Week two progress in detail...
Day Eight - Sunday 25th July 2010
I was off up North so didn’t see the girls! Chris reported that they were doing pretty well and she had a ride on Jazz in her new boots and Jazz seemed pretty comfortable. The left fore boot is pretty tight though and Chris was a bit worried about them rubbing. Still they’re fine for the walk across the gravel to turn out but another/better solution will be needed in the long term... in particular for exercise and ridden work.
Lottie kept her boots on for turnout and Jazz went bootless.
Day Nine - Monday 26th July 2010
Both girls are looking pretty good. I used the new purple spray that I picked up at the weekend in a massive well known saddlery store. Thank god I had the foresight not to read the benefits of any more hoof care products (there were literally hundreds!) as I’m sure I’d have bought them all. This seemed sensible stuff... Talked about ‘challenging’ rather than ‘nuking’ and, I know it’s lazy but, a spray is making life so much simpler on busy evenings!
There’s been a bit of rain over the last couple of days so we walked both girls out in boots and took them off in the field so they could go properly barefoot!
Day Ten - Tuesday 27th July 2010
Chris has been desperately pursuing some better fitting boots for Jazz but with no joy so far. She got some advice that suggested it was a thoroughbred-type hooves issue but could be due to flare. We don’t think she’s got a particular flare and that the ‘being down to type’ suggestion sounds more likely. Easyboots-Why we can't get any to fit
We took some photos of Jazz’s feet tonight to keep track on their progress all the same. They look pretty good to me, considering the short amount of time that has passed since her shoes were removed, but any suggestions/comments on their progress would be most welcome! Jazz's foot pics today
We walked both girls out in boots and took them off in the field.
Day Eleven - Wednesday 28th July 2010
Lottie was out without boots and looked a bit sore in the field when we went to fetch her. We put her boots on to take her for a play in the big field and she was definitely moving better than last Friday when we did the same and she was up for it! She’s been a bit bored with all this obsessing about her feet and forgetting about the rest of her. We turned her out in her boots to give her a rest from the hard ground.
Jazz seemed pretty good and Chris put her boots on for a ride. She had one very smelly foot tonight but Chris wasn’t sure if it was thrush so she gave it a pick out and spray with the purple stuff. Thrush?
Day Twelve - Thursday 29th July 2010
Jazz came in without boots on and seemed pretty good! Chris thought she had seemed more hesitant on the way back out without boots on and we wondered whether it was a downhill thing, as we ascend on the way in and descend on the way out. The smelly foot was not nearly as smelly so we’re hoping it was a rotting bit of rubbish stuck in there, rather than actual rotting foot, that was causing the stench!
We played with Lottie in the field and she was very happy to move in her boots. The temperature has dropped over the last couple of days. Chris and Jazz went out for a ride and Jazz was apparently very comfortable going forward and was up for some fun too!
Meanwhile I picked out and washed Lottie’s feet. I used a very dilute hibiscrub and water solution and rinsed each thoroughly. My rationale being that this would hold back the bacteria production in the crevices without giving them an extremely sterile and perfectly Ph balanced area to go wild in... We’ll see! I purple sprayed them too just to be on the safe side and managed to dye myself and the yard owner’s aisle floor too... ooops!
In terms of progress then there’s quite a bit of flappy and undefined frog on both Lottie’s fores and I’m able to just pull a few bits off without any difficulty. If she is at all tender it is on her right fore - she’s more reluctant to pick the left fore up and is more fidgety when having the right fore picked out. Also, the right fore frog is all over the shop and the hoof pick goes quite deep under it.
Her feet didn’t smell at all even though she’d been out in boots all day so I’m hoping that means we’re winning the battle against microbes! Turned Lottie out in boots and Jazz without.
Day Thirteen - Friday 30th July 2010
Jazz is looking really good and came in without boots on beautifully. Her feet are pretty flat and hard/well-formed at the front. Between that and the dry ground there was nothing much to pick out. She was just a little tender on the way back out when she caught a stone but is looking great in the field.
