How my barefoot journey began

OK … So Wild at Hoof … What’s it all about …
Well … It’s a long story … Your probably already sitting down so grab a cuppa and settle in! 

My interest in equine feet began about 18 years ago when I purchased a beautiful 4yr old chestnut mare called Annie.  As beautiful and talented as she was … there was one hurdle which – no matter what we tried – we couldn’t defeat … her feet …Despite changing her diet, farrier regime, yard, supplements, lotions and potions … my scrawny little mare lost shoes left right and centre …the structure just wasn’t there to hold them.  Add to that a huge issue of a constant grass crack up the front of her off fore – you get the picture… no matter how far we got it to grow down it would just sneak its way back to the coronet band. Grrrr 😡

I shudder to think the about of money I’ve spent on supplements alone (hmmm Farriers Formula, Hoof Power Plus, Pro feet, Formula Feet, Cornucrescine, Hardy Hoof and pure biotin) … over the years we have tried pretty much everything on the market (for at least 9months – as to allow the growth) – each time with limited success.

We’ve tried different shoes.  Different ways of holding the crack together. Resections to remove a possible kerotoma …nothing made the improvement I dreamed of.

To be fair the structure improved greatly – her shoes stayed on longer … but functionality wise and aesthetically they were still lacking.

The light bulb moment came when she went with out front shoes simply because there wasn’t enough hoof to nail a new set to.  After 6 months barefoot her feet were good enough to re-shoe – not only good enough – but better than ever!  She was re-shod and off we went from there…But still the light bulb was on … what was it about taking her shoes off that had helped – that was the only change …

And so the journey began … searching for the answers … or rather sifting through so many answers to find the right ones! Cue Equine Podiatry.