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Moobli
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10-03-2011, 03:13 PM

Highland Pony photos and barefoot experience

Just a couple of pics taken of Marilla today, just before we were hit by a horrible squally hailstorm

The farrier came yesterday and trimmed the feet of my Highland and Shetland ponies and I decided on his advice to leave Marilla free of shoes for now. I intend on hacking out on her 2 or 3 times a week during spring/summer and if she starts to get a bit footie then I will probably just put fronts on. However, I am keen to build her feet up and so she can be kept as nature intended - ie barefoot all the time. I know of a number of Highland owners who keep their ponies barefoot all year round - even when hacking on roads and stony tracks etc, with no problems.

I was just wondering what others with horses and ponies do.



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Ben Mcfuzzylugs
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10-03-2011, 03:20 PM
Lovely photos
I have no idea about the shoes sorry, I guess it depends how much hard ground she is on
Will be interested to hear how you get on with it, I am sure it feels great to be bearfoot
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Wyrd
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10-03-2011, 03:45 PM
All of mine (6 of them) are barefoot. Introduce lots of different surfaces slowly, building up the amount of time you spend on them.
Barefoot horses tend to be more 'careful' on stones, it doesn't always mean they are footy, but they can feel the stones more and they tend to pick where they walk more.
If you can introduce hardcore area in to her field that she has to walk over to get to her shelter/water ect, that will help to strengthen the feet.
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Louise13
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10-03-2011, 06:49 PM
Both of mine are barefoot too..
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maxine
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10-03-2011, 06:58 PM
We kept my daughter's Section A x Welsh pony barefoot for years and she did all sorts of Pony Club activities, hacking, show jumping with him. We only had him shod because he was slipping when doing outdoor mounted games, show jumping and x-country so we wanted to use studs.
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Misty-Pup
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10-03-2011, 08:20 PM
Marilla is stunning Kirsty! You are so lucky!!!

My friend has her horse barefoot. She has had all her horses barefoot! She's a trained barefoot trimmer, can't remember the proper name!! I'm trying to think, her current horse is an ID x I think, and she had her old TB barefoot as well! She is very against shoes on a horse!!
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Gnasher
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10-03-2011, 08:33 PM
Unfortunately, I lost my horse in a terrible accident, but I had just started to ride her barefoot.

She was a part TB mare, and very "footy", but I had done a lot of research, and I didn't have to do much, if any, road riding, and so I decided we were going to go barefoot.

About 8 weeks into the experiment, all was going well, but I shall never know now. Certainly though when I retire in a few years time, I fully intend to get a horse, or if I am too crippled to ride, will learn how to drive in harness, which obviously means mainly road work. I will still try the barefoot method and see how we go.
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Moobli
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10-03-2011, 09:09 PM
Thanks everyone for your experiences and advice. Wyrd - I will definitely try her on different surfaces over time and see how we go.

Sorry to hear you lost your horse Gnasher Do you mind me asking what happened? I do hope you realise your dream of having another horse in the future.

Thanks Misty - she is just a little bit gorgeous isn't she?
She could do with losing a few pounds though (but then so could I LOL).
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ATD
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10-03-2011, 09:15 PM
I use to ride with a girl who had a her pony no shoes and his feet were hard and use to it she rode everyday amd hacked out on roads at least a couple of times a week. i rode an irsih draft x who only had front shoes. we always took the farriers advice.
ATD x
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Gnasher
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10-03-2011, 10:28 PM
Originally Posted by Moobli View Post
Thanks everyone for your experiences and advice. Wyrd - I will definitely try her on different surfaces over time and see how we go.

Sorry to hear you lost your horse Gnasher Do you mind me asking what happened? I do hope you realise your dream of having another horse in the future.

Thanks Misty - she is just a little bit gorgeous isn't she?
She could do with losing a few pounds though (but then so could I LOL).
No not at all. We were hit by a little ******* on a motorbike going at 120 mph on a country lane. He struck my friend and I broadside when we were crossing the road, killing both horses - I still ride now and then when I have the time, and fully intend to have my own horse once more when I retire!! You can't keep an old rider down!!
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