Farrier Tom Broadbridge has overseen the care of numerous barefoot horses – here’s what he has learned

Considering transitioning your horse to barefoot, but not sure how to go about it? Spend any amount of time on social media and you’ll soon find that barefoot trimming and everything surrounding it is a hot topic.

“To my mind, enabling the horse to go barefoot is the gold standard,” says Tom Broadbridge, who qualified as a farrier in 2003 and is now purely a barefoot hoofcare professional.

“There are times when a horse can’t immediately go completely barefoot. Sometimes horses that look sound with shoes on may not be free from inflammation. Consequently, their unsoundness may be more obvious when the shoes are removed.

“If a horse is not sound, they may need another form of hoof protection after removing the shoes, such as hoof boots. In such cases, immediately going completely barefoot may not be best.”

Tom advises against making the transition alone.

“Firstly, ensure you’ve built a strong team of equine professionals around you. Communication with them is key.

“Speak to your vet and your hoof care professional for their advice rather than plunging straight into taking the shoes off.”

Why transition a horse to barefoot?

Keeping horses naturally is a significant motivator in the transition from shod to barefoot. There are several other reasons owners make the change too, including:

1. Cost

With the cost-of-living crisis applying increasing financial pressures – and leaving some owners unable to make ends meet – the thought of ditching a large six-weekly bill appeals to many. However, Tom advises proceeding with caution.

“If finances are your only motivation, I’d advise you to think again,” he says. “Barefoot is not necessarily the easy or cheap option. Keeping a barefoot horse requires a holistic approach, and you may find mounting costs with equine professionals in other areas of your horse’s management to address soundness without shoes, as they may mask lameness.”

2. Performance

“A horse often gains a more natural movement without the restriction of steel shoes,” explains Tom. “Watch the horses in the dressage arena that are barefoot.”

3. Retirement or semi-retirement

Many owners reassess their horses’ lifestyle when they reduce or remove their ridden routine. As well as removing shoes, many opt for 24/7 turnout or retirement livery, too.

4. Eliminates shoe pulling

If you have a horse that regularly pulls shoes, this leads to frequent call-outs mid-shoeing cycle and risks damage to the hoof.

5. A last resort

“I specialised in remedial farriery years ago and thought it was the key to everything,” explains Tom. “Then, you’d have cases where you’d throw every specialised shoe and technique you knew to fix a lame horse, but nothing would work.

“One client sent their horse to a barefoot rehab yard, and the horse came sound. It was one of the most exciting moments of my career. In fact, it was the beginning of my transition to barefoot.”

How to transition a horse to barefoot

Consulting your hoofcare professional alongside your vet and an independent nutritionist is the best way to set your horse up for a successful barefoot life.

That said, there’s much you can do in the months ahead to ease the transition.

Feeding

Ideally consulting with an independent nutritionist, Tom recommends reviewing and reducing the amount of sugar in your horse’s diet, from bucket to haynet.

“Sugar is a focus point because it is so influential in terms of inflammation,” says Tom. “But an independent nutritionist can help you review the micronutrients your horse is receiving for overall health and ensure they are optimally fed, too.”

Workload

“If I decided to take off my trainers and immediately go for a 20-mile walk, my feet would be in a sorry state,” says Tom. “It can be the same with newly-barefoot horses.”

While some individuals adapt quickly to work on hard or stony surfaces, others need time to adjust. Tom advises looking over your horse’s workload, scaling back for a period, then building up to your usual routine.

“Groundwork can be a great place to start,” adds Tom.

“If you’ve ever walked on uneven tarmac with no shoes, you’ll know how unpleasant it can feel and the effect on your gait.

“Now carry a saddle and a person. You’ve made an uncomfortable task even more difficult.”

All at once?

If a horse is shod all round, some owners choose to remove the back shoes first.

“The front feet carry about two-thirds of a horse’s weight,” says Tom. “Some owners like to remove the hind shoes first to allow the horse to adjust how he loads and potentially ease the transition.”

However, others may argue that there is a height differential between the shod and barefoot hooves, and that can cause unintended issues.

How to support a horse while transitioning to barefoot

Tom says it’s perfectly normal for newly barefoot horses to feel sensitive on stony ground.

“Anyone who was used to wearing shoes would be,” he says.

“However, if a barefoot horse appears lame on any surface, it is a cause for concern and action needs to be taken.”

Always gain advice from a qualified equine professional.

If you regularly walk your horse on a hard, uneven track – for example, to reach his paddock – hoof boots are a useful tool.

Tom, who designs and produces his own range of hoof boots, says it helps avoid the cumulative effect of contact with sub-optimal ground.

“Newly barefoot horses who walk on stones might develop slight bruising.

“This might be pretty inconsequential as a one-off, but if it’s a daily thing you get bruising forming on top of bruising, and that can become very sore. What’s more, it can cause inflammation and affect the rest of the body due to compensatory issues.

“Using hoof boots for any activity on surfaces, such as stony tracks, can reduce issues, especially in those early stages, by protecting your horse’s soles.

“Gradually introducing different surfaces when the horse is completely barefoot allows them to adjust, and improves hoof health over time.”

Choosing and fitting hoof boots

You can find many different hoof boot styles on the market, including Tom’s own design, Pioneer Sports hoof boots, which are a self-adjusting style to accommodate natural movement and a growing hoof throughout the trim cycle.

Each company has its own fitting and measurement guidelines.

Tom recommends consulting your hoofcare professional on a style and fit to suit your horse when seeking hoof boot advice.

“Some companies, like The Hoof Boutique, will give you advice based on images and measurements you send them or provide a fit kit.”

Dealing with hoof cracks

When transitioning a horse from shod to barefoot, hoof wall cracks or wall degradation are common.

“If your horse has been shod for quite some time, you’ll have a series of nail holes,” Tom explains.

“Here, the horn is weak and will break away.”

Always seek advice from the hoof care professional. Many riders reach for hoof conditioners and moisturisers, but Tom advises it is bacterial or fungal infection within the hoof wall, not dryness, that causes low-level cracking.

“Use an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal product on the hoof horn from about a centimetre below the coronary band,” he suggests. “This permeates the horn and tackles the infection.

“New growth is imbued with the treatment and the cracking should stop. You can actually smell the product when you trim the hoof.”

He adds that the white line can stretch due to flaring, meaning small stones and other debris become lodged within.

“You need a tool sharper and thinner than a hoof pick, such as a bradle, to gently clear it,” advises Tom.

“I’d then use a packing material [like this one] to preserve the white line.”

What’s the best time of year to transition a horse to barefoot?

For Tom, there are pros and cons to a summer versus a winter transition.

“If you transition in the winter, the ground is generally softer, but so are the feet,” he says. “So, the sole is more vulnerable to bruising and potentially more sensitive to stony underfooting.

“In the summer, the feet are generally harder and the sole less flexible, but also the ground is also harder and possibly more uncomfortable underfoot.”

The time of year you choose to transition will depend on what you already know about your horse’s feet. Ultimately, Tom recommends avoiding spring and autumn when the grass flushes and its sugar content intensifies.

“At these points in the year there’s a real boost of energy and sugar in the grass,” Tom explains. “This causes an instant response in the body that might lead to inflammation. It doesn’t need to be as severe as acute laminitis – even a small amount of inflammation in the body can make horses more sensitive.

“My horse has been barefoot for nine years. When the weather changes and the grass shoots up, he’ll feel the odd stone here and there where he wouldn’t have a couple of weeks before.

“And he’s not transitioning – he’s well into barefoot life.”

Ultimately, success will come from strategising ahead of removing your horse’s shoes.

“Start planning your transition while your horse is still shod,” says Tom. “Making dietary adjustments in advance, for example, can help minimise soreness, maintain hoof wall integrity and altogether make the transition far smoother.”

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Hoof boots are no longer the niche product for horses they once were. Once mainly thought of as emergency “spare pair of tyres” or therapy boots, they’re now widely used for hacking, rehabilitation and barefoot transitions – and for some horses, they’ve become an everyday part of life.

But they’re also a piece of kit where success depends heavily on understanding what you’re buying and why. Fit matters more than brand, and expectations need to be realistic. Get it right, and the best hoof boots can be transformative; get it wrong, and you can end up with rubbing, twisting, or a particularly expensive cupboard full of boots that almost worked.

Here’s an introduction to hoof boots, how they’re commonly used, and how to choose them wisely, with advice from farrier Tom Broadbridge, who is developing Pioneer Sports Hoof Boots, and hoof boot advisor Liz Hapgood of Hoof Bootique.

What are hoof boots?

Tom describes hoof boots simply as “trainers for horses’ feet”.

They’re removable hoof protection – something you put on when the horse needs it and take off again afterwards, rather than something attached permanently to the hoof. That flexibility is a big part of their appeal.

Why do people use hoof boots?

Liz says many owners first come to hoof boots when they’re struggling with a horse.

“It’s often a last port of call,” she explains – perhaps a horse with intermittent lameness, footiness, or one that hasn’t thrived in traditional shoeing. For others, boots come into play when shoes are removed, and the horse needs protection while adapting.

Common reasons for using hoof boots

• Supporting a horse through a barefoot transition
• Hacking on hard, stony or mixed terrain
• Horses with thin soles or sensitivity
• Rehabilitation cases where pads and cushioning help
• Older horses, who may feel more comfortable with shock absorption

Liz is clear that boots aren’t inherently limiting: “You should be able to do anything in hoof boots that you can do with metal shoes.” But she adds an important note of caution – the more you ask of them, the more critical correct fitting becomes.

Different types of hoof boots

Tom finds it useful to think of riding boots in two broad groups, pictured above.

More forgiving, wrap-style boots

These have a solid base with a more flexible upper. Tom compares them to wellies: they’ll accommodate a wider range of hoof shapes and can be useful when hooves are changing or when pads are needed.

More structured, close-fitting boots

These rely on close contact between the hoof wall and the inside of the boot. “This type needs to fit properly,” Tom says, because it’s the friction between hoof and boot that keeps it secure. He likens them to trainers – less forgiving, but better suited to faster or more demanding work when the fit is right.

Neither type is universally better. The right choice depends on your horse’s hooves now, what you’re doing in them, and how much change you expect over the coming months.

Fitting hoof boots

Both experts return to this repeatedly: fit matters more than anything – and length is the hard bit.

Liz says most people manage hoof width fairly well, but “measuring the length is the hardest thing to get right”. The challenge is measuring the weight-bearing surface accurately without including heel bulbs – and in hooves with underrun or compromised heels, knowing where that measurement should end can be tricky.

Why does it matter? Liz compares it to wearing shoes that are too long: your heel lifts, your foot moves, and your stability changes. In a hoof boot, that can mean twisting, rubbing or boots coming off.

Her advice is simple: if you’re unsure, ask for help. Hoof boots are a specialist product, and getting the length wrong is one of the most common reasons they fail.

When to measure for hoof boots

Liz advises measuring after a fresh trim, or within around two weeks of one. Measuring a long, flared hoof can lead to boots that distort as the hoof grows.

Tom adds that measuring at more than one point – for example, mid-cycle as well as immediately after a trim – can help owners understand the extent of variation and manage their expectations.

Hoof boot size charts

Size charts are a useful starting point, but Tom cautions that length and width alone don’t account for hoof shape.

“You might have the measurements right,” he explains, “but you don’t know how the shape of the hoof compares to the inside shape of the boot.”

Liz expands on this: the widest part of the hoof isn’t always in the same place as the widest part of the boot. Even when measurements match on paper, the hoof may not physically seat correctly inside the shell.

This is why so many nearly-new boots end up for resale.

Hoof boot fit kits and expert advice

Both Tom and Liz strongly recommend using fit kits wherever possible. These allow you to try boot shells on the hoof, helping you see what genuinely fits – not just what looks right on a chart.

Liz’s approach is to narrow options using measurements, then compare different brands and sizes side by side. Her key message will sound familiar to anyone who’s dealt with saddle fitting: choose the boot that fits your horse, not the brand you like.

“Often,” she says, “you end up buying a boot you didn’t think you wanted, because it’s the one that actually suits the hoof.”

If you can’t access fit kits in person, Liz recommends seeking advice rather than guessing. Clear photos and accurate measurements allow experienced advisors to assess factors that numbers alone can’t show – such as heel height, symmetry and hoof angle.

