The 2 biggest dangers for barefoot horses...

The first one I am sure you already know about - our lovely, lush, lethal green grass: beautiful, tempting and the sort of high sugar junk food that most horses just can't get enough of.

I've posted about grazing risk factors before but our summer has been so warm and wet that many people are still struggling with spring-type grass conditions despite the fact that its now August.

The good news is that there are lots of things you can do - limit grazing during high risk periods, use a muzzle, treat any metabolic issues and if all else fails use hoof boots for work on tougher terrain.

The second biggest danger for barefoot horses is - believe it or not - trimming.

Again, I've posted about this before on many occasions but its a problem that is just not going away. There are still trimmers and farriers who are making the mistake of over-trimming horses and all too often they repeat the mistake, leaving horses sore time after time.

Here are some facts for you:

• A trim does not have to be aggressive to cause lameness. If a horse has a compromised foot then simply backing up the toe or removing a small amount of apparent "flare" can damage the horse's foot balance and leave it lame or less capable on uneven ground for weeks.

• No horse should be sore after a trim. Some horse's feet are hard to read but if a farrier or trimmer makes a mistake they at least shouldn't repeat it - so let them know if your horse is sore. If they insist on doing the same again, its time to change to someone who will listen to you and the horse. 

• It isn't safer to use a farrier; it isn't safer to use a trimmer. All you can do is be guided by your horse and his soundness but I can guarantee you that there are few, if any, horses made sounder by trimming - there are still many who are less capable after being trimmed, so be careful!

• Appearance isn't everything. How the hoof is loading and how it is landing IS everything. A trim which compromises the latter to achieve the former will cause the horse problems. 

PS: Someone said to me the other day "I know you are anti-trimming..." - no, I'm not anti-trimming. I'm just anti lame horses...