifter does everything barefoot now; we used boots during his transition, but they have been tucked away in a box and haven't been used in over a year and a half now. His feet are fascinating and the event lines tell me the month he was wormed, when I gave him too much grass, or when he escaped and ate other liveries feeds!! Drifter forges little in comparison to when he had shoes and trips nowhere near as much. He is also a very clumsy horse, and the fact that he can feel his feet, has definitely helped with his his proprioception. I now question everything I do with my horses from wormers, to shampoos and lotions I use, from training principles to medication. I want to learn about every part of my horses health, so that I personally make the decisions about what is best for my dear friends, and not just trust someone else to do it for me!
 |
| Enjoying some barefoot xc schooling April 2014 |
No comments:
Post a Comment