Transitioning your horse to barefoot: How to make the switch successful

In the first part of our series, you learned what prerequisites barefoot horses should meet and what advantages and disadvantages a transition entails. Now we move on to practical implementation: What is the best way to proceed with the transition? In this article, we show you how to choose the optimal time, prepare the hooves correctly, and safely guide your horse through the first critical weeks.

Choosing a favorable starting situation

The best time for a transition from shod to barefoot is always the period when the horse is required to walk on hard and/or stony ground as little as possible. If the horse has to move on unsuitable surfaces, hoof wear can very quickly exceed what new growth can compensate for.

Suitable times are, for example, the beginning of a period in the pasture or the winter months, as the ground is usually much softer here. You can also choose a period of forced rest in the stall during an injury break. The current condition of the hooves is also a decisive factor. The two pictures below show very good conditions for a changeover, here the hoof walls are intact and with removal of the shoes also loadable.

On the other hand, flared or distorted hoof walls are very unfavorable:

Photo 3: Extremely flared hoof walls. The walls are sliding over the horseshoe

Straight hoof walls: Crucial for a successful transition to barefoot

Due to flared horn walls, the connection between the wall and the sole at the weight-bearing margin is lost. The walls can easily break away, and the white line is significantly widened, creating an entry point for horn-destroying microbes (White Line Disease), while cracks and sand cracks can easily develop. This applies to both shod and unshod horses.

Here, the white line does not grow wider; the horn cells are merely pulled outward, becoming more vulnerable, softer, and susceptible to White Line Disease and, of course, trapped small stones.

Whether shod or barefoot: Your hoof care professional should straighten the horn walls from the coronary band to the weight-bearing margin over several trimming cycles, i.e., "flare correction." Maintaining this hoof care routine over a longer period allows the flared section of the wall to grow out downward.

Hoof wall damage prior to the transition

If multiple generations of nail holes and White Line Disease have compromised the horn so severely that there is barely any intact wall horn left, even a farrier can no longer meaningfully nail on a horseshoe. In such cases, an extended barefoot period is inevitably required. Quite simply, there is no other option left.

Facilitating the transition for the horse

Already 3 to 4 weeks prior to the transition, we recommend treating the hooves 2 to 3 times a week with Keralit Hoof Hardener . This significantly strengthens the wall and sole, results in fewer breakages, and allows horses to move more securely and with less sensitivity after shoes are removed.

Support from hoof care professionals and farriers

The care of an experienced hoof trimmer or farrier is particularly important during the initial conversion phase. When removing the shoes, only a small amount of horn is removed from the wall and sole in order to leave as much material as possible for the horse to "wear out". In the first few weeks, the farrier is not primarily concerned with correcting the shape or position of the hoof, but, as far as possible, with preventing the horse from becoming too sensitive and wall breakouts.

Professional assistance ensures that the hooves can be trimmed as conservatively as possible when the shoes are removed, preparing them optimally for the transition. Furthermore, the professional can show the horse owner where touch-ups should be made between appointments and how to round off the edges of the bearing margin. This prevents a large portion of wall breakouts.

Transition all four hooves at once?

As previously described: The better the initial condition with shoes, the easier the hooves will cope with the transition to barefoot. When planning to transition all four hooves, it is advisable to transition the hind hooves first and the front ones a few weeks later. The transition is usually somewhat easier in the back, as only about 40% of the horse's body weight rests on the hind legs, resulting in less wear and tear there. 60% of the horse's weight rests on the forehand, along with a larger portion of the rider's weight. 

Hoof boots as an interim solution

Hoof boots are also useful hoof protection, to help the horse through the changeover phase temporarily and in parts. But CautionMany hoof boots are only suitable for staying on the hooves for a few hours due to the way they are fastened, usually with straps, clamps or buckles.

Over a longer period, uncomfortable pressure points and chafing can develop on the bulbs or coronet, so they are not a permanent solution for pastures, paddocks, or stables. Furthermore, hoof boots must be properly fitted by a professional. A combination of Hoof Hardener and hoof boots has also proven very effective and is often used as a permanent solution.

Photo 9: Correctly fitted hoof boot (Photo: Hufschuh-Service Jung GmbH)

The first weeks after shoe removal

Immediately after the iron has been removed, we recommend a daily application of the Keralit Hoof Hardeneron the wall, white line and sole of the hoof. The first 2 to 3 weeks after removal of the shoes is the most demanding phase for the hooves. Daily application of the hoof hardener provides the best possible support here.