How to check fit at home

Liz’s go-to check is the “twist test”. With the boot fastened, pick the foot up as if you were picking it out and try to twist the boot.

You want the hoof and boot to move together. A small amount of movement can be acceptable, but if the boot twists freely, something isn’t right.

She also highlights a common misconception: twisting doesn’t always mean the boot is too big. Boots can twist when they’re too small, too – for example, if the hoof is too wide for the base and can’t sit properly down into it.

Tom adds another practical check: look at the heel bulbs and hairline when you remove the boots. Before rubbing becomes sore, you’ll often see the hair being dragged or disturbed.

Introducing hoof boots

Even with a good fit, both experts advise building up gradually.

Tom’s advice is straightforward: if you want to trot in boots, walk in them first. Let the horse adapt to the different feel underfoot and monitor how they move.

Liz notes that some horses end up with more than one pair for different jobs – for example, an easy everyday option, something more secure for long hacks, or lighter boots for schooling on hard ground.

How long do hoof boots last?

Liz stresses that lifespan depends on use, terrain and how the horse moves. As a broad guide, six to 12 months is often quoted, but many boots last up to two years or more. Some models also allow worn parts to be replaced, extending their useful life.

Can I use hoof boots in competitions?

Hoof boots are currently not permitted in British Dressage competitions. In British Showjumping, they may not be worn at any time when a horse or pony is mounted or being exercised, including during lunging. They are, however, permitted in stable and grazing areas.

Under British Eventing rules, hoof boots are allowed in exercise and lunging areas but may not be worn during any phase of competition.

At FEI level, hoof boots are only permitted for driving horses; they are not allowed for ridden competition.

Hoof boots are not specifically referenced in the 2026 British Riding Club Handbook rules for dressage, showjumping or eventing, but they are permitted in working-in areas. The Pony Club also generally restricts the use of hoof boots in competitions.

For other sports, and at unaffiliated competitions, rules can vary by discipline and venue; so it’s worth checking the relevant handbook and competition regulations in advance.

The takeaway

Hoof boots can be a genuinely useful tool, but they’re not a one-size-fits-all purchase. Accurate measurement, realistic expectations and careful fitting are what make the difference.

Take the time to understand your horse’s hooves, introduce boots gradually, and keep reassessing fit as things change. Done properly, they can offer flexibility and comfort that suits a wide range of horses and riders.

Quick checklist

Before you buy

• Measure after a fresh trim (or within two weeks)
• Pay particular attention to hoof length
• Use expert advice or fit kits if possible

When checking fit

• Do the twist test – hoof and boot should move together
• Watch for heel rubbing or disturbed hair
• Remember: twisting can mean too small or too big

When using boots

• Build up gradually: walk before faster work
• Check fit regularly – hooves change over time
• Expect some trial and adjustment, especially during transitions

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Hoof boots are an essential piece of equipment for many barefoot horses and they can serve multiple purposes. The best hoof boots available today are used for daily general wear, as well as for specific situations, such as hacking, rehabilitation or assisting with the transition to barefoot life.

A quality pair of hoof boots can be a great investment – the price of some can be a lot to swallow at the time, but the best boots really are worth it. Whatever your situation, they’re handy to have. If you’re just looking for a boot to cover a dressing or poultice, try the Woof Wear medical hoof boot.

Best hoof boots

What to consider when choosing a hoof boot

Choosing the right hoof boots can be a frustrating experience. The number of hoof boots has increased dramatically over the last few years and each type of hoof boot generally fits a slightly different shape and/or size of hoof – but this means there’s something out there for every horse.

Look for a pair of hoof boots that offer sufficient protection while remaining lightweight, shock-absorbing and sturdy. Consider the type of riding you plan to be doing, or whether your horse will need to be wearing them 24/7, as many brands offer different models that lend themselves to a range of terrains.

Hoof boot fit

It’s worth noting that different brands – and models within brands – will fit different shaped hooves better. It’s important to take accurate measurements, and most brands have a detailed fitting guide and some will even select the best fit for you if you send them photos.

Some retailers offer a hiring service for hoof boots so you are able to give them a proper road test or even try a few sizes and styles to find the best style and size for your horse’s needs. Many boots that come with parts – such as adjustment straps or inner neoprene gaiters – also sell these parts separately in case you need to replace them.

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In our latest H&H subscriber-exclusive investigation into issues affecting the equestrian world today, H&H senior news writer Becky Murray looks into the laws governing who is allowed to trim horses’ feet, which professional organisations are involved, and whether regulation is needed...

Going barefoot is a topic that can generate heated discussions in the equestrian world.

Many top showjumpers compete on surfaces barefoot, and it is widely accepted that not all horses need to wear shoes. But the decision to transition to barefoot should be based on the individual horse and discussed with its hoofcare provider.

The debate perhaps should not be whether shod or unshod is best, but who is delivering that service. In the UK, only a qualified and registered farrier can legally prepare the foot of a horse for the immediate inception of a shoe and fit a shoe by nailing or otherwise.

But there is no regulation on who can trim a horse’s hooves, so a person does not need to hold any qualifications, registration or insurance. A person who has never been around a horse can legally offer a trimming service and charge money for this – as can a farrier who has been removed or suspended from the Farriers Registration Council’s (FRC) register.

Unlike vets and farriers, who are accountable to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the FRC respectively, there is no regulatory body for barefoot trimming. And until 2021, although a number of UK and international organisations offered trimming courses, there was no accredited UK qualification.

But progress has been made to provide “self-regulation” of the barefoot industry – and in April 2021, the Ofqual-regulated qualification was created – the LANTRA level-five diploma in equine podiatry, only available via Equine Podiatry Training Ltd (EPT).

Before this, EPT offered a diploma in equine podiatry and was among the organisations involved in the creation of the 2010 equine barefoot care National Occupational Standards.

Richard Vialls, EPT co-founder and a Equine Podiatry Association (EPA) council member, told H&H that since EPT took its first students in 2008, the aim had always been to gain national accreditation.

“We felt we needed to demonstrate that we weren’t just training people, but we were serious about quality and standards,” he said.

The LANTRA level-five diploma in equine podiatry

The part-time course, which takes around two-and-a-half to three years to complete and costs £6,250, is led by tutors in podiatry, grassland management, advanced anatomy and farriery. The course is 561 hours long, of which 200 hours is “hands-on” training, including 70 hours on trimming, followed by an exam.

Students then work on non-pathological case studies under a mentor, then six months of case studies of pathological cases, such as laminitis or navicular, before a final assessment. This comprises a three-hour theory paper, lameness video exam, pathology trimming exam on a cadaver leg and a trim on a horse. The pass mark is 80% and since 2021, 15 people have gained the qualification.

“Generally, about half the students pass first time and if they fail any one element, they have up to a year to resit it,” said Dr Vialls.

Dr Vialls said achieving the Ofqual accreditation has given the diploma the “credibility that we didn’t have when it was our own qualification”.

But he adds that other areas of the equestrian industry are “taking their time to recognise what we do and formally adopt it”.

“The actions of some other barefoot groups in the past have created suspicions, so that’s been an issue. We have this situation where vets on the ground like what we do, and on a day-to-day basis we work with vets very closely across lots of practices. But people at the top of the veterinary profession are still sitting on the fence,” he said.

“It was always going to take a long time. We’re the disruptors and we need to prove to everybody that we are credible.”

H&H asked Dr Vialls what recognition might look like. He said that the EPT and EPA would like “acknowledgement from the veterinary profession that we should be part of the process”, similar to paraprofessionals such as dental technicians and physios.

He added that he does not see “any likelihood” of a law change to incorporate trimming “any time soon”.

“We’ve been involved with working groups with Defra and the opinion of Defra is that there isn’t a problem to be solved by changing regulation at this point. They want to see good quality self-regulation,” he said.

“Defra did research 10 years ago and couldn’t find any evidence that there was more of a problem among barefoot trimmers than regulated farriers. On that basis, the decision was taken that the regulation of barefoot trimming would be kept as self-regulation for the foreseeable.”

H&H asked Defra to confirm that its research found no welfare issues and there was no case for statutory regulation – and was told “we weren’t able to determine where these statements came from”. But the spokesperson added that there are “no plans” to amend existing legislation and “we keep our approach under review”.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said a “good farrier can do everything a barefoot trimmer can do and more”.

“Although I have encountered some cooperative trimmers, who have been very patient trimming challenging ponies’ feet, I would still choose to use a properly qualified farrier for my own horse. I know every farrier has undergone a recognised apprenticeship and rigorous training and has a professional organisation behind him or her,” she said.

“The same is unclear to me for barefoot trimmers. There are concerns that in some cases, horses can suffer and complex conditions go unrecognised by individuals trimming their feet with limited qualifications, who may not understand the potential underlying pathology. I question how fully insured a barefoot trimmer may be and how responsible they will be for their actions in the event of any complications ensuing.”

Self-regulation

The EPA provides a “self-regulating professional body” for equine podiatrists and those who have completed the former diploma or the Ofqual-accredited course, and students, can apply for membership. The association has a code of conduct members must abide by, and continuous professional development and insurance requirements.

“We’re trying to provide a professional group that owners and other professionals can trust. We have high standards of entry and to maintain your entry on our register,” said EPA council member Helen Stowell.

The EPA has 43 members, and Ms Stowell estimates there to be around 100 to 200 barefoot practitioners operating in the UK. This number cannot be verified, because trimmers do not need to be registered.

“It’s quite a segmented industry; there will be independent trimmers doing a very good job – and if they weren’t doing a good job the market would have called them out by now – but they don’t come under our banner,” she said.

“When we set ourselves up, our take was that we can only regulate people whose entry standard we understand. If you were trying to regulate somebody who has trained in a different way and something goes wrong, how on earth could you regulate that person’s actions?

“I think other sectors of the horse industry would like the situation to be easier to understand and for there to be an umbrella regulator, but I’m not sure that’s plausible. We feel that we set a high standard and take care of maintaining that high standard via our own members.”

H&H asked Ms Stowell if it is a concern that people could be operating without appropriate training or support of an organisation.

“I don’t think we can say anything other than it is a concern, because that’s part of the reason we’re doing business the way we’re trying to do it,” she said. “We’re not the cowboys who do a three-day course and go and trim horses; we’re doing everything we can to ensure we are the opposite of that characterisation.”

But could regulation help the industry?

“We are in an industry that is used to having a very high and statutory standard of regulation. Vets and farriers have regulatory bodies, and we are told by the existing industry that we’re unregulated and we’re criticised for that, but I think there’s an argument about proportionality of regulation,” said Ms Stowell.

“For a profession that’s very small like ours, trying to push for a statutory regulatory approach is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. We’re operating in an era where governments’ willingness to get engaged in statutory regulation is far less than what it was.

“There are much bigger industries with much bigger problems, which would be far higher up the list to have a regulatory approach than barefoot trimming. That’s why the EPA is adopting a self-regulation model.”

Trimmer and EPA member Ellen Curnow, who holds the level-five diploma, told H&H if legislation were brought in that required trimmers to hold qualifications, “the industry would come under less scrutiny”.

“The concern is that as anyone can go out and trim, it opens the industry up for criticism because there could be people doing things that are harmful. But I believe there are people who are good at what they do who don’t have the level-five qualification. And if legislation was brought in, we could lose them from the industry, which would be a real shame,” she said.

“Regulation would have to be very robustly worded to filter out the potential ‘cowboys’ without losing the really good people, and I think that would be very hard to achieve.”

She added that being an EPA member provides structure and network support for trimmers.

“The EPA is very open to discussion for the betterment of the industry. Members are from a lot of different backgrounds and there’s a lot of knowledge that we are all able to draw on and contribute to,” she said.

“And when trimming, if you encounter something that’s a rare or complex case, it would be highly unlikely a vet isn’t involved and you’re working as part of a veterinary-led team.”

The Institute of Applied Equine Podiatry (IAEP) offers UK and European-based courses, ranging from two days to a full diploma, with further “advanced” and “master” qualifications available. To achieve a diploma in applied equine podiatry (DAEP), individuals must have completed 500 hours’ learning and passed the final written theory and practical exams.

