Diet concerns

A natural diet and feeding schedule is another key to successful transition. The wild horse roams many miles each day, constantly grazing and foraging for his meals. This keeps a near constant flow of material moving through his digestive system. In profound contrast is the far too common method of feeding rich intermittent meals a couple of times a day. This leaves parts of the digestive system devoid of roughage for hours on end.

The cecum or hind gut of the horse is full of microbes that are necessary for digestion. Research suggests that when these microbes die off, their exoskeletons release toxins into the digestive system. These toxins can be absorbed into the bloodstream, triggering laminitis to varying degrees. If a horse’s digestive system is perpetually unstable, it can induce perpetual low grade laminitis, affecting the soundness of the entire hoof capsule.

Hint:
Some horses can be sensitive to alfalfa hay. A horse prone to laminitis should avoid alfalfa or “cool season” grasses that can be high in sugar.

Vaccinations can be detrimental to healing

Vaccines are another area of great concern. I am not a veterinarian, but from the anecdotal evidence I have seen, I believe that vaccine reactions may be responsible for a high percentage of the laminitis cases which plague our domestic horse population today.

Most all veterinarians would agree that if a horse gets sick he may develop laminitis. It is therefore not a stretch to imagine that if a horse has a mild reaction to a vaccine, it could trigger mild laminitis. If vaccinated semi-annually, he may never fully grow out the affected hoof capsule.
Time and time again, I’ve come to trim a client’s healthy footed horse only to be faced with the results of a recent laminitic episode. When I ask the owner about the recent history of the horse, vaccinations are often part of the picture.

Whether or not you choose to vaccinate your horse is a personal choice. We must balance protection with vitality. Personally, I choose vitality.

The truth about trimming

So far, I haven’t covered anything about trimming a transitioning barefoot horse. That’s because success with a barefoot horse is more about how we kept them than how we trim them. Of course, aggressive or invasive trimming strategies are detrimental, but ignoring the natural lifeway needs of the horse has a far greater impact on overall soundness and level of performance than exacting trimming strategies.

Education is power

The uncertainty of the transitional phase needlessly scares people from pulling shoes. I encourage anyone who is contemplating going barefoot to educate themselves on the subject. Most transitional failures arise from a lack of understanding rather than a horse’s inability to go without shoes.

You must also be aware of your horse’s natural lifeway needs and integrate them as much as possible. This is how you’ll find a successful transition to high performance barefootedness.

Kirt Lander is a natural hoof care practitioner and educator based in Arizona. A trimmer since 2000, he has helped hundreds of foundered horses. Kirt and his wife, Gina, enjoy endurance competition with their herd of a dozen barefoot horses, including their Arabian stallion Halim El Mokhtar, who received the nationally acclaimed American Endurance Ride Conference “Jim Jones Stallion Award” in 2005. Kirt is developing a new performance riding boot specifically designed for the natural hoof. www.thebarefootblackstallion.com

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Published in the January/February 2007 issue of Equine Wellness Magazine