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Post by Amanda Dolby on Jan 3, 2008 19:05:31 GMT 1
Jen1 - Nothing wrong with being apicture ( visual ) person and you know your horse ankle is a fetlock( careful you may start sounding acedemic)BUT the thing is you KNOW the correct picture as Dr Deb says" know the picture you don't need to kno wthe name of the muscle"
now this is great because just imagine if you know the name of the bone/muscle but can't see if the picture looks right or feel if its right - bit of a mess there I'd say!
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Post by kt with Hanni on Jan 3, 2008 19:09:16 GMT 1
Me! I don't know much about it!:-)
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Post by Casper on Jan 3, 2008 19:31:36 GMT 1
I don't pretend to know an awful lot about barefoot. But I did do a lot of research before going down this route for Bobby and then Clover, as I felt I owed it to them to do that before deciding to go on the barefoot journey. I think you have to have at least some appreciation of what a good foot looks like, what a bad foot looks like, what you are striving for etc. Sometimes I think things were a lot easier when I didn't look into feet so much - but there you are! For us it was the best thing I have ever done for my horses, but it isn't right for everyone, I appreciate that.
At the risk of sounding like a complete anorak, I consider it is my responsibility/duty to have a good knowledge of what is going on with my horse's feet.
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Post by Catrin on Jan 3, 2008 19:52:57 GMT 1
... I've read Paddock Paradise ... Now that I can understand. It's a brilliant book about herds, bands, terrain and movement and a bit about feet too. I can cope with and even enjoy that, but the effect of Zinc, Methionine, Calcium and Copper as opposed to something similar with Zinc Methionate as well. Then I think it's time to accept that the EP has expertise and I have to trust him to apply it wisely.
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Post by rhillahorse on Jan 3, 2008 19:55:58 GMT 1
I'm no BF anorak. Tex eats grass galore, has had no boots or conditioning work and is trimmed by a farrier. He's sound as a pound (yikes! touch wood!). However, I am looking at horse's hooves with an increased interest, to the point of peering over people's shoulders when they're picking hooves out, so I may be on the road to becoming a BF anorak. And jen1 - purleease! You are SUCH a BF anorak, don't even try to deny it!
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Azrael
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 2,733
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Post by Azrael on Jan 3, 2008 20:03:18 GMT 1
I'm a bit anoraky about the trimming and have learnt to do it myself, and can figure out for myself what 'stuff' to put on the feet if needed (none most of the time), what conditioning to do, whether boots or pads are needed etc.
But the whole diet thing.. I do give my horses a low sugar, high fibre diet, and the ones that shouldn't have too much grass are restricted. But by now I've faffed about with so much diet stuff recommended by others that either did nothing or even made things worse that I've given up and gone for simple LoCal, Speedibeet, Safe & Sound, salt (plus some not foot related supplements for Mia) and they're all doing great on the simple version that isn't calculated to have the exact right amount of everything with all the latest ideas on feeding for fabby feet included.
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Post by gordo on Jan 3, 2008 20:10:10 GMT 1
Ok, so I admit I do boot, take care to feed low sugar nosh and magnesium and get a warm feeling when I see his frogs improve and his soles concave so guess I am keeping an eye out!! I guess that being forced into BF by his complete refusal to be shod meant I went into it blindly and without prior experience.
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Post by butterfly on Jan 3, 2008 20:31:28 GMT 1
it makes my brain itch!!!! What a great way of explaining the way your brain goes when the going gets a bit confusing .... that makes me feel so much better cos my brain itches for ages when I am learning something new.
As for BF .... I want to learn more but there are soooo many opinions. My horses live out most of the time, eat low sugar and lots of forage ... not many supliments ... salt and water.
They are all slightly overweight and under worked. My main pone has boots for when the weather is wet.
Can I be a BF anorak please!!!!
