GEOFF - UNITED KINGDOM
Profile: The LAZY M has been Geoff’s ‘retreat’ since 2001. His later start in riding and keen interest in horsemanship has NOT deterred this man at all. Within a year Lane had challenged Geoff to gallop his favorite Ranch horse ‘Dyce’ – BAREBACK up and down the hill to the creek. Geoff accomplished this in no time!
A few years back Geoff came over for his annual get-a-way wanting to buy and import a LAZY M Horse back to England . Lane would NOT part with ‘Dyce’ – a Ranch favorite. During this visit, much to Geoff’s dismay, there was another guest riding his ‘Dyce’ horse. Apparently this other guest did not have a very good rapport with ‘Dyce’ and Geoff later told Lane “It broke my heart”. THAT did it – Geoff and his daughter Natalie now have ‘Dyce’ in Essex , England!
While Geoff was interested in going barefoot when ‘Dyce’ first arrived – he did not have ANY support whatsoever at his stable or in his area. It was quite a leap for Geoff to remove Dyce’s front shoes (he had removed the hinds to begin with). Since doing this, Geoff AND ‘Dyce’ as well as Natalie – who is co-owner/caretaker/rider of ‘Dyce’ – have NOT looked back. In fact they are setting a GREAT example at their DIY yard, with Geoff being questioned and consulted ALL the time about his trimming because of Dyce’s healthy hooves. We are PROUD of the perseverance, as we know how difficult it can be with NO support! Way to GO Geoff!
Geoff's Comments: Having visited the Lazy M four times since 2001, I decided to buy a horse and just after my fifth visit Lane and Margie gave way and sold me Dyce. This was at the end of the first season the Lazy M herd had gone barefoot.
Whilst waiting for Dyce to fly over to the UK , I tried to find a farrier or barefoot practitioner near where I live to keep Dyce’s feet trimmed in the manner to which Lane was progressing but with no success.
Having found no support locally and having only had a few hours instruction from Lane, I was just not confident enough to continue the barefoot trimming on Dyce’s front feet as with the much harder ground his front feet were wearing (at least to me) at an alarming rate and unevenly. I then made the unhappy decision to have Dyce shod on his front feet as I thought I was able to deal with the rears myself, with the watchful eye of the farrier to ensure I was not doing any harm.
Front hoof - note bruising before hoof hardened - no problems now
Front hoof - note bruising before hoof hardened - no problems now
Front hooves - March, 2007
Front hoof - March, 2007
Once I had built up my confidence, and having had two farriers taking care of Dyce’s front feet in a little over a year, I thought the time was right to go barefoot on all four feet.
With this in mind I booked another two weeks at the Lazy M in 2006 and studied further with Lane, listening to all the problems and solutions he had come across with his trimming. I also had the opportunity to trim some of the Lazy M’s horses’ feet, which gave me much more confidence to “go it alone!”.
The day after I returned to the UK , I took Dyce’s shoes off and carried out an initial trim. The next few days seemed the longest in my life, with Dyce being really footsore having now to support his weight directly on his soles without metal in between him and the ground. It must be a bit like asking someone who wears shoes all day every day to take them off and walk over a pebble beach. Ouch!
After four days Dyce had overcome his footsoreness in the field and within a week and a half I was riding him with his Easyboots over the tough terrain of crushed road stone, dried clay and the concrete roads, with no noticeable difference to when he was shod. However, with his boots off he became footsore again quite quickly.
Nat on Dyce - March, 2007
Dyce waiting to be saddled
I continued to ‘tidy’ his feet every two weeks or so to help with the removal of the flare to reduce the separation and to assist the heel growth (the farrier had removed both heels on one foot to fit a shoe and it took about a month for these to come through).
After six months the transition is still taking place. The flare has gone, the separation has almost gone, the feet are hardening very nicely. Dyce is now quite happy to go out for two hour rides without boots and suffer no ill effects the next day.
Rear hoof - July, 2006
Front hoof - October, 2006 - six weeks after shoe was removed
However, one thing I have noticed is that if Dyce has been standing in a wet field all day he still needs to wear his boots during an evening ride but if he goes out first thing in the morning having been stabled all night, his feet are harder as they have dried out and he does not need to wear his boots. Roll on the summer!
I expect it will take some months yet for the transition to complete. I think patience, listening to the hoof and giving respect to the ground conditions is what is required during the transition period. The longer term is what going barefoot is all about.
The most satisfying thing to happen for me was for Lane to visit England in January 2007 and for him to see Dyce’s feet in the ‘flesh’, rather than the photographs I sent over the internet, and for him to say I was ‘Doing great!’
Lane’s training, guidance and patience with me has paid off. I just hope I can pass some of what I have learned onto other horse owners.
Nat on Dyce
Update 7/2007: It is now ten months since taking Dyce’s shoes off and the separation has very nearly gone completely. The summer is here (albeit in name only with all the wet weather we have been having here in the UK) and Dyce is walking barefoot over every type of ground from rough stone and smooth concrete roads. It is as if he has been barefoot all his life. With Lane’s support the long waited transition from a shod horse to a barefoot horse has all been worthwhile. Just take a look at the pictures. Thank you Lane for your support through the transition period.
Front Near
Front Off
Front View
Side View
