Contestant. The Barefoot. Can your dressage horse be successful without shoes? 34 June 2011 USDF ConneCtion. By Sharon BiggS

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1 The Barefoot Contestant Can your dressage horse be successful without shoes? By Sharon BiggS SHOELESS JOE: Rastino, a Hanoverian gelding by Rotspon and ridden by Jackie Kinney, competed barefoot at Dressage at Devon (PA) 2010 and earned high placings in the FEI Six- Year-Old classes CLIVE CLARK 34 June 2011 USDF ConneCtion

2 Many in the horse world seek more natural and organic alternatives in training, feeding, health care, and even tack. in terms of hoof care, that translates into renewed interest in leaving horses unshod. Te so-called barefoot movement, with its accompanying discussions of barefoot trimming, has been a popular (some would say heated) horsemen s water-cooler topic for several years. Proponents say that, with proper trimming and care, many barefoot horses are sound and healthy without being subjected to the age-old (and admittedly unnatural) practice of nailing metal shoes to the soles of the hooves. Letting your dressage horse go barefoot sounds great and it works for some. But hoof-care experts caution that not every horse does well without shoes. in this article, they ll help you to weigh the pros and cons of leaving hooves unshod. Starting Point: Healthy Hoof, Good Care STACY LYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY not all horses need to be shod, but whether barefoot is a good option depends on the environment, the consistency of hoof care, and the horse s job, says Steve Kraus, head of farrier services at Cornell University hospital for animals in ithaca, ny. in my mind, a horse is better off barefoot than poorly shod, says Kraus. Te biggest problem with shoeing is some individuals who do it. Shoeing is a long training curve, and you can t learn that in a week-long seminar. Te same can be said about barefoot-hoof care: owners don t often know how much schooling the farrier has had. i do think the barefoot movement has its place, but i also think people need to be more objective and try and do what s good for the horse, not what they think is good for the horse. you hear of barefoot marathon runners winning, but they ve been running that way all their lives, and not everyone can run barefoot. Te horse is the same. Denver-based farrier-turned-veterinarian Lisa Lancaster, DVM, agrees that many dressage horses, like many human athletes, benefit from a shoe s support. Dressage is about graceful movement, fluidity, cadence, impulsion, tempo. if we impair comfort in the body, we re working against that, says Lancaster, whose mobile veterinary practice incorporates such integrative therapies as chiropractic and acupuncture to treat horses with musculoskeletal pain or restricted range of motion. removing the shoes might improve some horses and USDF ConneCtion June

3 not others, but it s a difficult experiment for dressage riders to undertake in the midst of training and competition, Lancaster adds. Most feet are better off without shoes in the long run, but that s a statement of horses running around free; it s not realistic for many horses, in particular sport horses. a good many of them live in stalls and work in an indoor arena; this environment won t help grow the tough hooves required for going barefoot. horseshoe designs and farrier modifications alter breakover to suit the horse s intended use and individual way of going. a draft horse, for instance, needs a toe grab to push his hoof into the ground and gain leverage, Kraus explains. Te opposite is a rolled toe, where the shoe isn t square but has a bevel, which can be extreme or mild. We can position the breakover as we want and change how the foot Why Shoe, Anyway? horseshoes help to protect horses feet and to prevent excessive wear of the hoof wall. Beyond that, a good set of shoes can actually help a horse move more correctly and comfortably, similar to the way the right running shoe can help a human athlete. Shoes can manage or change breakover, which is the point at which the horse s toe leaves the ground, Kraus says. Various SHOE COMPARISON: Half-round, popular in dressage (left); and a standard steel shoe with flat bearing surface (right) COURTESY OF THE KERCKHAERT HORSESHOE COMPANY 36 June 2011 USDF ConneCtion

4 interacts with the ground, depending on the horse s situation. For instance, a horse that is heavy on the forehand can benefit from a change in breakover and become lighter in the bridle. in our discipline, Dressage riders really like a halfround shoe because it makes the bearing surface of the wall rounded, almost like a perfect barefoot trim, says Lancaster. Te horse has the ease of moving the hoof in any direction. Some companies make shoes specially designed for sport horses. one model has a two-dimensional convex-curved toe area to allow for easy breakover in any direction. Breakover can be achieved with a barefoot trim, says Kraus, but it will wear down within a week. and in many cases you can t trim the hoof back as far as the horse needs, he says. you run out of hoof tissue. in some cases, shoes help horses to move in ways Mother nature didn t anticipate. a barefoot trim is designed to bite into the surface, so that natural rim will dig into the ground, says Kraus. you don t want a dressage horse s feet sticking in the ground when he s doing a pirouette. a wider, fuller-fitting shoe helps the dressage horse to stay on top of the footing so he can move more easily over the surface of the arena, such as in the extended gaits, he says. Stability and support are critical in keeping some horses sound and going well. a shoe that helps to stabilize the coffin joint can be helpful for the horse with arthritis or conformation issues, says Kraus. and those oversized equines so prevalent in our sport may need some extra help, too. according to Kraus, big horses are particularly susceptible to hoof problems because the larger, heavier, and taller the horse, the more force is placed on the hoof. i have a client with a large dressage horse who had lameness problems, Kraus relates. She had the hocks injected, and nothing was working. Te horse was barefoot behind, so i suggested shoes that were wider on the outside branch then on the inside branch to help him with lateral support. as soon as i did that, he started improving. Similarly, some unsoundnesses require therapeutic shoeing, meaning that barefoot isn t a good option. Kraus has had good luck using asymmetrical shoes as in the abovementioned case of the large horse placing the shoe s wider branch on the side with a soft-tissue lesion to offer greater support. Te narrower opposite branch allows that side of the hoof to penetrate the footing, thereby reducing stress to ligaments and tendons. Tis is impossible to do without a horseshoe, says Kraus. [ Bringing you closer to your horse... Fold back this side of the page to complete the connection