Lottie is looking 100% in her boots and I gave her feet a quick pick out. There was quite a bit of rain forecast so both girls were barefoot for turnout.
Day Fourteen - Saturday 31st July 2010
Both girls are looking good in the field without their boots on. Lottie played in the big field with her boots on like an old pro! She did a little slip and managed to turn her left fore boot but keep the gel pad in-line with her hoof. Her hooves have started to chip and the new hoof growth seems considerably straighter/more upright so we're guessing she may actually need smaller boots in the long run. The Cavallo boots have definitely given quite a bit too, so I can sense a new boots purchase in the near future!
We took photos of her feet and we tried to snip a bit of the flappy frog off the left fore. They've grown a phenomenal amount in two weeks and you can see how low the nail marks are in the photos Lotties foot pics
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Lottie's Foot Pics - Two Weeks into Transition
Left Fore - some good chipping and nail holes nearly out!
Left Fore from the side
Left Fore Soul - A bit of a cauliflower edge... Looks pretty like a flower!
Right Fore - Nail holes pretty much gone on this side
Right Fore side view
The camera deleted my right fore soul shot, which is a shame as the frog is a bit messier on this side and so quite interesting to look at. I'll get another photo in the next day or so and post it up here.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Thrush?
The night before last I was picking out Jazz's front feet when I noticed that the collateral grooves looked a bit darker than usual on one hoof, it didn't smell very pleasant either, is this thrush? I think it must be. Anyway fortunately Kerry had just bought some kind of spray which inhibits thrush without removing all the natural anti-infection properties of the hoof (in preference to hibiscrub which is not recommended apparently - see earlier post!) so I sprayed some on. Tonight it was better but not completely gone so I sprayed a bit more on. It's great stuff -bright purple so it's easy to see where it goes.
I don't think Jazz has ever had thrush before so I am stumped that she's got it 10 days after the removal of the shoe. Why might this be? Anyone care to enlighten me? Is it just a coincidence?
I found this info helpful but it didn't answer my question: http://successful-natural-horsecare.com/health-problems/horse-thrush/
I don't think Jazz has ever had thrush before so I am stumped that she's got it 10 days after the removal of the shoe. Why might this be? Anyone care to enlighten me? Is it just a coincidence?
I found this info helpful but it didn't answer my question: http://successful-natural-horsecare.com/health-problems/horse-thrush/
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Jazz's Foot Pics - Today
Jazz's forefeet today! The left has been shoeless for 9 days the right lost a shoe before the barefoot man came so has been naked for about 15 days.
Left fore soul
Left fore on the ground
Left fore Up
Right Fore soul
Right fore on the ground
Right fore up
Easyboots - why we can't get any to fit!
A very kind person sent me this information when I emailed and asked why we can't get any easyboots to fit:
There is an 'issue' with wider than long hooves I'm afraid! Easycare is a US company and the biggest manufacturer of hoof boots in the world. Unfortunately the wider than long hoof seems to be something that is only really a problem in the UK (roughly 20-25%) mainly due to our TB and draft types.
She goes on to say:
The good news though is that Easycare are working on a wider fit glove (a lot of horses have a round front foot) which should solve the problem for most.
Well - at least we know now!
There is an 'issue' with wider than long hooves I'm afraid! Easycare is a US company and the biggest manufacturer of hoof boots in the world. Unfortunately the wider than long hoof seems to be something that is only really a problem in the UK (roughly 20-25%) mainly due to our TB and draft types.
She goes on to say:
The good news though is that Easycare are working on a wider fit glove (a lot of horses have a round front foot) which should solve the problem for most.
Well - at least we know now!
Monday, 26 July 2010
Barefoot Success- You Hold the Keys!
Barefoot Success- You Hold the Keys!
So it's down to us... Gulp!
So it's down to us... Gulp!
