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What is barefoot, natural trimming?
The barefoot, natural trim is different than a traditional farrier trim, flat trim and pasture trim. As a barefoot, natural trimmer, I trim using the wild horse as a model. A hoof that is trimmed using the wild horse as a model has wide expanded heels, minimal bars, supportive frogs and rolled toes. In addition to those qualities, the bottom of the foot is concave much like a candy dish. These qualities are not trimmed into the horse but rather the trimmer sets up the process within the horse to grow them. Horses trimmed using the barefoot , natural method like wild horses, have balanced hooves allowing the foot to land heel first, rolling to the toe before pushing off. The natural trim is about restoring balance in all the structures of the horse's hoof.
What are the benefits of being barefoot?
Barefoot horses are not new. Horses were worked, ridden and lived barefoot for centuries. Only when we began stabling horses for long hours at a time did shoeing become a "necessary" evil, because of under developed hoof structures. Naturally shaped barefoot hooves are key to the long term health and soundness of your horse.
Being barefoot allows the hoof to flex and expand to absorb the shock and
distribute the weight and force placed upon it.
Barefoot horses have phenomenal traction and can feel the ground better. Which
would you rather wear on ice or wet rocks? Metal ice skates or tennis shoes?
Barefoot hoof care allows proper, healthy development of both inner and
outer structures of the hoof.
Barefoot hooves grow in a natural form expanding evenly as they grow. Shoeing
restricts the hoof, forcing it to grow in a cylinder shape with long toes and under
run heels.
Barefoot hoof care allows hoof issues or pain to be immediately apparent thus
being more readily corrected because of early detection.
Barefoot, natural hoof trimming eliminates virtually all cracks and splits that many
find unsightly.