A quote from Xenophon's "The Art
of Horsemanship"...written over twenty-three centuries ago:"The
same care which is given to the horse’s food and exercise,
to make his body grow strong, should also be devoted to keeping
his feet in condition."This is as applicable today as
it was thousands of years ago. Man has worked and played alongside
the horse for ages. The cycles of life continue on, and
we are part of those cycles along with the horses that accompany
us.Modern day horse owners are becoming more and more like
horse "stewards", caring for all of their
horses' needs. We are obligated in these duties, as we are
the ones who have taken them from the landscape and confined
them. We are also taking a keen and more personal
interest in their feet--it is no longer just the farrier’s
responsibility. Listening to and depending on the
veterinarians, farriers, trainers or other horse professionals
to tell you what is right and healthy for your horses shows
respect for these professionals, but it is critical that you
are at least able to recognize when a horse and their feet
look normal and when they look deformed. Whether you
are able to trim your horses’ feet or not, knowing what
they should look like is very important. Stewards
are be able to have a detailed and very intelligent conversation
with any of these professionals if they are aware of some of
the basics surrounding natural hoof form and function.You need
to appreciate this fact: not every veterinarian, farrier
and trainer knows what a normal horse’s foot looks like,
nor do they all understand how they function."Do not believe
in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe
in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written
in books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority
of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because
they have been handed down for many generations. But after
observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees
with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one
and all, then accept it and live up to it" .......~Buddha
What we do know is that
when steel contacts a horse's foot, damage occurs. Large
numbers of essays, numerous textbooks and an increasing
number of dissertations have been written on the subject, but
what follows is a synopsis and my own interpretation of the
harmful actions that steel has on hooves:
The damage actually begins before
a steel shoe even touches the horse's hoof. A farrier's
preparation of a hoof for the application of a steel shoe is
extremely damaging in itself. A horse's foot never evolved
or was intended to be flat. The natural, life-promoting,
energetic shapes present in the natural hoof are disrespected
and disregarded when one prepares the hoof for application
of steel.
Nails driven through hoof
wall allow all manner of bacteria, fungus and filth as well
as extremes of temperature, to enter the foot. The natural
physical barrier to these things is breached multiple times
by the nails--these nails also effectively provide for the
structural breakdown of the hoof walls; their physical presence
leverages the hoof walls material away from deeper hoof structures. Often, when
a steel shoe is pulled off by a horse, the edges of the hoof
wall often go with it. The increased level of concussive
damage to the shod foot is well documented, and common
sense tells us that steel next to a horse's skin would be damaging:The
horse's foot is designed to handle the vast majority of the
concussive forces received from the terrain. When steel
is fixed to the hoof capsule, this responsibility is passed
off to joints, cartilages and ligaments higher in the horse's
leg and entire body. These joints and tissues never evolved
to handle these forces, but man has forced them to take up
this role that they were never designed to have. For
the application of steel to the hoof, the result is direct,
measurable damage to these areas.Let's also explore the
increasing use of pads and other concussion-reducing materials. It
is of interest and critical to note that concussion is reduced
to a level below what is appropriate in horse's fitted
with man made pads:There is an important and misunderstood
role that concussion plays when it comes to proper and life-giving
stimulation to the foot: The natural foot has the
exact concussion absorbing properties that are appropriate
for that horse on his home terrain. All of this marvelous
ability is stolen away when man interferes with the application
of artificial materials. Reducing this concussion below
what is appropriate disallows the vital stimuli needed for
the horse to produce durable hoof tissues, healthy cartilage
and ligaments and strong bones. The horse is immediately
set up and unwittingly asked to grow a weaker and weaker
feet and legs with the application of artificial materials. The
even slight increase of pressure on the soles of the horse
through pad material is inappropriate and also damaging,
as sole pressure smashes the sole up against the solar corium,
reducing blood flow in these areas. The sole can respond
with what can be termed a "dysplastic" kind of growth: this
is an abnormal growth development which can be thicker in the
short term, but is never as strong or durable as sole growth
that forms when a horse is allowed to have their normal feet
along with normal environment and care. Farriers misinterpret
this faulty growth as "healing" when in fact it signals
the early stages of hoof deterioration--these skin layers are
crowded and folded together due to an inability to flex and
naturally exfoliate. These abnormal growth patterns are wrongly
cited as "healing" or in many cases do not impress