5 Find a Good Farrier Is your farrier well-qualified? In the US, it s hard to know: This country has no licensing requirement for farriers. The American Farrier s Association is the only US organization that requires farriers to pass a stringent test in order to become certified. It s a basic test, but it requires the minimum knowledge a farrier needs. Find an AFA-certified farrier at (search the Farrier Finder). Horseshoeing is an exacting skill that takes years of education and practice. Farriers need to know equine anatomy, biomechanics, metallurgy, horse-handling skills, and conformation. Before you entrust your horse s precious feet to a farrier, ask about his or her education and experience. MASTER CRAFTSMAN: A good farrier is an asset to your equine-management team INSTRUCTORS do you have clients... Learning "on the bit"? Who are nervous? That ride sensitive horses? Who sometimes get left behind? Have trouble riding "softly"? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, call now for a FREE VIDEO and learn how Rein-Aid can help you to help your clients. REIN-AID Helping You To Help Your Horse Rein-Aid Inserts $ Elasto-Rein $ or (800) DUSTYPERIN.COM 38 June 2011 USDF ConneCtion

6 T H E When Going Shoeless Is an Option C O N N E C T I O N It s your time together. Whether it s an invigorating liniment rubdown or a soothing bath, its distinctive menthol fragrance enriches the relationship with your horse. The Vetrolin brand offers a complete line of grooming products made to deliver professional results. if good footing is available and your horse has sound conformation, then going barefoot can be beneficial, especially during a break from competition, Kraus says. typically, that break occurs during the winter. Some hooves do very well in constant snow cover, while other conditions, like hard, frozen ground, will damage hooves, Kraus advises. if the hooves aren t holding up well, you can always put the shoes back on. But if your horse has conformational problems, or if your footing isn t so good and concussion is a problem, going barefoot might not be an option for you. another pro-barefoot scenario is if conventional shoes add too much weight to the feet, thereby causing the horse to move in an artificially animated way, like a high-stepping park horse. going barefoot, or switching to a lighter aluminum shoe, may restore the desired natural, flowing movement, Kraus says. if you decide to let your horse go barefoot, inform your farrier because he will trim your horse s feet differently: he will leave the foot longer, roll the edges so they don t break, and leave a little extra sole. he will also stay ahead of the growth of the wall to help your horse build thicker soles. (although barefoot soles can toughen over time, they don t form calluses like the ones people get on their feet and hands. according to Kraus, Vettec hoofcare makes a product called Sole-guard, which simulates a callus when packed onto a dry hoof. Te packing lasts for a few weeks and will set you back about $30 to do all four hooves, he says.) abrasive, wet footing and high activity are the enemies of the barefoot lifestyle because they produce heavy wear on the soles, Kraus says. if the wear rate is faster than your horse s rate of hoof growth, or if he s coming up sore, then he may not be able to grow soles thick enough to withstand the stresses of going without shoes. if you re determined to try your horse barefoot, then start by removing the shoes in the off-season, Lancaster advises but she cautions that this trial period may not give you enough time to be sure if going without shoes is your horse s best bet. if your horse has had shoes on for a number of years and you want to see if he ll do better without them, then that s a fair trial, Lancaster says. i ve seen people persist and say, i m going to take the time and keep him barefoot. Changes can continue to happen for a long time out, but taking the time to see what works isn t always reasonable with a performance horse. [ farnamhorse.com Official Grooming Products of the USEF and AQHA 2010 Farnam Companies, Inc Farnam, the Farnam logo, White N Brite, Vetrolin and Bringing you closer to your horse are trademarks of Farnam Companies, Inc.

7 The Half-and-Half Approach Some horse owners try to achieve the best of both worlds by having their horses shod in front and barefoot behind. Unfortunately, our experts believe, doing so is an imperfect solution. Lancaster, for one, prefers that dressage horses be either shod all around or barefoot all around. i see some dressage horses barefoot behind that are not using the hind end properly, she says. Tey won t limp if both hinds are equally sore; they will just lack impulsion and suspension and move with a stiffer back. Some riders or trainers might mistake that for laziness and push the horse too hard. if the horse has to be pushed to override his discomfort, a problem will eventually show up. if they were shod on all four feet, those horses may be more comfortable and not appear lazy. Kraus points out that hind shoes serve an important purpose in dressage: to help support the hind feet and legs as collection increases. in fact, he frequently fits dressage horses with a bit more shoe behind. So when the horse loads his weight in the haunches in collected work, he will have an extra three-quarters of an inch of shoe behind the hoof to give him some more support, he says. If the Shoe Fits Te goal of all hoof care is optimal soundness and performance. By remaining open to options, you help to ensure that your horse receives the farriery he needs at different stages of his life and career. For instance, even if he can tolerate going barefoot, you may discover at some point that you can t get the best performance from him, particularly as you move up the levels. Sometimes shoeing doesn t work; sometimes barefoot trimming doesn t work, says Kraus. Sometimes glue-on shoes are the better alternative, especially if there are hoof problems. Te point is that you have to do what s right for your horse. s Sharon Biggs is the author of in one arena: top Dressage experts Share Teir Knowledge Trough the Levels and Te Complete horse Bible. She is a dressage trainer based in northwest Indiana and a former Civil Service Club trainer at the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace. The Adequan / USDF 2011 National Convention & Symposium 40 June 2011 USDF ConneCtion