To maintain their “active” DAEP status and be listed on the institute’s register, graduates must abide by the IAEP’s code of ethics and carry out continuing professional development (CPD). These courses do not hold Ofqual accreditation.

Karen Beaumont holds the advanced diploma and is the institute’s UK faculty member. She said the IAEP looked at trying to gain a UK qualification, but this was “difficult” as the founder, KC LaPierre is from America, and “he felt that his education program was extremely robust”.

Ms Beaumont added that the IAEP short courses are not aimed at people wishing to provide trimming services.

“Our two- and three-day courses are for people to educate themselves in horses’ feet. So when decisions have to be made that they’ve got a foundation, they’re absolutely not for them to go out trimming,” she said.

Ms Beaumont said the barefoot industry “has come a long way”, but she is not in favour of regulation and she believes owners should do their homework on who they use for hoofcare.

“Regulation I think would stop innovation, discovery and learning. We often find that there’s no one way. I feel it’s about educating the owner and I think the buck stops there,” she said.

Although there are responsible trimmers operating under membership bodies and with qualifications and insurance, these are not legal requirements and people can operate without. If a horse were injured by an unqualified and uninsured trimmer, there would be no regulatory body to hold that person to account.

The farrier apprenticeship, a level three, takes 48 months to complete and involves college blocks and on-the-job training with an approved training farrier, followed by completion of the end-point assessment.

The farriery occupational standard, approved by the FRC, involves knowledge, skills and behaviours on topics including health and safety, anatomy, physiology and equine biomechanics, understanding of diagnosis methods and lameness evaluations. The end-point assessment involves a written test, professional discussion with assessors, practical assessment of an unshod trim, and practical shoeing assessment. On completion of the end-point assessment, apprentices may apply for registration with the FRC.

A farrier’s view

Farrier Cliff Barnes AWCF emphasised that the trim is the “most important part” of hoof care and said that although there are “good trimmers and bad, as there are farriers”, he believes trimmers should be regulated.

“As farriers, the whole of what we do is about the trim, and without having the understanding of what that trim should be for the horse in question, a lot of damage can potentially be done,” he said.

“You can cause all sorts of lamenesses short- or long-term. If the trim is not balanced to that horse and you have a side-to-side imbalance, you risk ligament damage higher up. If the toe is left too long, you risk ligament and tendon damage to the back of the foot and limb. And if you trim the toe too hard, you could end up with a compromised hoof capsule, causing the pedal bone in severe cases to move.

“From what I’ve seen personally, there are very few trimmers who have enough one-to-one tuition early enough in their career to understand some of the complications around trimming horses at different stages of the year.”

British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association (BFBA) president Abigail Bunyard told H&H the BFBA “believes strongly that regulation should extend to trimming”.

“From our side, work does continue to bring about legislation,” she said, adding that the topic would be “less emotive” if trimming was regulated. “And if people want change, they should contact their MP,” she said.

“Why would the trimming industry and for that matter the wider horse community not want trimmers to be regulated? Regulation means on day one of qualification everybody is at the same level. It then insures equine protection if that level were to drop. There are fantastic equine podiatrists in this country and regulation would only improve their standing by ensuring equine welfare.”

An RCVS spokesperson told H&H that barefoot trimmers were looked at as part of its legislation working party’s review (2017–2020) – but during discussions, the party felt any regulation would be a matter of consideration by the FRC.

The FRC’s position

An FRC spokesperson told H&H it has been the council’s position for “many years that trimming [should] be subject to statutory regulation, for animal welfare and public protection”.

“This view has been expressed to successive governments,” he said. “While the council were keen to make amendments to the core of the Farriers (Registration) Act when drafting the 2017 legislation, including provision for trimming, the government of the day were only able to make available resources to amend the constitution of the council.

“Those who read your journal may take the view that extension of the act to include trimming is desirable for reasons of animal welfare, and may wish to take the opportunity to offer that view to their MP.”

• Do you feel that the barefoot trimming industry should be regulated? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, and nearest town and county, for consideration for publication on our letters page.

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With temperatures plummeting at home, we are ever so slightly envious of all the riders competing somewhere warmer, and judging by this week’s international showjumping news and results, the British showjumping horses are clearly thriving.

So who has been in the ribbons around the world this week? Read on for our weekly round-up of international showjumping news and results.

A win for Stockdale, and Cacharel’s welcome return

Joe Stockdale is making his first visit to the competitive circuit of the United Arab Emirates, but quickly hit winning form with Barbara Hester and his mother Laura’s 10-year-old stallion Ebanking (Etoulon x VDL Sheraton) in a huge 80-starter speed class, the CSI4* Equitrans Logistics Diamond Tour 1.50m at the Al Shira’aa International Horse Show – Equitrans having handled the shipping of his horses from Europe.

The duo beat Ireland’s Shane Breen on Scarteen into second by well over a second. In third was Germany’s Christian Ahlmann on Otterongo Alpha Z.

“That was a super way to start, I was absolutely delighted with him,” Joe told H&H. “It’s very competitive here, there are some good riders and horses. I haven’t done this tour before but it’s great to get going outdoors earlier than normal and the horses are all fresh and loving it.”

After a six-month spell on the sidelines, it was great also great to see Joe’s world championship bronze medal-winning partner Equine America Cacharel back in the ring.

“I was just steady with her this week and we’ll play it by ear,” said Joe. “I came on this tour a bit with her in mind because I wanted to get her going after such a long time off. It wasn’t an injury or a lameness as such, it was just something minor, but enough that we wanted to be very cautious with her and get it right, rather than carry on jumping her and for it to develop into something major. So we decided to do a complete reset and come back when we knew everything was 100%. We played around with her shoeing and did MRIs and worked with the British vets, just to make sure it’s all where it should be. It’s really nice to have her back.”

Joe has also teamed up with a new eight-year-old, Laska JDV (Gaspahr x Namelus R), who was previously ridden by young Slovenian rider Gaj Riossa and caught Joe’s eye in Oliva at the end of last year.

“I literally only had him a couple of weeks before I brought him here, but I thought this tour would be a great start for him in terms of getting to know each other,” said Joe, who will be based in the UAE for the next six weeks and has been picked for the first of the region’s four-star Nations Cups in Sharjah at the end of the month on Ebanking.

“Laska is quite big so he’s got a bit of developing to do, but I have high hopes for him, he’s showed a lot of promise already. He’s a lovely horse to have in the stable, he has a great brain and he’s a joy to work with.

“The shows here so far have been top notch, really well organised, so it’s great to be here and so far, so good.”

The winner of the show’s CSI4*-W Longines Al Shira’aa FEI Jumping World Cup Grand Prix was Sophie Hinners from Germany riding nine-year-old Sinclair.

• Al Shira’aa International Horse Show results

Maher resumes his winning ways

Fresh from their World Cup success at the London International last month, Ben Maher and Enjeu De Grisien (Toulon x Andiamo) wowed the Florida crowd with victory in Saturday’s $140,000 Southern Arches CSI3* grand prix in week one of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Ben co-owns Enjeu with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright and the duo beat US Olympic team gold medallist McLain Ward into second on First Lady.

“Enjeu is 10 now, we bought him when he was seven and he was a difficult young horse – very active and almost too much power for the body he has,” said Ben. “I struggled to get him under control and we were on different paths for a while, he didn’t really understand me and I didn’t understand him, but all of a sudden it just clicked. He was always a very talented horse – I just wasn’t sure I was the right rider for him. But as a rider we have to adapt and we have to understand our horses and change to what they like. We made those changes and one day to the next, it worked and he’s continued on to be in great form.

“At the moment I actually have a group of horses that are all ready to go like this. It’s the best team of horses I’ve ever had here. I’m very fortunate that I have multiple horses at the moment that can do this, so I’m just going to be careful, selective, not overjump them and make sure that we can have the best WEF possible without using the horses too much for the rest of the season.”

• WEF results

A winning double for Kenny

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny secured a winning double at WEF, opening with victory on Irwin, an 11-year-old Kannan stallion, whom he describes as “an incredible horse”, then steering nine-year-old Serendepety (Emely x Escudo I) to victory in the $32,000 speed class

“These 1.45m speed classes [at WEF] are incredibly competitive and fast,” he admitted. “With such a large field of high talent it’s a bit of a luck of the draw of who gets the prize that day. That being said, I knew I could count on this mare to be quick and careful, so I followed the planned track and it ended up being enough.

“We bought her when she was five, then trained her until she was seven,” said Darragh, who now owns the mare in partnership with German Olympic champion Ludger Beerbaum. “The idea for her is to continue working towards the highest level, and so far it looks promising. I think she’s quite special. She’s a really careful but quick horse, and so much fun to ride. Over the past several years we’ve taken our time with her; there’s no rush in her success but we would love to step her up possibly into the 1.50m over the next few months and see how it goes.”

Mr President kicks off with a win

Scott Brash and Hello Mr President made a winning start to 2024, taking the CSI2& 1.45m grand prix on Spring MET in Oliva, Spain, after a 10-way jump-off.

“It was a nice class with a well-built course,” said Scott. “In the jump-off, my plan was just to keep it tight and smooth. Hello Mr President is a very fast horse naturally, so if I can let him run and jump, that suits him well. I’m happy with how he’s feeling at the moment.”

Teenage mare lands the World Cup of Basel

Belgium’s Pieter Devos and his barefoot 17-year-old mare Mom’s Toupie De La Roque won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup of Basel, Switzerland. The pair were drawn third and produced one of just two double clears, quicker than Switzerland’s Janika Sprunger with Orelie.

“It’s the first show of the year and this gives a lot of confidence,” said Pieter. “It’s an important year, an Olympic year, and I’m going to do everything to be in the team and to have a fantastic year – like it started!

“She is still very fresh so I think she has a good season in front of her. We will for sure do everything to go to the World Cup Final – we now have to make a good plan for that but also for the season and for Paris this summer.”

• Basel results

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Christian Kukuk has had his super campaigner Mumbai shod for the European Showjumping Championships – but plans for the stallion to go back to being barefoot afterwards.

The German combination, who are competing as individuals in Milan this week, jumped a super clear to stay on their score of 2.04 and in ninth place overnight.

Christian said he was happy with a fault-free round on Thursday, although “a bit unhappy with myself” as his plan for the line from fence three to four did not come off.

“I was planning to ride that a bit different, but Mumbai showed in that moment that he can also handle difficult situations,” he said. “Then all the rest of the course actually felt very easy, very focused – he was all the way focused with me. I could ride the lines as I wanted to and that’s always a nice feeling for the rider.”

Christian has previously told H&H that the 11-year-old Diamant De Semilly stallion feels lighter and faster barefoot, but that he has put the shoes back on temporarily for jumping on grass.

“He got [the shoes] on Sunday, and we will take them off again on Sunday, so he has them for a week,” he said. “On the grass arenas, I have to compete with shoes but on the sand arenas he goes without and he’s fine.”

Christian Kukuk said he cannot put the shoes on too often as this could risk cracking Mumbai’s hooves so he spaces the grass shows out enough to ensure there are no issues.

“He has a super head,” he added. “He will go in the ring and he’s not scared of anything. You can put any wall there, water, planks, it doesn’t really matter. He’s a little excited, but it’s normal for a stallion to be honest.

“He is a very, very good character. He would never ever do anything mean, never.”

You might also be interested in:

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Riders and owners considering taking their horses’ shoes off are reminded that barefoot trimmers are not regulated in the way farriers are – and that only the latter are legally able to put shoes back on if needed.

Should a farrier’s care fall short, the Farriers Registration Council can step in and hold him or her accountable, as the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons can for vets, but there is no such provision for trimmers. There are trimming courses and qualifications on offer, including the Lantra awards level 5 diploma in equine podiatry offered by the Equine Podiatry Association, but they are not required by law.

Master farrier Ben Benson, who has worked with the World Class Programme and at championships and is president of the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association, told H&H: “This is definitely something that needs to be said.

“It’s absolutely fine to take your horse barefoot, but you need to make sure you’ve got the right people around you, and that’s where farriers come in as we’re regulated and quality assured, and importantly for the horse owner, we are legally required to be fully insured. If we do something wrong, we’re answerable in a court of law.