Transitioning to Barefoot- What to Expect
Transitioning to Barefoot- What to Expect
This has made me feel a bit better about the whole thing and given hints on what to look out for. We need to get some piccies of feet so we can watch the changes...
This has made me feel a bit better about the whole thing and given hints on what to look out for. We need to get some piccies of feet so we can watch the changes...
Sunday, 25 July 2010
The (possibly) miraculous benefits of Aloe Vera
Unexpected advice from the barefoot man was that Aloe Vera juice is the 'in' thing to give newly barefoot horses, it makes the hooves grow quicker or something. [Edited to add in Kerry's more grown-up explanation that it is 'highly recommended for tissue/hoof recovery'] However, the amount we need to feed and the subsequent expense this will incur makes me feel quite faint. The day after we get this advice and are mulling it over we have a stroke of luck, some bottles of Aloe Vera juice on sale in the shops have apparently been contaminated by Ketamine (of all things) which results in Holland and Barrett (and possibly everyone else) reducing the price of their current stock by half.
After we've done a bit of internet searching to find out if there is any 'real' research showing that Aloe Vera juice is benficial for hooves (there is) Kerry rushes off to buy some. She says she will try and pick out the ones with Ketamine and I say yes, good idea - at least it will keep the horses quiet...
We keep our fingers crossed that they will both like the juice and they do, they eat up their feed as usual without apparently noticing any difference. This amazes me, Jazz is notorious for being able to spot, and instantly reject, any suspicious additions to her feed.
We are feeding one bottle between them every day and there is slightly more juice in one bottle than we need so each night Kerry and I have a swig as well. Ah well, can't do any harm. I keep looking at my nails to see if they're growing any quicker but I haven't noticed anything yet.
After we've done a bit of internet searching to find out if there is any 'real' research showing that Aloe Vera juice is benficial for hooves (there is) Kerry rushes off to buy some. She says she will try and pick out the ones with Ketamine and I say yes, good idea - at least it will keep the horses quiet...
We keep our fingers crossed that they will both like the juice and they do, they eat up their feed as usual without apparently noticing any difference. This amazes me, Jazz is notorious for being able to spot, and instantly reject, any suspicious additions to her feed.
We are feeding one bottle between them every day and there is slightly more juice in one bottle than we need so each night Kerry and I have a swig as well. Ah well, can't do any harm. I keep looking at my nails to see if they're growing any quicker but I haven't noticed anything yet.
One week after shoe removal
Today Lottie has been barefoot for a week and a day. We've had to keep the Cavallo's on all the time as the ground is like concrete. One evening she cantered off down the hill in them - foot perfect. Amazingly they not only stay on but she appears to be perfectly happy and comfortable in them. Each day we bring her in for an hour or two, wipe the inside of the boots with milton and spray her soles with a solution of hibiscrub. I've no idea if this is the 'right' thing to do but it seems to be working so far. No sign of thrush and everything looks healthy. The boots always smell when we take them off - very similar to human feet! There is a very slight dampness where her the bottom of her hoof rests on the boot, just natural moisture I guess.
So far we are thrilled with the Cavallos for Lottie. The size three is a bit big for Jazz so I order a size 2. Typically when they arrive they fit one foot perfectly but are a bit of a squeeze on her bigger foot! I am not sure that they will be ok, I ride her in them and they ruffle the hair on the larger hoof though she goes fine in them and I'm pleased with the grip, the bigger foot is too tight for a pastern wrap so I don't think they're a long terms solution. Fortunately her feet seem to be doing well, she is trotting sound on grass and concrete and is completely sound in the sand school. This is just as well as she is fat and needs exercise. I may order some Old Mac G2s on trial. Why did I think going barefoot would be a cheap option!?
