A Deep Dive into Barefoot Hoof Care

Wild horses have incredibly sound feet as a result of moving approximately 32 kilometers per day over various terrain which allows for natural wear on their feet. Our domesticated horses, on the other hand, are usually in smaller confined spaces with less diverse footing which does not allow natural wear on the hoof. By studying how wild horses stay sound with no outside interference, the barefoot trimming method creates the wear pattern of wild horse hooves, to ultimately build a sound foot inside and out.

A majority of the trim will be focused underneath the foot as the walls, sole, bars and frog will be addressed to appropriately share the weight load. It's important to understand what you're looking at and how each part of the foot functions. For reference please see the diagram below.

The heels are the foundation and where the horse should be committing their weight as this is designed to share the weight-bearing load. When a horse has underrun heels, they are not able to absorb the impact as comfortably and this can cause damage to the foot. Underrun heels are vary common in domesticated horses and refer to a flatter more forward-looking hoof. (DIAGRAM). By addressing the heel's at each trim, they slowly start to move back into the correct place and begin developing the digital cushion.

The bars provide traction and support for the back of the hoof preventing it from over-expanding during landing and aid as skid brakes. The bars will only ever be trimmed down to the same level as the sole. The frog is a shock absorber as well as the energy dissipator which changes in response to terrain and other hoof demands. The overgrown and dead layers on top of the frog will be removed each trim to promote healthy growth and decrease the risk of thrush or other hoof ailments. At the back of the frog, there is a small area called the central sulcus which if left overgrown can cause the back of the frog and heel to be crushed and lead to further damage. The central sulcus will also only have dead layers removed.

The sole of the foot should be a minimum of 1/2" or 12mm thick as it protects the coffin bone and is the weight -bearing energy dissipator of the inner hoof. The sole naturally sheds so it is important not to carve it out as this can slow down the process of creating live sole and a healthy foot. Only what is visibly ready to come off will be removed. The hoof wall will be trimmed according to what is seen underneath the foot. The excess length will be trimmed to the sole plane, the heel hight is determined using the seat of corn and/or the frog height. When first beginning barefoot trimming some people comment that the toe has been left to long, but in reality, this is more of an optical illusion. When heels are underrun and the foot is in a more forward position the toe looks longer, but as the hoof angle changes and the heels migrate back, the toe begins to look shorter. Underneath the foot the toe can only be brought back as far as the wall will allow. Taking off too much by top-dressing the toe weakens the walls integrity. To create a strong supporting shape the mustang roll will be applied to the wall.

Before the trim can be completed each foot will need to be checked for balance. If the hoof is not balanced that will throw your horse off and potentially make them uncomfortable by needing to compensate.