“There are some very good barefoot trimmers, but they’re not regulated. Anyone could take a rasp and pair of nips and do it.”

Mr Benson said some farriers may not be the best at communicating, but that they will have had thousands of hours of mentored training over years, and been examined by RCVS members and expert farriers, whereas the hours and exams needed for barefoot qualifications are “varied”.

“Farrier have been trimming horses’ feet for thousands of years,” he said.

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) chief executive David Mountford told H&H BEVA agrees with Mr Benson’s points.

“From an animal health and welfare perspective, it is bizarre that anyone is allowed to trim a horse’s foot, but only a trained, registered and regulated farrier is allowed to do so if, after the trimming, a shoe is put on!” he said.

“Owners should remember that farriers regularly trim the feet of unshod young horses, those out of work, and those for whom going unshod is both desired by the owner and not detrimental. Therefore, the farrier will usually be the best person to help if an owner is thinking about keeping their horse without shoes.”

Mr Mountford added that if a profession is regulated, it means every practitioner has had to demonstrate a high standard of skills and knowledge, and must be up to date with continuing education, and that there is a system to hold them accountable for their actions.

“Unregulated individuals, including barefoot trimmers, are not bound by any of these requirements,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that every barefoot trimmer is dangerous, some are very able, but owners should be aware of what protection they have when paying someone to trim their horse’s feet.”

BEVA’s veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve, agreed, adding that some ponies and horses are fine without shoes.

“But they still require a skilled, trained and regulated professional, who is insured and can be held accountable should they perform work which is substandard and risks the horse’s health and welfare,” she told H&H.

“Maintaining an unshod foot is just as complex and demanding, sometimes more so, for both farrier and owner. Because here in the UK, and elsewhere, we keep horses in a very different environment to that which they originally evolved in, we cannot and should not expect their feet to maintain themselves. Each horse is different, [as is their] hoof shape, growth and horn quality.

“Determining whether a horse needs shoes or not should be a decision made with the relevant trained professionals, farrier, vet and sometimes nutritionist, with the owner, and this should be reviewed annually if not more often, to make sure permanent damage isn’t done due to lack of communication of those previously mentioned factors. By all means have the conversation, but listen to trained and experienced professionals, monitor carefully and be willing to change your approach if needed.”

The Equine Podiatry Association does provide self-regulation of those practitioners who are full members and hold their Diploma in Equine Podiatry, which is an Ofqual-accredited level 5 qualification. Full members must do a minimum of 40 hours of continuing professional development each year, provide evidence they are appropriately insured for public liability and professional indemnity, and follow the organisation’s code of conduct. Complaints against members are investigated and, if upheld, sanctions can be imposed including removal from the register – though this does not prohibit the individual from practising.

You might also be interested in:

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

When Kickback arrived at Alex Harrison’s, Alex was not sure he had made the best buy.

The grand prix rider had bought the three-year-old from a video, and had expected him to be rather taller than he was.

“He turned up and I thought, ‘S**t, he’s really small!” he told H&H. “I kept trying to sell him, but no one wanted to buy him, I think they thought he was too small. But he’s super now.”

Alex and the eight-year-old, who is still only 15.3hh, won Friday’s (12 May) Premier League prix st georges, at the ICE Horseboxes All England Dressage Festival at Hickstead, on 72.21% and Saturday’s inter I on 71.42%.

“I’m glad I kept hold of him, but he’s still small,” Alex said. “I just have to put my stirrups up a bit! He did his first Premier League at Myerscough [in March] and I felt he was a bit shy in the ring but then he went to the winters, then came second and third at Addington; every show he’s been better so I was keen to come here for a win.”

Alex keeps the pocket-rocket gelding without shoes as “he hates having them on”.

“Every time he had them on, he felt a bit restricted, so he’s barefoot and happy,” he said. “Most of my others have them on but he’s not got the best conformation in front and it felt like by putting shoes on, we were trying to see a straight line where there wasn’t one. So we’ve let his feet be the shape they want to be and he moves through his body better and is happy.

“He’s great fun to ride, talented, and cheap, so the whole package in my eyes – I can cope with the short stirrups!”

Kickback is working towards grand prix, having mastered everything but the one-time changes, but Alex does not plan to rush him.

Read the full Hickstead report in this Thursday’s H&H magazine (18 May)

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‘I’m not a convert yet but we’ll see!’ how puissance winner came back barefoot to reclaim his crown

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Unshod hooves show increased widening and contraction, and so a greater range of motion, than those with shoes, a study has found.

The second phase of results from research into the impact of shoeing on equine movement has been released, showing that the internal movement of the hoof is affected by shoeing.

H&H reported on the project, involving top showjumper Peder Fredricson, vet Staffan Lidbeck and Lars Roepstorff, professor and researcher from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and sponsored by insurer Agria’s research fund, last year. The finding announced then was that when unshod, the movement in the hoof is “freer and larger”, specifically widening over the heels, and contraction of heels during the breakover. There was also more vertical independent movement in the barefoot hoof.

It has now been revealed that in barefoot horses, compared to shod, there is 50% more expansion across the quarters of the hoof, increased widening, and increased contraction during the breakover, and increased contraction just before the hoof hits the ground. It was also found that the inner and outer quarters have more vertical mobility in relation to each other.

“What’s probably the most important thing is to be able to quantify,” Prof Roepstorff told H&H. “There are things we know, they’re not a surprise, but from a scientific point of view, it’s important to prove it.”

Prof Roepstorff said it is important not to generalise too much. These results were from tests; using markers, video and motion analysis on horses working on the flat and over jumps, shod and unshod, to try to measure any differences in movement. And although they were very detailed, there were only eight horses involved.

“This is the foundation for further work; that was the intention of this pilot study,” he said.

“I also want to stress that we haven’t said whether what we’ve found is good or bad. Of course we can hypothesise that this increased movement is good for the health of the horse; we interviewed riders at the very top of the sport and they all told me being barefoot improves not only performance but the horses’ health. But this is important for future studies because we know what to look at.”

Prof Roepstorff said the team also found that the horses did not lift their limbs as much when they were unshod, so there was less flexion of joints, and the hoof spent more time in contact with the ground.

“If you look at human athletes, that’s talked about; having more time interacting with the ground to accelerate or decelerate, or turn,” he said. “That’s interesting. We also saw increased stride frequency; in a jump-off, the horse with the highest stride frequency can move faster. We can only speculate whether top riders like Henrik von Eckermann and Peder choose horses with higher stride frequency or if that’s part of riding without shoes, but it’s interesting.”

Prof Roepstorff stressed, as the team did before, that they are not saying barefoot is necessarily better, or right for all horses; each one is an individual and should be treated as such. Future work may help identify which horses are better unshod, or shod in a particular way.

Peder told H&H that those of his horses who are more comfortable shod have shoes, and those who are more comfortable without are barefoot.

“All extra information we can gain is interesting,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re barefoot or shod; the more we know about how the hoof works, the better we understand the horse. This is valuable for me as a rider but also for farriers, owners and vets; information and knowledge is the key.”

Peder said the research should be called the hoof study rather than the barefoot study as this is what it investigated, and that from it we can draw conclusions.

“It’s very individual from horse to horse,” he added. “There are lots of factors and this study doesn’t go into all of them; we were just checking what happens in the hoof. We’re not saying barefoot is better than shod, or that we should shoe this way or that; just looking at what happens. It’s like feeding, shoeing, everything; if you want improvement you have to try to learn how things work.”

You might also be interested in:

‘I saw the horses getting sounder’: first findings from study into barefoot v shod horses’ movement

‘I’m not a convert yet but we’ll see!’ how puissance winner came back barefoot to reclaim his crown

John Whitaker: ‘I’m giving barefoot a go – that it’s cheaper appeals as a Yorkshireman’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

British showjumping legend John Whitaker is “experimenting” with taking the shoes off some of his horses

Shoes or no shoes? That is the question everyone’s asking at the moment. Several top riders are now competing their horses without shoes, including the world number one Henrik von Eckermann, winner of the World Cup Final at the weekend, and Olympic medallist Peder Fredricson.

The CSI5* grand prix in Basel, Switzerland, was won by Max Kühner on EIC Cooley Jump The Q, whose shoes he’d only recently taken off, which says a lot, while Henrik of course won last year’s world championships with a barefoot King Edward. Julien Epaillard, who was one of the first to jump at the top level without shoes, is another who has been hugely successful.

Peder and Henrik even missed Aachen last year – one of the best shows in the world – because they didn’t want to put shoes on. These top riders now swear by it.

Taking your horse’s shoes off is not always that straightforward though – it needs careful management. On the upside it’s cheaper, some horses jump better, and a lot of the arenas nowadays are sand, which makes it possible to jump barefoot.

On the downside, you obviously can’t put in studs, which means you can’t jump on grass, and if you decide to take your horse’s shoes off, it can take six to eight weeks or even longer for their feet to harden up.

We do a lot of roadwork with our horses, which is also largely out of the question without shoes. Even horses who are walking around shows where it’s stony or concrete, or those that paw on the truck, will need some kind of additional protection such as strap-on hoof boots.

We don’t shoe our young horses till they’re six or seven years old, mainly because they don’t jump on grass so much these days and when you’ve lots of young horses like we do, it works out a lot cheaper. We get their feet trimmed regularly and really they’re fine.

So I’ve been experimenting with taking the shoes off a couple of my eight-year-olds and, although it took a while for the feet to harden up and you have to take extra care of them, when they do harden up, it seems to work and the horses appear very happy.

It’s not just me, either – many riders are enquiring about it and asking the likes of Peder and Henrik for advice. German showjumper Christian Kukuk is another convert, winning a class in Doha with Mumbai, who had only recently had his shoes taken off.

I wouldn’t say that taking off shoes will suit every horse, but for some it definitely seems to work. I don’t know if they feel more comfortable, but they do seem to be more careful and more attentive, so it’s certainly something that I’m thinking about.

It doesn’t totally fit with our system and I’m not sure that I want to do it with my best horses yet, but I’m experimenting with a couple of the horses to see how they cope with it.

It’s certainly making people think – a few years ago we wouldn’t even have dreamt of it. But anyway, the fact that it’s cheaper definitely appeals to this Yorkshireman!

A sad farewell

Very sadly Mick Saywell passed away early this month. He was a real character and I enjoyed his company very much. He was a top rider – very competitive and he had many good horses. In the 1970s and 1980s, when he was riding for Trevor Banks, they were a formidable team.

He went on to run his own yard, dealing and trading successfully. The last few years I enjoyed having a chat and a drink with him at the shows where he’d support his children, Andrew and Louise, as well as his grandkids. There are many good stories about him, memories I will always treasure.

● Have you successfully switched to competing your horse without shoes? Let us know about it at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county to have your comments considered for publication in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

• This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 13 April

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Christian Kukuk landed Friday’s (24 February) feature CSI5* jump-off class at CHI Al Shaqab, Doha, their first big show since removing the stallion’s shoes. After a straightforward clear in round one, from last draw the newly barefoot showjumper shaved 0.06sec off Irish rider Mark Mcauley’s time with GRS Lady Amaro.

“So many things came together tonight,” said the winning German rider. “I’ve changed a few things since December: I now ride him without a martingale, and a different bit, and he has no shoes.”

Although the stallion was already successful at top level, Christian felt he hadn’t quite found the key to him. But he was sceptical about switching to barefoot.

“To be honest I was always against it,” he said. “But I was sitting at home watching Geneva and other shows, and I kept seeing that the winner and good placed horses were always without shoes, so I thought there must be something good in it. I started to look into it and thought maybe I could try this with Mumbai. I still believe it is not for every single horse – Mumbai is the only one in my string I’ve tried it with – but he is giving me a great feeling.

“From the first day, he showed me he liked it. We gave him a few days only walking so he could get comfortable, and as soon as he started jumping I knew he was happy. I was a bit unsure with the indoor shows, but in the last couple of weeks, he’s given me the feeling he doesn’t want the shoes. He’s only been eight weeks barefoot, so I had to believe it works, come to Doha, and it’s a good sign he’s already jumping like he did tonight.”

Analysing how the lack of shoes has made the difference, Christian explained that the “breakover is quicker”.