So far we are thrilled with the Cavallos for Lottie. The size three is a bit big for Jazz so I order a size 2. Typically when they arrive they fit one foot perfectly but are a bit of a squeeze on her bigger foot! I am not sure that they will be ok, I ride her in them and they ruffle the hair on the larger hoof though she goes fine in them and I'm pleased with the grip, the bigger foot is too tight for a pastern wrap so I don't think they're a long terms solution. Fortunately her feet seem to be doing well, she is trotting sound on grass and concrete and is completely sound in the sand school. This is just as well as she is fat and needs exercise. I may order some Old Mac G2s on trial. Why did I think going barefoot would be a cheap option!?
Saturday, 24 July 2010
Week One... Taking it Day by Day
Day One - Sunday 18th July 2010
Barefoot man came riding in on his trusty white steed (err sparkly mushroom coloured 4x4), took their shoes off and we were in love! Our horses have been liberated from the oppression of metal shoes... They're free, finally free!
We rush out and get a pair of Cavallos and use them for the walk to turnout. Neither horse looks too bad, just freshly trimmed and feeling their way in new feet.
Day Two - Monday 19th July 2010
I went up to the yard on my own just to give them a carrot and check them over. Horses looking a little sorry for themselves in the field and emergency boots application definitely required for Lottie. However, this is quite difficult with only one pair of hands in the field, particularly given said horse’s reluctance to pick any feet up now they’re sore!
Ring Chris and arrange a zero seven hundred hours rendezvous the next morning... Have already fallen out of love with hoof man!
Day Three - Tuesday 20th July 2010
7am Down to the field armed with two purple pilates mats, new boots, pastern wraps, halter, vet wrap and big stick to discourage other horses. No hoof pick... Ooops! Chris ended up using fingers and an old towel to clean feet while Lottie used the Pilates mats as chew toy. We put bright orange vet wrap around the boot straps in the hope of holding them down and left the field wondering what we'd find at our evening visit.
6.30pm Both horses looking good! Lottie kept her boots on and even kept the vet wrap completely on one hoof boot. She is sporting the other band of wrap as a bright orange anklet... Very eighties/retro!
The routine with one pair of boots is - Bring Lottie in take boots and pastern wraps off, give boots a quick wipe and take back down to the field to get Jazz. Put boots on Jazz in field bring her in and take the boots off. Give food. Put boots back on Jazz to turn her out and then take them off in field. Clean boots and Lotties feet thoroughly before putting boots back on to turn Lottie out. I'm sure we'll get quicker but it's 8.00pm before we leave the yard!
Called barefoot man at around 9pm from home in blind panic at the level of management and footy-ness already (not sure what I was expecting?!). He said to give low level anti-inflammatory and to bring in if Lottie is out in boots and it starts to rain. I look out the window at home (circa one hour’s drive from yard) and the heavens open. He agrees to my request and will come back on Thursday (Not sure what I’m expecting him to do exactly!.. Other than some reassurance!)
Day Four - Wednesday 21st July 2010
Lottie kept her boots on again and have to say I'm pretty impressed! She's never worn them before and was initially sure it was 'another new game that these weirdo humans have devised for me'. You could see her considering what we might want her to do with them as she stuck her forefoot out in front and checked the boot out, one eye at a time (left eye first and then the right!). This is the potential problem with teaching your horse to be a puzzle solver that the NH gurus never warn you about!
We had to walk both horses in past the farrier... Cringe! We tried to look small and to convince the girls to cover up their footiness and be nonchalant but I’m sure they only exaggerated it more whilst giving him the “save me” look!
We did the boots routine and Jazz still looking a bit sore on harder ground but seems fairly even on both feet. You can definitely see when she's stood on a stone though... Ouch!
Day Five - Thursday 22nd July 2010
Get up to the yard early (about 4pm) and bring in before we have to go out to dinner and in anticipation of Mr Barefoot returning. It also means Lottie gets some time without the boots on as we've been warned about the damp in the boot potentially being a problem. The boots do smell like old trainers already, in spite of the milton and hibiscrub treatment. Jazz trotted up to greet us and Lottie did a lovely floaty canter, which was impressive in clumpy boots!
