Barefoot horses are becoming increasingly popular. Reporter Lesley Tate looks at the growing trend and considers the advantages.

Out riding the other day along a particularly stony and steep path, I was caught up by someone on a very forward going cob. My horse was picking his way gingerly, trying to find the least painful route and practically climbing into the hedge. But the cob was forging ahead in a straight line, seemingly oblivious to the sharp stones.

I commented on it and the answer came back; “Ah, yes, and he’s barefooted”. I was astonished. Of course I knew there were horses and ponies who went without shoes, but I sort of assumed that was in other countries where they were not expected to tackle hard surfaces.

I then learned that of the 40 or so horses at the yard where I ride, 12 were without shoes – literally, barefooted. Sheila Pilling, who together with husband, Tim, own Wilkinson’s Farm livery in West Marton, is a passionate believer in barefoot riding. And no wonder.

After spending many years and £10,000 trying to get to the bottom of what was wrong with her unrideable pure bred Spanish Andalusian horse, Abril, she discovered his problem was not with his back, as she thought, but with his feet. Abril has now gone without shoes for three years, he’s ridden on all surfaces and the problems that once rendered him unrideable, have all gone.

“I feel so strongly about barefoot, because for Abril taking his shoes off cured him. I was literally told twice that there was nothing that could be done and that he ought to be shot,” said Sheila.

Abril’s problems started not long after she bought him back in 2006. “He became pottery, his stride had shortened and he was reluctant to go forwards,” said Sheila.

After a period of rest, she called in the saddle fitter to see if it was a problem with something pressing painfully on his back. With a new saddle, Abril seemed better, but still not 100 per cent. Then started three years of bone scans and different types of therapy – all to no avail.

“I still had a horse who had a very sore back, was pottery, couldn’t walk down hills and nearly fell over when you tried to get on him,” said Sheila. “The vets had no idea what was wrong and I tried many physios all to no avail.”

Then, in 2010 after Abril actually fell over while Sheila was on him, a different vet noticed something about the way Abril was trotting and suggested getting a farrier to look at his feet to improve the balance of his hooves.

“My gut feeling was to take the shoes off, however the vet was totally against it and said the only place for a barefoot horse was on a prairie,” she said. A year later and Abril was suspected of ‘kissing spine’ – a painful condition caused by touching vertebrae. An operation was suggested, but Sheila had by now been investigating shoeless horses.

“It was three years ago when I finally plucked up the courage to take Abril’s shoes off,” said Sheila. “To start with, he was fitted with hoof boots and with hindsight, I was probably too careful and didn’t start working him properly for a few months. I now know that barefoot horses need to cover as many miles as possible, and the more work he does, the better he is.”

Now, Abril is comfortable barefoot on all surfaces and rarely has need for his boots. Interestingly, the well-used, but very stony bridlepath linking East and West Marton, which proves unwelcome to many of his shod colleagues, is perfect for Abril and any horse transitioning to barefoot.

Sheila’s horse trimmer, Julie Bailey lives near Wilmslow, and travels to Craven to trim the feet of not only the horses and ponies at Wilkinson’s yard, but many others in the area.

A lifetime rider, a BHS assistant instructor, and keen competitor in showjumping and dressage, she first became interested in barefoot ten years ago, took a course in natural hoof trimming and for the last seven years has worked full time trimming the hooves of around 230 horses. Julie fitted Abril with hoof boots and advised gentle exercise to start with.

“I suggested that because of his back problems she begin by leading him out,” she said. “Sheila did this a few times, but the soreness in his back disappeared so quickly that he was able to be ridden almost immediately. He was hacked out daily, gradually building up from a short distance to nine miles, and after a few months he no longer required the hoof boots and was sound on all surfaces.”

Barefoot horses still need to have their hooves trimmed every six weeks or so, although some can be self trimming, but it’s not so much trimming extra growth off, as “re-balancing” the feet.

Not all horses can go barefoot. Some, after many years of wearing shoes develop dysfunctional feet, and to go barefoot, means the right diet and the right amount of exercise.“The big problem is the lifestyle,” says Julie. “Horses need to be moving around a lot and they need lots of different types of terrain, they also need to have a very good diet with a low sugar content.”

“Abril is in full work and now there are lots of other horses here who are also barefoot, I just wish I’d done it earlier,” said Sheila.

To find out more about barefoot, visit Julie’s website, the Natural Hoof.