or alarm farriers in the least, as they get very accustomed
to looking at abnormal and deformed shod feet...they work with
them every day. They are also accustomed to looking at
abnormal bare feet when they are ignorant of proper trimming
practices and proper hoof form. Pads also increase the
presence of moisture next to the horse's soles which is a good
breeding ground for further hoof-rotting bacteria and fungi,
which soften the soles in to a cheesy consistency, devoid of
any durability. Pads also prevent the normal respiration
and perspiration that occurs in the frogs and soles. The
reduced circulation to the entire foot and leg and body of
the horse through the application of such appliances can
only serve to provide harm to the entire horse's body in the
long run. All of these damaging things done to the feet
add up over time, forcing unneeded healing to occur, removing
life from the whole of the animal. Not just the feet
are taxed, but the organs and all metabolic processes. These
damaged tissues and their cells are only able to heal so many
times, divide so many times and put up with insults so many
times. Growth patterns become deformed extremely
quickly in feet with nailed on steel plates. All
animals die when cells and the organs they make up are no longer
able to divide and repair the damage. We should
be looking to cure such problems instead of covering them up
with pads and steel. This can be done quite easily and
quickly when proper hoof form is achieved (as discussed numerous
places in published books and on the internet) and proper
lifestyle (also a subject which countless books now educate
us about). The strength and durability of the horses' feet
will be optimal when these natural means are provided,
and they will far exceed such strength achieved using
steel and nails.Steel shoes provide for the horse a living
state of physiologic stagnation.Occasional and judicious
use of hoof boots can be used to provide comfort for these
horses, but are all but forgotten by farriers at times like
these. Farriers feel they are doing their best when it
comes to the "quick fix" to such situations, but they are actually
causing further harm.
We know that the use
of the steel shoe along with unsound horsemanship practices,
inadequate environments and poor diets drastically shorten
the lives of horses.
Farriery
is hard work. I shod at least a few horses of my own
every few weeks during my younger years, so I can relate
to the pain and strain that comes with the tasks: the
careful attention to detail, the ability to work well
with your hands, skill working around a naturally shy animal
and a caring attitude. None of these attributes are
being brought in to question. But here is where
the proverbial "rubber meets the road": No matter how
hard you work to learn how to shoe a horse, no matter
how hard that work is, no matter how difficult it
is to actually do the work..all of these things don't
make shoeing a horse the right thing to do. So, though
I can relate to the farrier's struggles, the blood and
sweat and tears, the dedication to a trade and the positive
work ethic, these things simply don't make nailing iron to
a horse's foot any more correct. When something
is wrong, it's wrong. No matter how much money we can
make at it, no matter how much of a tradition it is, no matter
how long it took us to learn it, no matter how much money we
spent learning how to do it...none of these things
will ever make a wrong thing right. Steel hurts horse's
feet, period. We have so many better options now. More
and more farriers are coming to understand this and are encouraging
people to get their horses barefoot every chance they
get. Still, many people are uneducated and just
go along with the conventional misconception that horses
need steel nailed to their feet in order to perform any sort
of tasks beyond simply walking down a trail. They depend
on farriers to tell them "What's Up?" Well, "What's Up" is
that we now know that steel damages horses' feet: every
time, all of the time, one-hundred percent of the time, every
minute that steel contacts a horse's foot, damage is being
done. So this is a "Wake Up Call" to all that go out
of their way to learn what's "new" when it comes to the truthful
base of horse-keeping knowledge.Farriers and veterinarians
and trainers and horse people everywhere must learn the truth
and tell their clients, friends, contacts, and colleagues that
the steel shoe is badly damaging horses and robbing them of
years of their lives To continue to knowingly and wantonly
do damage to a horse's foot by nailing steel to it is not acceptable
and will become more and more unacceptable as this knowledge
becomes more "mainstream". If farriers in the months
and years to come pretend they are unaware of this knowledge
and fail to inform folks around you about this news, they
should be held accountable for the damage done to the horses. This
does not have to happen. Simply learn what's going on
inside the horse's foot and learn how to recognize and achieve
a proper hoof form. Go further and educate people about
proper horse management. Mention that there is nothing
good that can come to a horse from the use of a steel shoe,
only damage. Talk about the judicious use of hoof boots. Let
people know how dedicated you are to the welfare of the horse,
and you will reap great rewards. If you simply want the
monetary rewards, you can have it, as there are good people
everywhere who are more than happy and willing to pay
for proper trimming and counseling about how to keep their
horses healthy. However, the personal rewards go much
further than this for most caring people.