Get back to the yard after dinner and barefoot man calls to say he can’t make it and is very apologetic. I’m stumped when he asks whether he can help over the phone... As the weeks gone on I think we’ve come to terms with the fact that it’s going to be challenging and just take some time.
Day Six - Friday 23rd July 2010
No work, so morning meet-up at the yard. After a quick tail wash we took Lottie out into the big field (long grass, pretty smooth although still quite hard ground) and moved her about a bit without the boots on. Definite reluctance to trot so we didn’t push it, let her graze and brought her back in with boots on.
Brought Jazz in and she seemed the same as before... Little sore in the field but not reluctant to move and ok with boots, even though pretty big boots on her!
There’s been quite a bit of rain and the field was softer than it had been for some time so we turned both horses out without boots on in the field.
Day Seven - Saturday 24th July 2010
Jazz’s boots arrived! We brought them both in and one boot seems a little pinchy on Jazz but hoping they’ll stretch?! Lottie was uncomfortable and we agreed to keep the boots on in the field for the next few days, unless we get enough rain to soften the ground a bit more!
Turned them both back out together for the first time this week! Lottie kept her boots on and Jazz took her new boots off in the field (saving them for best J)
We’ve got two pairs of boots and a routine now... Who knows, we might even be able to do something non-foot related with them next week!
Hoof boots!
I was looking forward to choosing hoof boots for the girls. The only kind of shopping for myself that I like is shoe shopping - and I'd kind of imagined it would be a bit similar. It was at first - I drooled over the wide range available on the internet. But reality soon hit...
The boots that I found information on all included: all types of easyboots, old mac original and G2, marquis supergrip, renegades, cavallos and boas, my farrier also told me about hoofwings. It soon became apparent though that it wasn't a case of just choosing some you fancy, different types are more or less suitable for different shaped feet and some are difficult to get in the UK. At least, we found it so. From our rough and ready measurings we came to the conclusion that we could probably rule out all types of easyboots as they are only suitable for hooves that are longer than they are wide. This was disappointing as the easyboot gloves were the ones I was really starting to fancy.
We decided that we would have their feet measured by 'the barefoot man' when we had the front shoes removed as neither of us were confident that we could measure them correctly. So... we waited for the barefoot man to come and remove the front shoes. Some of you may be able to spot the small flaw in this plan.
Once the feet had been measured properly by someone competent with a ruler we sat down to work out which boots would be best. Result - very few. Both horses do have feet wider than they are long and Jazz also has one foot bigger than the other, great.
So this was the list:
All types of easyboots: No (don't fit wider than long hooves)
Boas: No (I used to ride Jazz in these and found them lethal on wet grass)
Renegades: (A possibility but we can't currently find a UK supplier and feel we need advice for these)
Old mac: No - too wide!
Old mac G2: A possiblity for Jazz, advice from a supplier of boots was that these would be best
Cavallos: A possiblity
Marquis supergrip: Decided against after reading negative posts on internet
Hoofwings: The best bet as custom made BUT take six weeks to arrive and in Jazz's case she would have to have 'special moulds' for her odd sized feet which would double the price!
Friday, 23 July 2010
A few of my misconceptions!
I've never wanted to be an expert on barefoot but I have read around the subject a bit. Here are a few things I've learned over the past week!
1. Newly barefoot horses need lots of walking on hard surfaces, no pain no gain - WRONG! Horses must be comfortable at all times, so it's boots on any surface that makes them even slightly uncomfortable. In our case this means booting Lottie's friend Jazz each time she has to walk the short distance from field to stable.
2. Gravel and pea gravel mean the same thing - WRONG! I kept reading about 'pea gravel' being good for barefoot horses but in my head I had missed off the 'pea' and replaced it with just 'gravel'. I knew what pea gravel was but I hadn't joined the dots... In case you don't know what pea gravel is, it is a very small and round type of gravel with no sharp edges. You could look at it and know that you could walk over it barefoot. Plain old 'gravel' is completely different. We couldn't walk on it barefoot and neither can the horses - not without a lot of preparation. It's important to know the difference.