“It’s definitely made him faster. It makes him feel lighter in general, the way he moves – his front legs move straighter up. I could feel in the first round that I went so easily inside the time without trying to be fast, and it was the same in the jump-off. It wasn’t our fastest, but the way he is rolling over the ground and also over the fences, just feels lighter and the technique has somehow got a bit better.”

Change of bit and tack for barefoot showjumper

Christian was also relieved to have finally alighted on a bit that suits this stunning grey, an 11-year-old by Diamant De Semilly.

“I’ve tried a hackamore, a normal snaffle, another type of pelham, but this time I used a straight leather mouthpiece – it’s a pelham but I can change my rein so it’s a little bit stronger or lighter,” he said. “I actually changed it before the jump-off, I had it a little stronger for me for the first round and I changed it up so he could be a bit stronger in the jump-off as I wanted him rolling in front of me a bit more. It worked out!

“I was lucky to go last, and I knew it was possible [to win] but while I was riding the jump-off it felt like two of the turns I added one stride more than I expected, so I didn’t really stick to my plan. So, everything can be a bit better, but tonight I’m just very happy with my horse. There is a lot to celebrate.”

Christian added that the horse is just coming into his prime. The first time he rode him, “we were not falling in love straight away”, he admitted.

“Good relationships are about taking time,” he said. “Mumbai had a different opinion of working dressage-wise, although the jump was always there. But for me it’s important that the flatwork is a bit traditional in the German way, which is not how he had been educated. But from the first day, I never had the feeling he was against me or didn’t want to do it. There were hard days but he was always trying to improve and he was straightforward in his head. Over time, we have become a very good match. And I still feel he can get even better as he is just coming into his prime.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

RESEARCHERS behind a study into the difference in equine movement when horses are shod and unshod hope to help reduce lameness and benefit horses and owners.

The first findings of the collaborative study, involving top showjumper Peder Fredricson, vet Staffan Lidbeck and Lars Roepstorff, professor and researcher from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and sponsored by insurer Agria’s research fund, were announced at the World Showjumping Championships.

Peder, who was won world and Olympic team gold on an unshod horse, said: “I’ve been riding my horses barefoot for a couple of years, and have found that barefoot, they’re healthier and have fewer injuries, so I think it will be very interesting to show why this is.”

Mr Lidbeck, who competed alongside Peder before he switched from eventing to showjumping, and has known him for years, said he was “sceptical” when Peder first mentioned riding unshod horses.

“But after a while, I could see with my own eyes his horses getting sounder,” he said. “He said he was a bit disappointed the veterinary community didn’t really care about this, and I was thinking about that. He’s correct, and I wanted to do something.”

Mr Lidbeck contacted Prof Roepstorff, who said he was happy to look into this “very interesting” subject, which also connects to his work on different arena surfaces. He added that the force on each of a horse’s limbs when landing after a jump are huge – “we’re talking tonnes” – so as well as the surface, the treatment of the feet is key to equine health and performance.

The researchers looked at previous studies, and then interviewed top riders, vets, farriers and others about their unshod experience.

“There’s no scientific knowledge about competing showjumping horses barefoot,” Mr Lidbeck said. “There’s quite a lot of scepticism. The normal state of mind is that horses should be shod; we don’t ask ‘Why do we have shoes on the horse?’”

The researchers then carried out practical tests; using markers, video and motion analysis on horses working on the flat and over jumps, shod and unshod, to try to measure any differences in movement.

“It’s important to say you go in without expectations,” Prof Roepstorff said. “The fun of research is when you find things you didn’t expect. But what you hope to see is a difference, and what the difference is.”

The finding announced at this stage is that when unshod, the movement in the hoof is “freer and larger”, specifically widening over the heels, and contraction of heels during the breakover. There was also more vertical independent movement in the barefoot hoof.

“It’s very interesting as we see a lot of injuries in the hoof,” Mr Lidbeck said, adding that of course the hoof affects all the structures in the limb.

“Everyone talks of the hoof as a pump,” added Prof Roepstorff. “If we see not only widening but contraction, it could be two things contributing to increased blood flow [to the leg], which is also important in rehab.”

More results will be announced when they have been analysed.

“One study can never find all the answers but we hope it will contribute to the first piece of the puzzle that leads to new knowledge,” Prof Roepstorff said. “This is a dream for a researcher! We got 480 recordings, with 38 markers, so there’s a bit of data to analyse.”

The team stressed the importance of scientific data and findings to inform best practice, and that whatever the full results, each horse and its hooves must be considered individually, as what is best for one may not be for the next.

“When you want to develop, the only way forward is knowledge,” Peder said. “Hopefully, with this study, we can make something better for horses.”

Agria CEO Agnes Fabricius added: “Agria has for years striven to reduce the risk of horses suffering from lameness. I have high hopes that we can get a result that in the long run can benefit more horses and owners.”

What do you think of the shod/unshod debate? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, and nearest town and county

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Conor Swail’s 13-year-old gelding Vital Chance De La Roque – aka ‘Vinny’ – has an unusual comfort zone, which sees him competing with no shoes and a simple hackamore at the Winter Equestrian Festival this week.

“There’s not much tack there so it’s a good system that he’s in and he goes very well. He seems to like that the best,”said Conor.

When he acquired the horse, Vinny was already accustomed to having no shoes and as a result, Conor stuck with it.

“The person we bought him from just asked me to leave them off because it was working well,” he said. “I don’t see a reason to change it if the horse is healthy and sound and doing well. The horse has stayed that way with me and it’s been over a year now.”

Conor has two supposedly identical hackamores, but he only rides in one – and it is treasured.

“They’re supposed to be the same, but when I ride in the other one I don’t like it as much,” said Conor. “I just go with the other one, so it travels everywhere or it’s at home on my couch.”

For Conor, the hackamore is something of a go to option.

“I try to be more simple with bits,” he said. “With Vinny, he’s quite a hot, strong horse or he can be, so when he’s charging and I’ve a bridle I have to correct his movements.

“And I found with a bridle when I had to steady him down a bit he found it hard to jump big jumps because I was nearly taking too much energy away, whereas with the hackamore, it’s more pressure on the nose, so even if I’m pulling he’s still able to jump through the bridle and get to the other side easier. That’s how I feel it works really well with him.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Competing horses barefoot – without shoes – has been a hot topic this year and often causes plenty of debate.

Several high profile showjumpers, including King Edward and All In, who were both part of Sweden’s gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics, have brought the practice into the spotlight and their respective riders Henrik von Eckermann and Peder Fredricson have spoken about the benefits.

“I just have a feeling he is more comfortable [without them],” says Peder.

But closer to home, we’ve noticed some of our national riders jumping their horses barefoot, too, so we caught up with one of them, 22-year-old Jessica Hewitt at the recent Arena UK Winter Classic (2-5 December) to find out a bit more.

Jess was riding the consistent seven-year-old Java in the show’s Blue Chip Karma performance qualifier and the pair powered to top spot, beating their 35 rivals by 0.25sec – against the odds.

“She was in the field, shoes off for a break and hasn’t been ridden for almost a week, but it was a last-minute decision to come here so I dragged her out of the field,” says Jess, who bought the impressive daughter of Stakkato after watching a video of her as a three-year-old. “She jumped barefoot, not clipped and still came out and won; she’s incredible.”

Jess does have Java shod at times and she jumped the six-year-old championships in Hickstead’s grass arena last year with shoes on, but she’s often jumped barefoot.

“Her feet are like rocks,” says Jess, who runs Mountain Bridge Sports Horses alongside Sonny Broberg and has been enjoying a tremendous run of form on the indoor circuit already this year.

Jess and Java also finished fourth in last year’s Prestige Italia Big Star six-year-old championship final held at Bolesworth.

“She’s so easy and quick against the clock and there aren’t many horses you could drag out the field to pay the bill at a show; she’s one of the rare ones, and loves it.”

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Is it right for shod horses to have their shoes taken off over the winter months during a break from work? Richard Stephenson MRCVS weighs up the options...

Horses, whether shod or not, have a tough, horny hoof capsule, while human feet, unless accustomed to walking barefoot, are covered with soft, sensitive skin. However, we need to remember that many horses will struggle to make the transition from being shod to going barefoot and, in some cases, they will suffer pain and discomfort to a level which is simply unacceptable. It is fashionable in some circles to view unshod horses as “natural” and shod horses as being the victims of an outdated and harmful practice. But is it natural for a modern horse to be unshod, and what are the potential benefits and pitfalls?

While shoeing is frequently described as a necessary evil, it is important to appreciate that the modern horse is the result of many centuries of selective breeding which has rarely concentrated on hoof quality. With the possible exception of some native pony breeds, there is little “natural” about our horses. We must also recognise that even the so-called native pony has an enormous variety of different environments to cope with in different parts of the UK. One foot management approach cannot be made to fit all circumstances or all horses.

Before thinking about taking shoes off during winter, we need to ask why we put them on in the first place. Farriers will say that shoes offer protection from wear and provide grip — for the majority of horses in active work this is true, but do they really need shoes while at rest?

The answer will depend on how strong your horse’s hoof walls are, his current foot balance and the surface he is being turned out on. Every horse must be considered as an individual.

Good farriery should ensure that the shoe supports the normal physiological function of the foot. The most caudal nail (the one furthest back) should be at the widest point of the hoof, so that normal expansion and contraction of the heel areas can occur during motion.

However, without a doubt, shoes alter the way in which the hoof wall wears down. In a shod horse, there is virtually no wear in the toe region of the hoof. This is because it is nailed to the shoe, meaning there is no friction between the hoof wall and the metal. But there is wear in the heel region, because the hoof wall here moves across the surface of the shoe when the foot absorbs concussion during footfall.

This is why farriers have to be particularly skilful in paring the foot before applying a shoe, as more needs to be trimmed off the toe than the heel region.

Many shod horses suffer from collapsed, long, sloping heels which, as well as creating poor foot balance, can become the focus for corn or abscess formation.

It can be useful to remove the shoes from affected horses to allow more natural hoof wear for a period of time (around eight to 12 weeks), but this must be accompanied by regular trimming from a skilled farrier.

Consider these points if your horse is going without shoes this winter:

1. Is there a problem with your horse’s feet — if he has good, strong hoof walls, a straight hoof pastern axis and is sound while shod, why risk taking the shoes off?

2. Think about the ground your horse will be turned out on. Hard, stony ground may cause soreness due to solar bruising, while wet and soft ground could allow the hoof wall to grow and become flared or even break off.

3. Your horse’s feet will wear according to the ground type surprisingly rapidly, and the foot balance will alter within four to six weeks.

4. What is for certain is that removing the shoes is not an alternative to providing good foot care. The feet still need to be inspected and picked out on a daily basis. Trimming by a qualified farrier every four to six weeks will be just as important during a period without shoes as when shod.

Be prepared with these useful tips

1. Hooves with bad grass cracks are highly likely to deteriorate severely without shoes.

2. Unshod horses still need regular hoof care from a registered farrier.

3. If your horse looks uncomfortable, is taking short strides or is reluctant to walk out without shoes, going unshod may not be for him — listen to what he is telling you.

4. Horses with strong hoof walls may cope well without shoes if not worked regularly.

5. Horses with collapsed heels may benefit from a period without shoes to allow more even heel growth, but only if accompanied by high-quality hoof care.

6. If you are going to remove shoes for a period of time, don’t do it when the ground is very hard, either from dry weather or frost.

7. To achieve any benefit from removing the shoes, they need to be off for around three months in a horse with a normal speed of hoof growth.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Spillers’ equine nutritionist Clare Barfoot provides one H&H forum user with some helpful advice on how to feed a barefoot horse for optimum health

Q: “Feeding a barefoot cob — I’m very new to horse ownership and want to research the best diet I should be feeding my part-bred cob, who I believe has been barefoot her whole life (she is nine-years-old). She’s on full livery, so gets fed as part of that, but I want to make sure she’s having what she should be to keep her and her hooves in the best condition. Could anyone give me some advice please?”

A: The importance of healthy hooves has been known for generations of horsemen with the saying “no hoof, no horse” often quoted. Hoof problems are a very common headache for horse owners and while good hoof trimming is essential, the importance of sound nutrition is often overlooked. Nutrition can play a vital role in the cause and prevention of many hoof problems therefore the growth of healthy hooves is dependent on a well-balanced diet.