This is about the truth.
As a bit of a mental exercise and
an analogy, I offer the following scenario:
I'd like to challenge anyone who
doesn't believe that shoes harm a horse's feet to this experiment: Let
your horse that has been shod for between three and six months
grow it's feet on top of steel for as long as you want, pull
off the shoes, leave it exactly the way it is or roll the edges
or even trim it ANY way you like. Then, we see how the
difference in wear looks in this horse versus my barefoot horse...we'll
just take some leisurely 15 mile rides once a day for three
weeks on some easy trails...nice and easy. Would you
care to hypothesize which feet are going to look of the same
length and structure after this three weeks and
ready to go for another three weeks? Could your
horse make it even for one of these rides? WHY? Your
previously shod horse will be in a world of hurt. Why
is it the de-shod horse is unable to walk and go to work
with his own feet? Well, his or her feet that grew
while on top of steel are of much poorer quality, density and
durability...they have been damaged the entire time they were
on top of the steel shoes, and they will chip and break away,
probably clear up to or above the nail holes given the damage
in the area--the horse may even become laminitic due to overloading
it's toes due to it's unfamiliarity with heel mechanism and
previously 'undetectable' separation...along with all the bruising
due to poor sole integrity...on and on. Many people believe
their horse can not be without steel shoes because they see
how sore they are when they are taken off. Steel
shoes truly have a sinister character when applied to a horse's
feet, as they ensure their own continued use and continue
damaging the feet all the while. I'm not sure
I could actually allow the following experiment to take place!
A veterinarian such as myself easily
understands how the presence of a steel appliance on the bottom
of a horse brings harm, and as other veterinarians, other equine professionals
and stewards come to discover the true workings of the
horses' hooves, they will not stand idly by while others
perpetrate such harm. Once good folks like your veterinarian, farrier
and trainer begin to better understand how the horse and
their feet are constructed, function, grow, offer protection
and allow proper and vital sensation for the horse to interact
with their environment, they will have gained a very powerful
new tool. However, as long as they ignorantly resort
to or demand the use of a nailed on appliance and a confined
lifestyle, they unknowingly, but precisely, provide for the
premature deaths of the horses they care about.
Veterinarian's
Oath (American Oath--Adopted by the American
Veterinary Medical Association
House of Delegates
in July 1969):
Being admitted
to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear
to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of
society through the protection of animal health, the relief
of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources,
the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical
knowledge.I will practice my profession conscientiously, with
dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical
ethics.
I accept as
a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional
knowledge and competence.
A word (or two) about
integrity and strength of conviction:
To begin, this is
just "facts of life" kind of stuff. It's also a
fact that you can count on that I will not ever ask you
to consider shoeing your horse with steel. I have
my strength in my belief about this and it is unwavering. If
I began to cheat and occasionally say to someone that "well,
this time I guess...OK, go ahead and nail shoes on"...or "gee,
I guess that horse can't do it..." These sorts of things
compromise my sense of strength and integrity--a very keen
sense of integrity. I do not sit on the fence or beat
around the bush on this issue. Steel causes a horse harm,
and I simply can't abide that. I have read and understood
the Veterinary Oath and I also have a
keen sense of integrity. Certain folks can advocate both shoeing
and going barefoot...I can not. This does not mean that you have
to be as steadfast as I concerning the use of steel shoes. You
are free to make your decisions based on the best information
you can gather.