3. You can spend time happily selecting from a wide range of hoof boots - WRONG! Oh how I was looking forward to choosing from the myriad of types now available. What a disappointment to discover that there are few boots that will fit our horses... both have front hooves that are roundish and slightly wider than they are long.
1. Newly barefoot horses need lots of walking on hard surfaces, no pain no gain - WRONG! Horses must be comfortable at all times, so it's boots on any surface that makes them even slightly uncomfortable. In our case this means booting Lottie's friend Jazz each time she has to walk the short distance from field to stable.
2. Gravel and pea gravel mean the same thing - WRONG! I kept reading about 'pea gravel' being good for barefoot horses but in my head I had missed off the 'pea' and replaced it with just 'gravel'. I knew what pea gravel was but I hadn't joined the dots... In case you don't know what pea gravel is, it is a very small and round type of gravel with no sharp edges. You could look at it and know that you could walk over it barefoot. Plain old 'gravel' is completely different. We couldn't walk on it barefoot and neither can the horses - not without a lot of preparation. It's important to know the difference.
3. You can spend time happily selecting from a wide range of hoof boots - WRONG! Oh how I was looking forward to choosing from the myriad of types now available. What a disappointment to discover that there are few boots that will fit our horses... both have front hooves that are roundish and slightly wider than they are long.
Barefoot Essentials
This is a list of things we've needed, used, acquired or are trying to acquire in the first week of having both horses front shoes removed... This list assumes the tack cupboard is bare and includes everything we've used!
1) Knowledgeable and patient barefoot professional/trimmer - Got!
2) Some patience of your own - Got some, think we'll need a bit more yet!
3) Horses that will pick their feet up easily(sounds obvious but both our girls are fab at this yet still found it difficult when sore and on rough ground and bootless) - Got!
4) Pilate's/Yoga Mat to make picking feet up easier in emergency rough-ground booting situations - Got!
5) A horse that won't freak out at the idea of standing on a Pilate's mat - Got!
6) Boots that fit - Kind of got but the full discussion deserves it's own post!
7) Antibacterial and anti fungal foot wash, in a spray gun makes life 100 times easier - got by putting half hibiscrub and half water in an old spray bottle.
8) Gaffer tape, sticking down bits of sticky-out/flappy boot - Got! (thanks Ian!)
9) Understanding neighbours, who at least suspect you wouldn't intentionally let your horse suffer without having excellent intentions and good reasons - Got!
10) A tough skin and faith/belief for when number 9 fails - Working on.
11) Baby wipes and Milton to clean out smelly boots - Got!
12) Two pairs of hands and/or horses that will safely stand to have boots put on at liberty in the field with their mates - Got by organising a bit of both
13) Some kind of low-level anti-inflammatory to reduce the risk of abcessing when bruises happen - On order!
14) Access to a very cheap supply of Aloe Vera juice (Ketamine free preferably!) as highly recommended for tissue/hoof recovery - Got but not that cheap at £1.50 per horse per day
1) Knowledgeable and patient barefoot professional/trimmer - Got!
2) Some patience of your own - Got some, think we'll need a bit more yet!
3) Horses that will pick their feet up easily(sounds obvious but both our girls are fab at this yet still found it difficult when sore and on rough ground and bootless) - Got!
4) Pilate's/Yoga Mat to make picking feet up easier in emergency rough-ground booting situations - Got!
5) A horse that won't freak out at the idea of standing on a Pilate's mat - Got!
6) Boots that fit - Kind of got but the full discussion deserves it's own post!
7) Antibacterial and anti fungal foot wash, in a spray gun makes life 100 times easier - got by putting half hibiscrub and half water in an old spray bottle.