Continued below…

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A balanced diet is key

Hoof formation is a highly complex process requiring good quality protein, vitamins, minerals, fats and not least energy. All of these need to be present in sufficient quantities and in correct proportions to produce a strong hoof so the entire diet needs to be balanced. Adding lots of one particular nutrient to a poor diet is unlikely to be of any benefit and some nutrients can even cause more harm than good if given in excess; for example, vitamin A and selenium can actually cause hoof problems if they are added to the diet at very high levels.

Good doers, like your cob and horses in very light work often get all of the calories they need from grass, hay or haylage, but forage-only diets often lack some essential nutrients. As far as diet is concerned, the first step towards maintaining optimum hoof health in horses on forage-only diets should be to provide a good quality feed balancer. Some balancers include hoof-supporting nutrients such as SPILLERS Lite and Lean Balancer or a broad spectrum supplement could be fed instead. This also applies to horses receiving less than the recommended daily ration of compound feed.

Continued below…

What about additional supplements?

If you are confident that your horse’s current diet is fully balanced and meets all of his normal requirements, additional supplementation may help with poor hoof quality. Biotin is probably the most well-known nutrient as far as hoof supplements are concerned; this member of the B vitamin family is a key component for hoof horn quality and there is scientific evidence to support this. Biotin should be fed at around 15 to 20mg per day for a typical 500kg horse i.e. 3 to 4mg per 100kg bodyweight. Calcium, phosphorus, zinc, MSM, lysine and methionine may also be useful additions to a hoof supplement.

For more information on feeding to support weight gain call the SPILLERS Care-Line on 01908 226626.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Rick Farr of Farr & Pursey Equine Vets shares his expert advice on the pros and cons of going barefoot with horses and ponies

Q: Why do horses need shoes? “I’m looking for information and people’s experiences of going from shod to unshod. It’s something I know very little about as I have only ever dealt with shod horses. I have a Welsh section D with great feet who was unshod when I bought him but he was just broken and in very little work. He’s now had shoes on for two years. At the moment we just hack, but I’m looking to get going with jumping (and eventually low level competing/riding club/pleasure rides). My main concern about going unshod is how his feet will cope with roadwork and tracks. Any information would be great — what is your professional opinion on horses transitioning to barefoot and what are the benefits and drawbacks?”

A: This is always an interesting question and I feel there is no one answer to “should my horse wear shoes?” However, every owner should consider the following points before making a decision with their own horse.

Firstly, a bit of a history lesson…

One of the archaeological beliefs is that, just over 2,000 years ago, the Romans were the first to fit pads to the bottom of horses’ feet. The concept of a ‘nailed-on’ shoe doesn’t seem to appear in the archaeological timeline until approximately AD 500-600; so why did people try to “add to” the horse’s foot? In essence, it is widely believed to be because of domestic work demands and the ground on which the horses and mules walked on; it was essentially for protection.

Continued below…

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I believe that, under the right circumstances, almost any horse can go barefoot and if I had the choice I would prefer horses to go unshod. However, it should be made very clear that the unshod foot in the domestic situation can be compromised if the following are not taken into account:

• No foot is perfect, however conformational imbalances can be made significantly worse if the hoof capsule is not supported and balanced correctly. Assessment of the static conformation and dynamic foot flight is imperative in order to maintain the stability of the foot. This should be assessed regularly and addressed accordingly. If your horse has ‘balance’ issues, it is likely it would benefit from being shod.

• If your horse has been shod in the past and has wear on the shoe, you should ask yourself “would a bare foot withstand the same amount of wear?”

I would also highly recommend clients to consider the following:

• Does your horse have good hoof growth? Common reasons for a lack of growth can include an imbalanced foot or even a poor diet. Poor growth will likely result in a decreased ability to withstand concussive forces, particularly on hard ground. If you are considering transitioning to barefoot, then it’s likely you will need to review your feeding regime.

• Age is an important factor. Very young horses (foals) have a degree of ‘plasticity’ to their hoof capsule, which can be beneficial when trying to correct anatomical deformities.

• What work do you undertake with your horse? Work on tarmac, concrete and stony ground will obviously cause more abrasive wear to the hoof capsule. The unshod foot may not cope with the increased degree of insult, compared to work on soft ground.

• How fast does your horse usually wear their foot out? Some horses’ feet can withstand a large amount of concussion and abrasion without issue. However, others crack, flare and crumble at the edges more readily. You know your horse… which is it?

• The weight of horse has a dramatic impact on the degree of wear. Obviously a heavier horse on hard ground is likely to wear out the foot quicker compared to a lightweight pony on grass.

• If your horse has any concurrent disease, for example Cushing’s or metabolic syndrome. Both of these conditions increase the risk of changes within the hoof capsule, which could be exacerbated by uneven concussion and wear as a result of a unbalanced foot.

• The breed of the horse also plays a role. Certain breeds are more susceptible to foot imbalances and flat/thin soles. Once again, these imbalances put excessive strain on the hoof capsule which, if left, could result in injury. For example, thin soles in Thoroughbreds and very boxy, upright feet in Warmbloods. Luckily some of our native breeds seem to be less plagued by these problems.

• Does you horse have any history of laminitis? I personally don’t think any laminitic can be managed without active remedial farriery, which is often only attained by being shod.

• Horses requiring extensive remedial work due to conditions such as cracks, chronic seedy toe resulting in hoof wall resection, collapsed heels etc all require being shod.

• I should also mention the actual placement of a shoe does cause a degree of trauma to the foot. Driving nails into the hoof wall can cause issues if done incorrectly and can even be a potential source of infection (albeit mild).

In essence, I believe every case is an individual and you should not only take advice from your vet, but also a qualified and registered farrier. In your specific case I would probably suggest to stay shod. Although Welsh Ds usually have good feet, the addition of roads and tracks and increased load with the work your horse is likely to benefit from the support of horseshoes. However, never forget that you can always take the shoes off if they appear to be detrimental.

“No foot, no horse,” says one of the oldest clichés in the equestrian world. It’s cliché because it’s true. No one doubts that soundness starts from the ground up, but the approach to perfect hoof health has become contentious, at times even a combative discussion between shoeing the horse or keeping it barefoot.

The barefoot approach

Horse & Hound spoke to Nick Hill and Ralitsa Grancharova, a natural hoof care practitioner and veterinarian, respectively, based in Bulgaria. As well-regarded experts in barefoot trimming and holistic horse care, they travel regularly to the UK.

Nick says: “The main reason [that I do barefoot] was that I saw the amount of damage done to the horses by the application of nailed on metal shoes, both by myself and other farriers, after observing the effects on movement, sensitivity, break up and weakening of the hoof capsule.”

Nick and Ralitsa contend that shoes alter the natural movement of the horse, inhibiting the blood circulation in the hoof.

Ralitsa explains: “Because they impede the natural gait of the equine and the physiology and function of the hoof, shoes can lead to an imbalanced hoof that cannot respond adequately to the terrain and can therefore be a predisposing factor for lameness.”

When asked if shoes provide protection and support, Nick and Ralitsa point out that hoof boots are useful for transitioning horses to barefoot. Then Ralitsa poses the question, “If a horse can cope with the weight of the rider only if it carries shoes, should that horse be ridden at all?”

The traditional approach

Graham McBurney, a farrier in Ayrshire, has a diametrically opposed view.

“In recent years there has been a number of studies and scientific research proving that certain types and styles of shoeing can help conformation issues,” he says. He calls the claim that horseshoes change how the foot hits the ground “totally false”.

He explains: “A good farrier will assess the horse in walk and trot and will aim to achieve level footfall. We can trim the foot a certain way and we can position a shoe to achieve this. In my opinion level footfall is the the most important part of shoeing a horse.”

Shoes and boots prevent excessive wear on the hoof, and he adds that corrective shoeing can treat an array of problems, “like acute and chronic laminitis, sidebone, ringbone, navicular syndrome, pedal fractures, hoof wall resections, spavin and the list goes on”. He also contends that correctly fitted shoes do not damage the foot.

The research

Both sides have valid arguments, and there is science that seems to support both sides.

Two studies from the University of Queensland of feral horses in New Zealand and Australia showed foot pathology in more than half the animals surveyed, including navicular and chronic laminitis, suggesting modelling hoof care of domestic horses on feral populations isn’t a panacea for everything.

Another study by Dr. Hilary Clayton at Michigan State University showed improvement in hoof health and morphology when seven barefoot school horses were trimmed “with a technique that levelled the hoof to the live sole, lowered the heels, levelled the toe, and rounded the peripheral wall”. But horses, unlike mice and university students, are difficult to work with in a lab setting so all the studies have been of small populations.

No studies have established direct causation between foot morphology — with or without shoes — and injury, so horse owners have to sift through anecdote, opinion, and of course, whatever keeps their horse sound. Wondering how they are making those decisions, H&H spoke to the the owners of upper level equine athletes in dressage and endurance.

Continued below…

How to remove a horse’s shoe

With the right tools, and a bit of

Are these Britain’s fittest farriers? *PICTURES*

However you choose to interpret the word, farriers

What the riders say

Lucy Straker is an international grand prix dressage rider in Wiltshire. Like most top level dressage riders, she shoes her horses. “I like my horses to be shod with a lot of length of shoe behind to help maintain stability, especially in the hind limbs and this definitely helps prevent wear and tear further up the leg as they work harder and have to take more weight behind,” she explains.

Her horses are shod every five weeks, “to keep ahead of angle changes that come with growth over time and can lead to problems especially when we are asking our horses to work as hard as they do up at the higher levels”.

The sport of endurance places different demands on the horse leading to an alternative approach from competitors. Nicola Freud has ten 160k FEI contenders and says she runs all her horses barefoot. “Finding a farrier willing to fall in with our incredibly high demands is nigh on impossible,” she says.

In an endurance race, the horses will be vet checked at least every 20 miles, and a race of 100 miles will have nine vet checks. Her horses need to be trimmed every four weeks for optimum balance and if shod, it must be done within 10 days of a major competition, which happen every weekend from November to March.

That means a farrier would need to turn up every other day to do just one horse, which is impractical.

Nicola reflects: “We cannot compromise and have found that being able to trim constantly and glue on boots when needed has produced very good results.”

Rachael Claridge, who has represented Team GB in World Championships and is a UKCC Level 3 accredited coach, competed her Crabbet Arabian stallion barefoot until he moved up from novice to open level endurance.

Because the tracks were rougher, longer, and the speed faster, she had to put wider metal shoes and pads on him. Her two-star horse also wears pads. “My farrier Joel Roberts builds them with resin which has been the making of this horse going all the way to 120km two-star,” Rachael says.

With so many differing opinions and good reasons for doing both, the best thing a horse owner can do, with the input of vets, farriers, or expert trimmers, is figure out what keeps their horses soundest and happiest, which will depend on discipline, conformation, and how the horse is kept.

It remains very much an individual decision.

An equine podiatrist and licensed barefoot instructor has been convicted of illegal farriery after he applied “equine wraps” to a cob’s hooves.

Thomas Bowyer of Llansantffraid, Powys, denied he had caused injury to the horse, but pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful farriery at Welshpool Magistrates Court on 3 September.

The prosecution was brought by the Farriers Registration Council (FRC). It claimed the wraps – resin-impregnated bandages that are applied wet and dry to form a hard shell – lamed the horse.

On 1 November 2011, Bowyer applied wraps to the front hooves of part-bred Welsh cob Ronnie, who belongs to Susan Stafford-Tolley, of Brecon.

On 13 November, a vet found Ronnie was lame on his near fore. Ronnie had bruising and an abscess was forming, caused, the vet said, by a loose screw between the sole and wrap.

Bowyer replaced both wraps on 8 December. But nine days later the horse was lame again, due to pressure from the wrap said the vet.

It is illegal for anyone other than a registered farrier, trainee or vet to shoe a horse.

The FRC contended that the wraps amounted to shoes, “as they were intended to protect the hooves by providing a solid structure between the hoof and the ground”.

Bowyer is a licensed instructor of the Institute of Applied Equine Podiatry and holder of the body’s diploma.

