My thoughts on Barefootedness

I originally posted this on the It's About The Horse forum.

There are some people that believe that shoes have ruined the human foot (if you don't believe me just google it). They say that shoes have made our feet weak (not just the soles but the internal structures) and that the majority of foot problems occur because we wear shoes. In my opinion these people seem to have beliefs that are very similar to those of a so called "barefoot purist." Now I do not believe that these beliefs are completely unjustified. I am sure that my feet are weaker than those of my barefooted ancestors but in my day to day life I seem to do alright with good fitting comfortable shoes.

Now all of that is well and good but with both horses and humans all shoes are not created equal. Someone who walks around in high heels all of the time is going to have a much unhealthier foot than someone who wears tennis shoes. Being young and healthy I could probablly "go barefoot" if I really wanted to and I am sure that over time my feet would strengthen a considerable amount. Heck there are many long distance runners out there that run barefoot and more power to them. My mom on the other hand has a "pathological foot" and going barefoot for her would be a much more painful process. Would it strengthen her feet? Probably. Would she ever go "sound" barefoot? It's doubtful. In that situation is it really fair to make her live in constant discomfort?

I think that most horses raised with proper "stimulation, nutrition, and environment" absolutely do not need shoes. But what about all of the horses who didn't have that? What about the horses that have developed hoof pathologies that are extremely uncomfortable even on soft footing? Are there aspects of shoeing that are inherently damaging to the foot? Probably. But is a well balanced foot with a properly applied shoe any worse than my mom having to wear orthotic shoes?

Luckily, I have horses with healthy enough feet that I can keep them barefoot and they are comfortable. I am also fortunate enough to have boots that fit them well and only have to use them sparingly. If I wasn't this fortunate I honestly don't know what I would do. I know that finding a good farrier is difficult at best. I also know that it would be hard for me to shoe any horse that I owned. However, all things considered it would be impossible for me to leave a horse in pain and barefoot if shoes could make it more comfortable. Would it be like putting a brace on an elbow? Yes. Would I have the potential to damage the foot if I decided to work them with that brace? Absolutely. In the end I think everyone has to weigh the pros and cons and make the decision that they are at peace with.

Keeping Up With The Joneses

Yesterday was a wonderful day to be out with the horses and I took full advantage of it. My friends, Mark and Debbie Jones have a beautiful 26 acre farm that is only four miles from where the boys are boarded. The Joneses are involved with competitive trail riding and a few years ago, Debbie began studying Parelli. I had visited their farm previously, however since then they have developed an extensive playground. I knew it would be fun to ride over there so I took Eclipse and my friend rode her horse Cody. Although it was a little hot along the road, both horses behaved wonderfully and it was a nice ride.

Several months ago I saw an ad for Khanukatchmi, a beautiful young Arabian gelding. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford another horse but I told Debbie about him and it just so happened that she was looking for a new horse to start. She loved the pictures of him and as it turned out, both her existing gelding and Khanukatchmi were grandsons of Khemosabi. She wasn't sure her husband would go for it but luckily she persevered and is now the proud owner of "Khan". When we arrived, Debbie introduced me to Khan and he was even cuter in person. I played with him for a little while and he is quite a handful! Khan is definitely left brain but he has qualities of both an introvert and an extrovert. This guy has a lot of spunk and I am looking forward to seeing him progress.

After playing with Khan, I took Eclipse over to the playground. He really has come such a long way and is so much more confident now. It took a little time but I was so proud of him for going through a scary tarp tunnel and a car wash. He was more skeptical of the teeter totter (especially after it moved) but we ended on a good note. The last obstacle that we worked on was a tire pedestal and the end result was that he was able to put both front feet on and stand calmly. All in all it was a wonderful experience and I am looking forward to visiting the Joneses more often.