8) Gaffer tape, sticking down bits of sticky-out/flappy boot - Got! (thanks Ian!)
9) Understanding neighbours, who at least suspect you wouldn't intentionally let your horse suffer without having excellent intentions and good reasons - Got!
10) A tough skin and faith/belief for when number 9 fails - Working on.
11) Baby wipes and Milton to clean out smelly boots - Got!
12) Two pairs of hands and/or horses that will safely stand to have boots put on at liberty in the field with their mates - Got by organising a bit of both
13) Some kind of low-level anti-inflammatory to reduce the risk of abcessing when bruises happen - On order!
14) Access to a very cheap supply of Aloe Vera juice (Ketamine free preferably!) as highly recommended for tissue/hoof recovery - Got but not that cheap at £1.50 per horse per day
The Flat Racing Champion's History... ahem!
I keep hearing 'It's all about being in the moment' but we all have a past that shaped us so this is a brief synopsis of Lottie the horse's history. She had her feet with her through every step of this so I'm thinking it may be relevant?! We'll see...
Lottie (aka 'Violets Pride') was first sprinted as a two year old in 2005 and ran the last of her 27 flat races in August 2008. The great thing about her being a racer is that excellent records are kept meaning we can track her history on the Internet. We know who owned her, who trained her, when she was bought and sold and we can even watch her race but no where will you find a blog about her feet (funny that?!) until RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE! :-)
These are the assumptions we're carrying about her and her past...
1) She was shod by the time she was two and could have been shod as early as at one year old.
2) Thoroughbreds are inherently physically rubbish at being barefoot
3) She's never been without shoes on the front feet since that first visit from the blacksmith
In the year between retiring from racing and ending up with us she spent six months more or less turned away and then had six months having her first go at a bit of dressage and jumping, seemingly preferring the former to the latter.
We've had her since November 2009 and have spent a lot of time 'hanging out' (google it, it's a new training technique :-) and generally playing about with a natural horsemanship type feel. She's healthy and happy and we've had romantic visions of her running around barefoot pretty much since day one! So this is what we did...
21st May 2010 - Her back shoes were removed. There's no doubt she was pretty sore at first and she was still showing occasional signs of soreness until the end of June. At this point, she hasn't been noticeably footy on her backs since the beginning of July.
18th July 2010 - Her front shoes were removed and the reality struck. Our thoughts about the process, our assumptions and our convictions are moving on a daily basis. Hopefully tracking the journey like this will keep us focussed and may offer some insight to others considering the same trip!
Lottie (aka 'Violets Pride') was first sprinted as a two year old in 2005 and ran the last of her 27 flat races in August 2008. The great thing about her being a racer is that excellent records are kept meaning we can track her history on the Internet. We know who owned her, who trained her, when she was bought and sold and we can even watch her race but no where will you find a blog about her feet (funny that?!) until RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE! :-)
These are the assumptions we're carrying about her and her past...
1) She was shod by the time she was two and could have been shod as early as at one year old.
2) Thoroughbreds are inherently physically rubbish at being barefoot
3) She's never been without shoes on the front feet since that first visit from the blacksmith
In the year between retiring from racing and ending up with us she spent six months more or less turned away and then had six months having her first go at a bit of dressage and jumping, seemingly preferring the former to the latter.
We've had her since November 2009 and have spent a lot of time 'hanging out' (google it, it's a new training technique :-) and generally playing about with a natural horsemanship type feel. She's healthy and happy and we've had romantic visions of her running around barefoot pretty much since day one! So this is what we did...
21st May 2010 - Her back shoes were removed. There's no doubt she was pretty sore at first and she was still showing occasional signs of soreness until the end of June. At this point, she hasn't been noticeably footy on her backs since the beginning of July.
18th July 2010 - Her front shoes were removed and the reality struck. Our thoughts about the process, our assumptions and our convictions are moving on a daily basis. Hopefully tracking the journey like this will keep us focussed and may offer some insight to others considering the same trip!
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