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Post by june on Jan 3, 2008 20:49:11 GMT 1
I think it depends on the route you took to go barefoot and how many issues you've had whether or not you need to do the research. We've got about 30 barefoot polo ponies here so I don't have any choice but to take an interest and to be able to tidy up their feet in between trims if necessary. I've done 2 KC La Pierre courses and was abolutely amazed how much there was to know about feet. As Caspar says, life was much easier when I left the farrier to put shoes on the horse and thought he'd done a good job if the shoes stayed on and the horse was sound.
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Post by Louise C on Jan 3, 2008 21:04:55 GMT 1
I'm no expert - Flynn was unshod before he started being trimmed by an EP but it didn't take an expert to know that it wasn't a good trim - when an EP came along it made life so much easier for both of us - but TBH my trimmer is so knowledgeable it's frightening! So I stick with what she says and Flynn doesn't have any problems with his feet so I've never needed to know more.
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Post by justjo on Jan 3, 2008 21:05:01 GMT 1
Flame is barefoot now and we have the farrier trim every 6 weeks. What is the difference between a farrier and an EP? I know little about either being barefoot or the above question so would be interested to learn. Flame had sore feet to begin with but I followed instruction from the farrier about a hoof hardener and he is fine now, that is the limit of my experience and knowledge though I wouldn't dare trim myself.
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Post by fin on Jan 3, 2008 22:43:34 GMT 1
Lol, I can probably cite chapter and verse on sugar and manganese levels in horse foods and how can anyone not be fascinated by the difference between zinc yeast, zinc oxide, and zinc methionate? Well, OK, I can actually see why it isn't really very interesting (really, it isn't), but like June says, it depends what challenges you're set. In our case knowing to the last kg what's in the horse's diet has been absolutely necessary just to get any improvements in soundness at all. We're not there yet but at least now we have a good idea of why Plus of course sonny wants to train to be an EP, so we're doomed to be sad Hoof Geeks I think. I still have no idea how to ride in a straight line or do a decent sitting trot tho--horse has been broke for too long! SO I suppose we have to amuse ourselves where we can.......
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Post by Susan on Jan 3, 2008 23:11:09 GMT 1
gordo.. oh to be ignorant... such bliss
but I havent been now for so long.. and have been considered such a sad anorak for such a long time,. hubby takes P at how pics I have of horses feet! even been known to take them of the poor Andy's in Mijas! whilst hubby hid..
But I still sat back on my laurels and allowed my so trusted farrier to ruin my horses feet.. and that will not happen again.. and honest Gordo if you have been on here for a few years you would know me from old.. perhaps you do.. and think OH no not her again
I am not saying you need to go on trim courses or be able to do it yourself but I feel we should not trust others to have that full responsibility without taking some of it on our shoulders for our horses sake.
The more you learn has to be helpful to you and your horse and not only that you can join us sad anoraks...
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booboo
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,009
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Post by booboo on Jan 4, 2008 0:28:48 GMT 1
Yeah me too. I'd become interested in barefoot a few years ago and one of the reasons why my horse appealed to me so much when I was looking (other than he is completely gorgeous of course!) was that he had good feet and was barefoot. I was gutted on the day I went to collect him they'd 'kindly' had him shod for me!!
Anyway, my boy is trimmed by the farrier who is quite clued up on barefoot and is due his 3rd trim since I've had him (Sept).
I do always keep an eye on barefoot threads though for useful info and updates.
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Post by jen1 on Jan 4, 2008 1:02:16 GMT 1
Jen1 - Nothing wrong with being apicture ( visual ) person and you know your horse ankle is a fetlock( careful you may start sounding acedemic)BUT the thing is you KNOW the correct picture as Dr Deb says" know the picture you don't need to know wthe name of the muscle thanks, rj im not a geek i havnt read enough to be a geek, having 10 here they are all differant and having barney who is metaboilic has tought me a lot, and still doing do, i cant wait for my proper barefoot tracks to be built for him so we can start to have rock crunching feet, mi cows trashed my other, boo hoo,
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