Each one of Wondermann's feet is different. These photos are taken 5 weeks after shoeing. We are removing the shoes and transitioning him to barefoot.
The top picture shows his feet before we pull the shoes. The front feet heels are too high. The Left front has much more under slung heels than the right front. Both heels are contracted making the area in the back of the hoof narrow, expanding out to a large toe in the front. The frogs are narrow and underdeveloped. The middle picture is of the hind feet. Very steep angle, high heel with the toes dubbed off.
The bottom photo shows the front left trimmed (before the mustang roll). If you look at the right front you can see the front profile of the foot does not have a straight line from the coronary band to the toe. There is a bulge as it approaches the toe.
We will follow his case over the next few months.( I forgot to take a picture of finished fronts and hinds for comparison and will do that in the next few days)
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Barefoot Success: Most riders are afraid to transition to barefoot. Their farrier tells them they wont be able to ride let alone go on the trail. The problem is if your regular farrier just does a "pasture" trim, his prophecies may well be true. You need a beveled "Mustang roll" around the entire hoof. You also should use hoof boots to help in the transition.
I had people tell me my horses gaits would never be as good as they are with shoes on. They have been better!
1) All my horses have transitioned very well in just 8 weeks. I have ridden in a big 3 day clinic just 6 weeks after transitioning.
2) A friend just transitioned her draft cross. He had his shoes removed on Monday and on Saturday he won the green hunter over fences and he is a big draft cross. No boots! He is moving much better and much more forward. I had to say "Slow him down, he is going too fast".
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