Not so long ago, this topic would not even have been thought about in South Africa; now some are seriously considering it. Crazy? Shoeless and clueless? Most think so, but perhaps  they don’t realise that around the world to compete on a shoeless horse over distance has been written into the FEI rule books and accepted as being the norm. Perhaps they’re not aware of   long-time competitive international endurance riders who have switched to the barefoot approach and have won and  are still winning 160km and multi-day 80km a day rides on barefoot horses! These horses don’t last only 1 or 2 seasons – their training ensures their hoof structures are strong prior to their body fitness which enables them to do the distance.  But be warned, this is not for those who seek instant gratification of competition success, no, by going barefoot the rider needs to change his/her training plan and consider their horses hooves and train according to the hooves pace. Build those hooves up well, take the time it takes for them to adapt and strengthen by exposing them to a variety of surfaces or terrain and you’ll be building a solid foundation to add speed to, and you’ll soon realise your times are better than most as your horse will have quicker recovery times as well as be able to choose the best path to travel as by being barefoot their proprio receptors enable them to feel the ground over which they travel.  However,   if you are in a hurry because you want to be competitive NOW or want to get some runs on the board to sell a horse overseas, then this is not the route for you, unfortunately for your horse. It takes time, especially if your horse has already been shod more or less full-time for a couple of years, depending on the quality of the shoeing and the individual horse. Balanced trimming, time and dedication from the rider is required to build up the hooves – as without the correct stimulation the hoof structures cannot build the support that’s necessary to carry the weight of the horse and their rider for any amount of distance.

 If you want to be inspired about what can be achieved in endurance barefoot and aren’t aware of  early achievers , visit http://www.horseridingfun.com/barefootin.html the site of Darolyn Butler-Dial, a long-time endurance competitor in the US who has switched to barefoot and frequently has horses in the top ten at 50 and 100 mile and multi-day rides, including winning and best conditioned. One of her horses also ran the completed 2005 World Equestrian Championships 160km totally barefoot in the abrasive sands of Dubai, in a very creditable time of 9hrs 23

A number of local riders are also performing very well on their barefoot horses.  One of the pioneers of barefoot riding in South Africa is Laura Seegers,  visit  http://www.endurancehorse.co.za.

There’s no question, making this transition is not without its difficulties. Ideally, one would never put shoes on their horse to begin with, and then you wouldn’t have to deal with the issues. Natural hoof care starts at birth, literally. Recognize that a wild foal may have to run 15 or 20 miles the day it is born, and then keep that pace for most of its life. That’s the foundation for the perfect hoof, but, unfortunately, our pampered domestic equines don’t get that advantage.
 

Natural Hoof Care is meant to emulate that perfect foot, but it’s not just trimming the foot—it’s a lifestyle. Just like the secret to weight control in humans is changing one’s lifestyle, developing a sound, barefoot horse is changing HIS lifestyle. Along with the proper trim, the horse needs movement to keep the hoof pumping blood through it and keeping it healthy, so 24/7 turnout is highly recommended. And the more you can ride them, the better.