In addition, the hooves—especially the white line—must be checked daily for trapped small stones, and any sharp edges resulting from chipping should be slightly rounded off. In this phase, one should initially start cautiously with movement on soft ground. If the horse is not sore-footed, it can already be ridden during this phase. The question "Barefoot transition: How long not to ride?" cannot be answered definitively – the deciding factor is how the horse feels and moves.

Fundamental questions that one should ask regularly from the day of shoe removal and throughout the entire transition period are: 

• How does my horse feel?

• How does it behave in the turnout / under the saddle?

• Is it sensitive to pressure on the hooves?

• Are the hooves warmer or cold?

• Are the hooves becoming progressively shorter?

• How does my horse move on different surfaces?

If the answers to these questions indicate initial problems, countermeasures can be taken with these measures:

• Use hoof boots / hoof protection when riding

• Do not ride on stony ground

• Avoid sand and gravel in the turnout / paddock

• Continue to use Hoof Hardener on the sole, bearing margin, and white line

• apply the laurel ointment at the coronet band to accelerate growth

Once the most critical phase of the first 14 days has passed, we recommend applying Keralit Hoof Hardener 2 to 3 times per week for continued support. If the horse shows no sensitivity, movement and the strain from various ground conditions can be further increased.

It is important to keep asking yourself the questions mentioned above even after the transition period, as hooves that have largely transitioned can still experience significant wear when workload increases. Extended periods of dry weather with hard ground can also lead to brittle horn and increased abrasion. 

Should stones that have entered the white line are removedbe removed?

Among barehoof horse owners and also the "experts", there is always a discussion as to whether to leave stones in the white line or remove them. remove should be removed. A healthy barehoof horse with straight walls (parallel to the coffin bone) and a narrow, firm white line will have very few worn-in stones.

In contrast, the hooves in pictures 4 and 9 + 10 are hooves with an outwardly bent horn wall and thus a wide white line that is pulled apart. The white line does not grow wider here, the horn cells are only pulled wider by the bending, This makes them more vulnerable, softer and more susceptible to WLD and, of course, to stones that have penetrated them. It is very important to check the white line and corner struts.

Here, it is essential to check daily for trapped stones and remove them if necessary to prevent hoof abscesses. When two stones wedge on top of each other, the vascularized sensitive laminae are very frequently reached, allowing bacteria to enter and a hoof abscess to develop as a result.

If the horse becomes foot-sore: The right treatment

Treatment options depend on the cause. First and foremost, it is important that the horse is only moved gently on soft ground or with hoof boots. Stony runs, paddocks, and pastures should be avoided. A paddock surface with stones (pavers, concrete blocks) or sand can also cause excessive abrasion due to constant twisting.

Once the sensitivity has been overcome, the measures can be reduced. Support can also be provided with Keralit Laurel Ointmentto stimulate growth and, as already mentioned several times above, with the Keralit Hoof Hardener.

If a horse becomes lame after switching to bare hooves, no longer moves freely or becomes extremely sensitive, new hoof protection should be fitted as soon as possible. Basically, it is therefore very important to always have a feel for whether your horse is still comfortable.

Transitioning to barefoot - sensitive lamellae & laminitis

An overload-related laminitis is always caused by mechanical irritation of the sensitive sole dermis. In the case of transitioning to barefoot, this is caused by the mechanical stress from stones or hard ground when a strong sole and hoof wall have not yet fully developed.

Even later, a long time after the transition, a barefoot horse can still experience sensitivity in the lamellar region. Not only the horn of the hoof wall, but also the sole horn needs a longer period to adapt to the new load and grow thicker. Wall horn takes up to a year to grow out completely, while the sole horn grows out once in about 10 weeks.

How often do barefoot horses need trimming?

How often a horse without horseshoes needs to be trimmed depends heavily on individual factors. These can be, for example, growth, wear and position. Horses that have a good position and wear is in balance with growth require trimming much less frequently. The length of the intervals should initially be assessed by an experienced hoof trimmer. After the changeover, this is usually every 6 to 8 weeks. A few file strokes in the right place are often enough to bring the hoof back into shape.