Natural Hoof Care - Barefoot Trim

Barefoot Trim

There are several styles of barefoot trim in use today, including the Wild Horse or "Natural Trim" (developed by Jaime Jackson) the 4-Point Trim (Gene Ovnicek), the Strasser Trim (one of the most controversial as horses sole and bars scooped out to widen the fron) and the "Pete Ramey" trim where elements of the wild horse trim are the goal but the process includes removing hoof wall and forcing the horse to walk primarily on the sole), among others. Some types, such as the 4-Point Trim can be used alone, or with shoes. Barefoot trims are marketed to the public as something different from the "pasture" or "field" trim farriers are trained to provide, taking into consideration hoof health and bony column angles, though each branded type of barefoot trim has its individual differences and there is no standardization or agreement between various barefoot advocacy groups. In contrast to "farrier trims," barefoot trims are marketed as an approach to high performance hooves without the need for shoes or simply as a natural approach to hoof care (depending upon the individual trimming method)though they are something different, designed by nature itself to maintain a healthy, sound hoof without the use of shoes, and aim to emulate the way in which hooves are maintained naturally in wild horse herds, like the assorted feral horse herds such as the American Mustang in the western United States, or the Australian Brumby, as well as of wild zebras and other wild equine populations. Wild horses have been observed by Gene Ovnicek as having a hoof that tends to make contact with the ground on four points, and the hoof wall does not contact the ground at all. But the wild horse studies and measurements gathered by Jaime Jackson, a farrier at the time and working in unison with farrier Leslie Emery (author, Horseshoeing Theory & Practice) from 1982 to 1986 dispute Ovnicek's findings (The Natural Horse: Lessons from the Wild, 1992/1988 American Farriers Association annual conference). The trim guidelines he created for the AANHCP require the hoofwall to be on the ground as the most distal structure - with the sole, frogs and bars also acting as support structures when the horse is on uneven terrain. This is said to be another difference between the barefoot trim and the pasture trim, where the hoof wall was left long and in contact with the ground. Like wild horse populations, barefoot domestic horses can develop callouses on the soles of the hooves, allowing them to travel over all types of terrain without discomfort.

Important to the success of the barefoot trim is consideration for the domestic horse's environment and use and the effects this has on hoof balance, shape, and the comfort of the horse. Included in the objectives will depend upon which method is being followed: 1) many other than the AANHCP suggest shortening the hoof wall and heel to the outer edge of the concave sole for best hoof conformation, and 2) applying a rounded bevel ("mustang roll") to the bottom edge of the wall to allow for a correct breakover (the moment when the foot unloads and tips forward as it begins to lift off the ground) and to prevent chipping and flaring of the wall.

There is some research, but no scientific double blind studies, which indicates removing horseshoes and using barefoot trimming techniques can reduce or in some cases eliminate founder (laminitis) in horses and navicular syndrome.

It is generally agreed upon by most Natural Hoof Care practitioners that the management of the animal (diet and boarding conditions) are the most important components for the success of the horse to be barefoot. If the diet is unnatural, there will be inflammation and the horse cannot be comfortable.