In addition, many folks
aren't eager or accustomed to giving the world their views
about what they've learned to be true, let alone giving them
in a way that shows outright strength and conviction. So it's
no wonder that many of those folks also find it distasteful
or rude or egotistical when someone else voices such
strong opinions. Perhaps they surmise we ought "to
all just try and get along", or "it's a big tent...room for
everybody", or "we'll just agree to disagree". Once in
awhile, you're bound to run across somebody with strength in
conviction and rock-solid integrity that stands tall next
to a belief system based on sound convictions, because
it's those very beliefs that keep them strong. Though
generally unpopular, disliked and strongly ridiculed, a person
who holds strong to what is right and calls attention to those
that are wavering or those that are misunderstanding the information
is more and more a rarity in our world. I am keenly aware
of how it can appear as if I "know it all", or seem like "it's
my way or no way", but of course that's not true. Such
illusions are understandably fabricated by those who
would label and convict someone who takes a stand against
something so near and dear to them. This is "normal" human
stuff. The things they've spent their entire lives working
on are being called in to question, therefore I expect no less
than strong ridicule from these fellas to begin with. I
am encouraging them, often forcing them, to examine themselves
and their beliefs, and it's quite a painful process. I'm
really quite good at the exercise, especially in person. I've
had friends and other fellas that have shod horses for
decades break down and sob over this stuff when it hits them. This is
real and it is powerful. One can begin to see
the importance in my strength of conviction concerning what we
currently know as the facts in the case. It is not fine
for me to hurt a horse "once in awhile", or "just this time" or
to justify the act because "well, it sure would be convenient
to nail shoes on for just this Spring...". I realize
there are many, many uneducated/unaware people out there that
don't want to worry about the extra efforts it will take to
allow a horse their normal feet, so I am worrying about it
for them, and trying very hard to show them, in as many different
ways as I can, why this is so important to the horses.
Truly, a "barefoot-friendly" veterinary
perspective on these issues is difficult to find, but is so
desperately needed. I'm learning as I go along, and I
am not immune to personal attacks. I pick up ideas on
what is best to say and how best to say it, and I'll get better
and better at it as time goes on. Learning how to better
educate and more deeply influence those that have a difficult
time admitting and/or seeing what it is the horse needs from
us as their care givers is my goal. The feeling arguments
from both sides are helpful to me, and I trust will be helpful
to others in the long run. Certain things are said across
the wires, but I very much doubt they would be said if we were
standing together next to the horses.
As of now, in
a huge number of equine veterinary facilities the world over, natural
lifestyle and the natural barefoot trim are not even mentioned
as therapeutic options for lame horses. This
is highly unacceptable and is a disservice to the horses
we love. It is an omission that often stems from
ignorance, but one we have often seen that serves
the egos of those who use horses as simple tools, rather
than as the companion animals that serve us so willingly. As
this time goes by, veterinarians and other equine professionals
will have the opportunity to make the right decisions concerning
the use of the steel shoe. It is so obvious to some
and yet there are those that can't help but drive nails in
to the hands of the horse, even after being told that what
they are doing is causing damage. Whether from ignorant
stubbornness or an addiction to working with steel or
whatever the reasons, they will be held accountable
if it continues once this information becomes more widely
known.