He said: “There is no legal definition of what constitutes a ‘shoe’ and the suggested definition by the FRC is very contestable.

“I did not consider my actions to be farriery, but, I had neither sufficient funding nor time to argue the case properly and so chose to plead guilty. It is my sincere hope that the Farriers’ Act is improved to more accurately reflect the hoof care industry as it is today.”

Mrs Stafford-Tolley did not wish to comment – although her testimonial to Bowyer’s skills is featured on his website.

Bowyer was fined £900, with £1,000 costs.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (27 September 2012)

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The public is invited to comment on new standards for barefoot trimming — or equine barefoot care as it will now be known.

Vets and farriers had raised concerns about the level of training and expertise of some practitioners of the barefoot movement, which advocates horses going without shoes.

Lisa Jarvis of land-based skills agency Lantra, which has helped set up the standards, said: “The national occupational standards [NOS] identify the detailed understanding, ability, knowledge and experience someone needs to do their job.

“We now want all interested parties to join our consultation.”

Around 21 barefoot groups operate in the UK, including the Institute of Applied Equine Podiatry (IAEP), Equine Podiatry Association UK (EPAUK) and the UK Natural Hoof Care Practitioners (UKNHCP).

The NOS sets a level for practitioners to aspire to, but will not be a legal requirement.

Some farriers were concerned the standards, based on the NOS for farriery, would devalue the training farriers undertake (news, 26 February).

But Nik Barker of the UKNHCP said: “The draft NOS is the result of many hours of work by veterinary, farriery and barefoot professionals and UKNHCP were delighted to have been involved in what was a very positive process.

“We are particularly pleased that the draft NOS highlights the vital role of nutrition, environment and exercise in hoof health, with trimming being only a small, though important, element.”

• The consultation ends on 16 November. To comment, go to www.lantra.co.uk/nos.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (29 October, ’09)

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New standards for barefoot trimmers, drawn up by farriers, vets and trimmers, will be out for public consultation next month.

Lisa Jarvis, of skills agency Lantra, said: “We want everyone to give us their views on the standards, which lay down a level for trimmers to work to.”

Concerned it would devalue their training, farriers were angry earlier this year when the idea of the standards was mooted (news, 26 February).

The Farriers Registration Council was unavailable for comment, but Dr Giles Holtom, vice-chairman of the UK Horse Shoers Association, said: “We were not asked to be part of the consultation and are not happy.”

Lantra insists the process has improved relationships between barefoot trimmers and farriers.

Jo Grimes of the UK Institute of Equine Podiatry said: “Barefoot trimmers have bad publicity, but we have made progress.”

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (27 August, ’09)

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Two advocates of barefoot riding are to hack from north Wales to north Devon on unshod horses to show the possibilities of shoe-less equestrianism.

Sarah Braithwaite from north Wales and Nic Baker from Exmoor will travel the 260 miles in around 17 days starting 18 July in Mold and ending in Brayford in the Exmoor National Park.

The sponsored ride is in aid of The Brooke charity, which helps ensure healthy working animals for the world’s poorest countries, and to promote the pair’s book “Feet first: barefoot performance and hoof rehabilitation”.

Sarah said: “People should be aware they have a choice with shoes and they’re not necessary for everyone. We what to highlight what makes a healthy hoof and how to create healthier hooves.”

For more details on the ride go to www.ridebare.com

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Equine vets, farriery officials and barefoot trimmers have described a meeting to develop minimum standards for barefoot trimming as “positive” and “constructive”. But some farriers are still unhappy.

Representatives of four barefoot trimming bodies met farriers’ groups, veterinary bodies, welfare charities and the British Horse Society, at a meeting called by the skills council for the environmental and land-based sector, Lantra, on 2 March (news, 26 February).

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) chairman Chris House chaired the meeting. He told H&H: “There was agreement from all the bodies that we can create standards using existing farriery training as the basis. BEVA’s objective is a code of practice for barefoot trimmers.”

A steering group has been set up to create national occupation standards (NOS) for barefoot trimmers based on the Farriery Training Agency’s NVQ level three in farriery.

Jo Grimes, spokesman for the Institute of Applied Podiatry, said: “The meeting started with trepidation on all sides, but once we realised we all have equine welfare uppermost in mind, we could work together.”

And Nic Barker, spokesman for UK Natural Horse Care Practitioners, said: “Quite a few members of our institute are registered farriers, but trimming is only a part of our training.”

She said the meeting had been “very constructive”.

But Stuart Craig, vice-president of the UK Horse Shoers’ Association, told H&H: “I can’t believe the government is wasting so much money on a small number of people who are already catered for by the professional training available in the farriery profession.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (12 March ’09)

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Farriers say plans to develop recognised standards for barefoot trimmers are “trying to reinvent the wheel” and could devalue their years of training.

Lantra — the sector skills council for the environmental and land-based sector — is holding a meeting on Monday (2 March) to discuss the development of national occupational standards for barefoot trimmers in the UK.

Currently there are no formal qualification requirements for barefoot trimming (news, 1 January) and their work is not regulated by the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975.

Vice-chairman of the UK Horse Shoers’ Association (UKHSA) Stuart Craig told H&H: “Some farriers are furious about the idea of a barefoot qualification — we need regulation of trimmers, but it should be the Farriers Regulation Council [FRC] doing it.

“We have the best farriery training in the world, but are in danger of devaluing it.”

Registrar of the FRC Felicity Heather told H&H that while the council agreed that regulation of barefoot trimmers was necessary, she hoped the FRC training would be taken as the benchmark for any qualification.

“Our apprentices train for four years and two months. We could not support something that was not on a par with that.”

The FRC’s view is shared by the Worshipful Company of Farriers, whose registrar Captain David Goodall said: “We are adamant that standards for barefoot trimmers should not be lower than those expected of qualified farriers — in fact, we should wish them to be the same.”

But Lantra spokesman Lisa Jarvis said the organisation is not planning to create a new qualification for trimmers, just setting a standard for them to aspire to.

“We are not an awarding or regulatory body. We cannot lay down a requirement. To do so would take changes to the Farriers (Registration) Act and the Veterinary Surgeons’ Act,” she said.

“This will be a first step on the road to regulation, but only if the barefoot trimming bodies or the FRC decided to create a standard.”

For this article in full, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (26 February, ’09)

Find a farrier near you

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Regulation of barefoot trimmers and equine dental technicians is a step closer, following work this year by Defra, Lantra and the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).

Lantra, the government’s learning and skills agency, is to help create recognised training standards following a nationwide survey asking 100 barefoot trimmers and 200 dental technicians about their qualifications (news, 31 January 2008).

Although practitioners are overseen by organisations like the Equine Podiatry Association (EPA) and the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians (BAEDT) it is currently legal to practise as a “paraprofessional” without formal qualifications.

“This report is key in helping to develop national occupational standards for the training, skill development and qualifications required by paraprofessionals,” said Lantra’s Lisa Jarvis. “The standards will ensure that people are suitably experienced and competent.”

David McDowell, RSPCA representative for the National Equine Welfare Council, added: “The position needs formalising so that if barefoot trimmers or dental technicians behave badly they can be struck off. Some provide a useful service while others do things contrary to

the rest of the horseworld.

We need a protocol to remove the scope for malpractice.”

The EPA has been working with Lantra to ensure all foot trimmers attain certain standards for horse welfare.

EPA secretary Justine Jenkins told H&H: “Some foot-trimmers have no formal training and are often not sufficiently competent.” But she cautioned against unnecessary legislation.

Although barefoot trimming falls outside the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975, Felicity Heather, registrar of the Farriers’ Registration Council (FRC), told H&H the council would welcome a move towards formal training.

Farriers must complete a four-year apprenticeship and pass an exam.

The development of national occupational standards for barefoot trimmers should

be completed by the EPA by the end of 2009, while a time frame for dental technicians is still unknown.

But the BAEDT is working with Lantra, BEVA and Defra to regulate dentistry and is creating a list for owners to verify whether their dental technician is registered and qualified.

Visit www.baedt.com.

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Lantra, the government’s learning and skills body, has issued a report calling for recognised training standards in equine barefoot trimmers and dental technicians after a survey revealed significant variation within the professions.

Although there are currently organisations, such as the Equine Podiatry Association and the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians, that provide courses, diplomas and register members, it is legal to practice as a “paraprofessional” without formal qualifications.

Lantra’s industry partnership manager Lisa Jarvis says the body will work in partnership with professional organisations and Defra to develop industry-wide occupational standards for these paraprofessionals’ training, skills and qualifications.

“This will ensure that people undertaking the work are suitably experienced and competent,” she said.

David McDowell, RSPCA representative for the National Equine Welfare Council, agrees that both paraprofessions need a protocol.

“There should be a formal legislation so that only qualified dental technicians and barefoot trimmers can work, and if they behave badly they can be struck off,” he said. “For horses, owners and other professionals, we need a protocol to remove the scope for malpractice.”

Although barefoot trimming falls outside the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975, Felicity Heather, registrar at the Farriers’ Registration Council, would welcome the move.

Apprentice farriers have to complete over four years of apprenticeship and pass an exam.

“The council would like to see all those involved in equine hoofcare trained to a competent standard and regulated as vets and farriers are,” she said.”

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A Suffolk horse owner who caused unnecessary suffering to a horse has had her sentencing and costs reduced on appeal.

In August 2006, Mary Jo Kowalski of Baylham, Ipswich, was sentenced by Ipswich Magistrates Court to 100 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay £10,000 costs and banned from keeping horses for a year.

But on 13 July, Ms Kowalski’s sentence was shortened on appeal at Ipswich Crown Court. Judge John Holt resentenced her to 30 hours unpaid work, which she had already done, and quashed the £10,000 court costs.

Kowalski had denied charges of causing unnecessary suffering to Brambles by using the “Strasser” barefoot method of hoofcare.

A World Horse Welfare spokesman said: “We are obviously disappointed in the result and we stand by our initial claim that Brambles is the most in-pain pony ever to come into our centre in Norfolk.”

www.worldhorsewelfare.co.uk

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (24 July, ’08)

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Rogue barefoot trimmers are to be curbed with a new code of practice for equine hoofcare being drawn up by the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC).

The British Equine Veterinary Association’s Chris House, who is chairman of the NEWC’s equine hoofcare sub-committee, said the code would help welfare groups to pursue cases of suffering caused by unqualified trimmers.

“There were several cases involving the Strasser technique in the summer of 2006, where unqualified people attempted therapeutic trimming and caused a lot of suffering to their horses,” said Mr House. “Having a code of practice will allow the charities to intervene at an earlier point when they see someone is doing work that should be undertaken by a vet or farrier.”

Mr House said the code sets out exactly what an unqualified person can and cannot do to a horse’s feet and will form part of NEWC’s Equine Compendium to be updated this year.

Mr House also hopes Defra will incorporate the code into its welfare code of practice.

In 2006, two horse owners were convicted for following the radical methods advocated by German vet Dr Hildred Strasser, leading to the unnecessary suffering of their horses.

Under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 a horse owner may trim their own horse’s feet, but may not put on shoes or attempt to change the shape of the horse’s feet.

Tony Tyler of the International League for the Protection of Horses described the code as a real “step forward”.

The code of practice is out for consultation with registered farriers, vets, welfare agencies and industry professionals until 30 April. Visit www.newc.co.uk/codes/hoofcare.php

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (27 March, ’08)

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A one-day conference taking an objective look at barefoot trimming takes place at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire on 26 April.

The conference, Trimming for Soundness, is being run by the Worshipful Company of Farriers. Among the topics discussed will be anatomy and function of the hoof, achieving performance without shoes and training Thoroughbreds barefoot.

To register, send a cheque for £60, payable to the Worshipful Company of Farriers, to: Craft Secretary, WCF, Sheridan House, Keinton Mandeville, Somerton, Somerset TA11 6DX or e-mail registrar@wcf.org.uk

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A Suffolk woman, convicted on cruelty charges linked to the “mutilation” of her pony’s feet by “dogmatic adherence” to the Strasser barefoot method, has launched an appeal.

Mary Jo Kowalski, 52, of Baylham, was last week (30 August) banned from keeping equines for one year, given 100hr community service and ordered to pay £10,000 towards costs.