There will be more and more veterinarians
picking up on this as the days go by, and the horses of the
world are going to be healthier and more sound than ever. We
will look at the horses in the future and see them as the magnificent
specimens of power that they are. Seeing one with steel
plates nailed to it's feet will draw criticism from those
that respect and love the horse. We have ways of
protecting horses feet (if needed), and they don't involve
steel.We have to start paying attention to what we know: It
is physiologically impossible for a steel shoe to offer anything
therapeutic or beneficial to a horse. Our responsibilities
and obligations to the horse and all our livestock are huge,
and it has come to this.As a
note to equine professionals everywhere, if you look at this
information and understand it, please digest it and begin to
apply it to the horses around you. Add this information
in to your repertoire as authorities on the health of horses. Folks
around the world are grasping some very fundamental concepts
of horse care and the care of their feet. We must take
a look at this information for ourselves, evaluate it critically,
apply our knowledge of anatomy and physiology, and become an
integral part of improving the health of the horse Truth
and knowledge are destined to win out; no matter the intensity
of the wailing and weeping, no matter the fierceness of teeth
gnashing, no matter how simple or complex the concepts
turn out to be, and also no matter how easy or difficult it
might seem to accomplish this honest soundness. Many
of us dearly love our toys, gadgets and contraptions--they
matter none to the horse.So, it does come down to
whether certain people have the time and dedication to achieve
an honestly sound barefoot horse. If they don't have
the time, they will need to ask themselves whether it's fair
to force the horses to stay with them. Perhaps they will
have to find some boots that will be comfortable for the horses,
or maybe it will be necessary to hire extra help to get the
horses moving...these sorts of things.This is leading us toward
a deeper respect for horses: using steel shoes will no
longer be justifiable. Steel "shoes" will no longer be
seen as shoes--future horse shoes will be defined as
articles that can be taken on and off at will. We
have so much more better ways of TRULY protecting the feet
than steel...it's difficult for me to even fathom using a steel
shoe at all, for we know, and so many farriers and other professionals freely
admit their evil, that these devices are simply not offering
anything beneficial to a horse! We can not continue
to apply them to horses and feel good about it. To
apply a shoe to a horse after becoming aware of what
evil happens to that horse is contemptible. That means
that if you're doing something even though you know it brings
harm, that you are doing something worthy of scorn. Doing
it before knowing this stuff is forgivable...I have admitted
freely that only three years ago, I as a veterinarian was prescribing
eggbar shoes, pads, impression material and other special shoes...but
now I can't do that anymore. I have changed. I
remember many horses that have died at my hands because I didn't
know of anything that would save them...and now I see horses
just like them and they are better in a short time. This
is life and death stuff, here, and that's why I use terms like "terminal" and "life-threatening" when
talking about the effects of shoes and poor hoof form. Even
if we didn't have any alternatives to the steel
shoe, it wouldn't be justified to use them to shoe horses
given what we know about the effects...we are above that. Thankfully,
we do have many options for horses to truly
protect their feet and get them healed and stronger with every
passing moment: the natural trim, based upon the rediscovered
and continually-improved understanding of the workings of the
equine foot, and a myriad of different boot designs, with more
coming all the time. We need to learn about using
boots and work harder on developing more user-friendly hoof
boots. Boots allow a horse's feet to have vital mechanism
with every step, and can honestly and completely
protect the feet, whereas the appliances being touted as offering
protection are actually causing damage.
The farriers are professionals
in the equine world. The horses and their stewards
count on them. They are in the ideal position
to learn about proper, natural hoof form and function: They
have the clientele with the horses, the love for the
horses and the tools and the knowledge of how they work. They
only need to study more carefully and apply more carefully
the natural hoof trim and counsel people on how their horses
should be kept! It should be perfectly acceptable for
them to encourage people on getting horses out of stalls,
feeding horses grass in their diet, and getting the horses
together in a herd where they can move each other around
to be physically and psychologically healthy.
"Hanging up the hammer for
a farrier leads to championing a cause that is noble and stands
solidly footed around a body of knowledge gained through the
careful study of the nature of the horse." T. Teskey
D.V.M.All truth passes through three stages. First, it
is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is
accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur SchopenhauerComing
in to this knowledge of the horse's hoof is a powerful thing! I
encourage those who have gained this knowledge to use it with
discretion. I encourage them to speak with conviction,
but maintain an open ear to those who have concerns. Listen to
others as they manifest their insecurities and ignorance concerning
the use of steel shoes. You will soon discover that all
the answers you provide for these concerns will flow directly out
of addressing their concerns. When you show how much
you care as well as how much you know about the horses and
their feet, concerns turn to understanding, and understanding
turns in to a changed life. This is the hallmark
of dealing with the truth. It is never too late to start
spreading the word. I know that fighting against the
current and against the mainstream is difficult, but once you
begin to grasp this information, a powerful energy will
be yours to embrace: the power of the truth--the power
to heal--the power of the horse.
Very sincerely, and truthfully
yours,