As welfare groups expressed disappointment at the leniency of the sentence, Mrs Kowalski lodged an appeal before Ipswich Magistrates Court.

The conviction against the student of the Strasser method, who was in e-mail contact with its German founder Dr Hiltrud Strasser marks the second case of its kind this year. Dr Strasser was called as a trial witness.

Both prosecutions involved the Strasser technique, casting grave concern on the unregulated practice of radical trimming.

Farriers Registration Council (FRC) secretary Miles Williamson-Noble said the question of throwing a national safety net over the practice of trimming, which falls outside the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975, was under discussion with the National Equine Welfare Council and British Equine Veterinary Association.

These talks could lead to voluntary regulation, a national code of practice and accredited training. Mr Williamson-Noble said radical trimming caused most concern as it was often done to treat conditions such as laminitis, as was the case in the two convictions.

In the first case, Warwickshire yard owner Fiona Dean, 43, was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay another £1,500 in costs, for causing unnecessary suffering to a horse in her care by using the Strasser method (news, 20 April).

“Anyone who takes a sound horse and trims its feet until it is in extreme pain is not concerned with that horse’s welfare,” said Mr Williamson-Noble.

Evidence from Mrs Kowalski’s trial suggested she had become “mesmerised” by the teachings of Dr Strasser. The prosecution was mounted after the RSPCA seized her pony Brambles in July 2004. The mare was found with “mutilated hooves”, walking with crossed legs, and barely able to move. She had to be put down.

According to the RSPCA, Brambles was suffering from chronic laminitis affecting both front feet, but instead of calling a vet, Mrs Kowalski rasped and trimmed the pony’s hooves to the point of “mutilation”.

Dr Strasser testified that, based on photographs, there was nothing to show trimming was excessive and that, merely, Brambles’s hooves had “a good trim”. She said a sick pony required fresh air, not painkillers.

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A Suffolk woman has appeared in court accused of causing unnecessary suffering to a pony by using the Strasser barefoot method of hoofcare.

In a trial over two days in March and one day last week at South East Suffolk Magistrates Court, Mary Jo Kowalski, 52, of Lower Street, Baylham, denied two charges of causing suffering to Brambles between 3 June and 20 July 2004.

Brambles came into Mrs Kowalski’s care in January 2004 after her previous owner could do nothing more to treat her laminitis. The pony was seized by the RSPCA on 20 July 2004 when she was found with “mutilated” hooves, walking with crossed legs and barely able to move.

The court heard Mrs Kowalski had undergone training in the Strasser technique and had kept horses for about 35 years.

Mr Rogers, prosecuting, told the court the soles of Brambles’ hooves had been trimmed away too thinly by Mrs Kowalski.

“The bone had rotated within the foot to an abnormal angle, so it protruded into the sole,” he said, adding that there were abscesses present in the hoof and that a farrier had described it as the worst case of lameness he had ever seen.

Brambles was taken into the care of the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH), but despite five months of intensive care, was put down after failing to respond.

Mr Vass, acting for Mrs Kowalski, said: “Mrs Kowalski wanted to give the pony a chance using the Strasser technique because it was clear conventional treatment had not worked.”

Mr Vass admitted a vet was not called to treat Brambles, but stressed that the pony was well fed, well housed and given the freedom to roam.

He added: “With the benefit of hindsight, Mrs Kowalski may have taken on slightly more than she could handle.”

Mr Rogers said: “We are not suggesting Mrs Kowalski was deliberately trying to hurt this pony, but her treatment was the incorrect treatment for the pony and caused her to suffer additional pain.”

He said the Strasser method was the “inappropriate method of treatment”, and had “resulted in mutilation and caused extreme pain”.

“In this case the court is head-to-head with alternative methods,” Mr Rogers said.

Update – 27 July ’06

Mrs Kowalski has been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering under the Protection of Animals Act, 1911 in court today. She will be sentenced at a later date.

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Have you ever considered whether your horse would work better without shoes? Some owners believe their horses are able to perform better unshod, but farriers argue that being shoeless is not suitable for all animals and can be detrimental to the horse.

Farrier and fellow of the worshipful company of farriers Kevin Willard believes going unshod can work for certain horses in some circumstances.

“It depends on the individual horse. If the horse has excellent feet in the first place, you can jump without shoes and you can certainly do dressage and cross-country when the ground conditions are acceptable,” he says.

But farrier Richard Pay warns: “If you are going to do more work than the hoof capsule can cope with, keep your horse shod.”

One factor is the type of ground the horse must work on.

“On the roads, shoes protect the hoof wall and underlying structures from damage. But if you exercise on soft ground such as woodland, it won’t be worn down as much,” says Kevin.

Richard agrees that you must consider how much work the horse is doing on rough or hard ground, adding: “Even some sand surfaces can be abrasive.”

Kevin, meanwhile, believes one thing that can help a horse work soundly without shoes is the thickness of its sole.

“An average sole will be 3/8in thick. A Shire’s might be 1in, but a Thoroughbred’s might be paper-thin,” he says. “I know riders doing 25-mile rides with unshod Arab-types with quite strong feet.”

So how do performance horses get grip without studs?

“Studs can cause damage to the legs,” warns Kevin. “If you can leave it to your horse to hold itself up, it’s better. The horse has a natural system of grip involving the frog and the way the hoof expands and contracts.”

Even if your vet and farrier agree your horse could go without shoes, it may not work because the foot can become bruised.

“If you’re going to do it, think about taking shoes off in September when the ground is soft,” says Kevin. “Then the horse’s feet have six months to get used to the change before the hard ground comes.”

Richard warns other problems can occur in unshod horses and does not believe there are many benefits for the horse. Some owners think not shoeing will save money.

“That’s a false economy,” warns Richard. “If the horse is asked to do more work than is healthy for the capsule or if it is trimmed in an incorrect way, the horse will end up lame and owners will be landed with huge vet bills.”

Older horses with stiff joints may have difficulty holding their limbs up long enough to be shod. Such veterans are often left unshod since they are only in light work.

But you will still need to pay to have your horse trimmed by a registered farrier.

“Domesticated horses don’t have a large enough grazing area to wear the feet down themselves,” explains Richard.

Although it is not illegal for owners to trim their own horse’s feet — as long as this is not in preparation for shoeing — Horse & Hound strongly believes they should not do so.

“You cannot learn how to trim a horse correctly in a weekend course,” stresses Kevin. “The farrier can balance the foot to reduce concussion and trauma to limbs, bones and the back — the whole structure. Farriery takes a lifetime to learn.”

Read about top riders experiences of competing their horses without shoes in Horse & Hound (18 August, 2005). To purchase a back issue (tel: 020 8532 3628)

Published, scientific data on ‘going barefoot’ is scarce, which is why anecdotal evidence, whether it be positive or negative, is our main source of reference when it comes to removing our horses’ shoes. However, the most important thing to remember is that there is no definitive right or wrong – some horses are suited to the barefoot philosophy, while others are not.

Making a choice

Contributing factors such as conformation, the level of weight-bearing work and general health can all play a part in hoof health. When considering barefoot trimming, arguably the best option is to take on board all the available evidence and then make an informed choice based on your horse’s individual circumstances.

According to the Farriers’ Registration Council (FRC), most farriers would support the idea that shoes should not be fitted to horses and ponies that do not need them. Likewise, most veterinary surgeons would agree that a sound, healthy, unshod horse that copes with its workload does not need shoes to improve its lifestyle.

Having said that, the decision to go barefoot should not be taken lightly. Holistic vet Nick Thompson, an advocate of barefoot trimming, says that many horses’ feet have been damaged by people not best-placed to give them due care and attention. “The modern horse will cope with being unshod, as long as his feet are trimmed in a manner appropriate to the terrain and workload,” he maintains.

Replicating wild horses’ feet

In the book No Foot, No Horse: Foot Balance: the Key to Soundness and Performance, by Gail Williams PhD and Martin Deacon FWCF, Deacon explains that the wild, feral horse wears down his hoof in such a way that it provides optimal balance for his individual conformation and limb-loading requirements.

Although it is clear that the hooves of wild horses offer an ideal model for our own horses’ feet, it is also important to be realistic about our animals’ requirements and individual situations before considering barefoot trimming.

Wild horses move about constantly, wearing their feet naturally, and do not stand in stables for long periods of time. The feral horse’s foot adapts to its surroundings, with those living on harder ground having shorter heels and more frog contact than those existing on soft ground. This helps the foot to attain correct shock-absorbing properties.

Modern ground surfaces can be detrimental to the horse’s foot – continual schooling on synthetic surfaces is said to restrict hoof wall expansion (as the foot needs a firm, non-cushioned surface to expand), while roadwork can increase concussion. Combining these factors with long periods standing in the stable, it is clear that domestic horses have very different environments to their ancestors.

However, if you think your horse could be suited to the barefoot lifestyle – and many people believe it helps to prevent problems such as laminitis or navicular syndrome – there are various types of specialist trim you could consider. These include:

• The Strasser method, devised by German vet Dr Strasser. This method involves frequent trimming to lower the heels and align the solar margin of the pedal bone.
• The High Performance Trim (HPT) method, devised by farrier KC LaPierre. The trim is based on the natural shape of the foot and aims to correct hoof deformities in domesticated horses.
• The Jaime Jackson method, named after the farrier who designed it. This technique was developed following a study of undomesticated horses, and aims to replicate naturally shaped hooves as seen in the wild.Most of the barefoot trimming entrepreneurs have launched do-it-yourself seminars and courses on which owners can learn how to trim their own horses’ feet – however, do exercise caution if you are considering this option. Ask a vet with experience of barefoot trimming, your farrier and fellow horseowners for their recommendations and suggestions, especially if your horse has a particular problem that needs addressing.Why go barefoot?When blacksmiths first began forging metal to create horseshoes, factors such as physiology and circulation were not key considerations. However, in these enlightened times, many experts have looked into the effects of shoeing on the horse’s hooves, and barefoot supporters claim that horseshoes hinder the natural ‘pump’ effect of the foot, which promotes circulation.In addition, they say placing a non-cushioning plate between the horse and the ground removes most of the foot’s natural shock-absorbing properties, causing concussion.According to Nick Thomson, barefoot management – when combined with essential environmental changes – can even help to prevent equine conditions such as laminitis, splints, arthritis, ringbone and navicular syndrome.Before you make changes…Always seek the advice of your farrier before removing your horse’s shoes, particularly if you plan to undertake extensive roadwork, in case the rate of abrasion on the feet exceeds the rate of hoof growth. Your farrier may suggest a compromise, such as bare hind feet and shoes in front.Nick Thompson explains that, it helps to make changes to the lifestyle of the horse at the same time. “The first thing to do when considering the barefoot option is to ‘naturalise’ the horse’s environment – I recommend permanent turnout with the company of other horses and shelter,” he says.“To complete the move to an holistic lifestye, I also advocate not using rugs where possible and a high-fibre diet to suit the animal’s evolved dietary needs.”The history of horseshoesSo, if going barefoot works, why do we shoe our horses? Quite simply, horseshoes were originally used to protect the feet of working horses in order to make the animals more useful to their handlers or riders, whether this involved carrying heavy loads along a rutted track or charging over a stony battlefield. In addition, many of the working horses through history have been stabled and it is likely their bare feet did not adapt well to the confines of a stall.It is unclear when horseshoes were actually invented, as different sources place their appearance at different stages in history:
• The Bible references a blacksmith (someone who works with iron but is not necessarily a farrier) named Tubalcain, ‘an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron’, around 3500 BC.
• Nailed horseshoes have been identified in Roman times, around the 1st century AD, but temporary tie-on iron ‘hipposandals’, fastened with leather, were more commonplace at this time.
• The Koran details ‘snorting coursers [war horses], which strike fire by dashing their hoofs against the stones’ in around AD 610, suggesting the use of metal shoes.
• In 1780, scientific author Johann Beckmann found records dating back to AD 910, in which the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI wrote of cavalry soldiers’ ‘crescent-shaped iron shoes and their nails’.
• Meanwhile, nailed horseshoes were widely used in Europe during the Crusades of 1095-1270, and were reputedly accepted in lieu of money, as iron was a valuable commodity.

This article appeared in full in HORSE (July issue)