Home Blog BFB Hoof Boots Help Keep Britain’s Working Horse Heritage Alive

BFB Hoof Boots Help Keep Britain’s Working Horse Heritage Alive

jenny

June 19, 2026

Andy Robinson draft horses in horse farming Cavallo BFB Hoof Boots.

Andy Robinson Horse Ploughing with Cavallo BFB Hoof Boots

Who Is Andy Robinson and Why Is He One of Britain’s Most Important Working Horsemen?

In an age of GPS-guided tractors and industrial agriculture, Andy Robinson spends his days farming much as his predecessors did more than a century ago. Working with powerful Percheron draft horses, Andy ploughs fields, harrows crops, manages woodland and demonstrates traditional farming practices at the Weald & Downland Living Museum in West Sussex, England.

For horse lovers, his work is a captivating reminder of the partnership between humans and horses that built much of our rural world. For everyone else, it offers something equally compelling: a glimpse into a slower, more sustainable way of living that is rapidly disappearing.

Weald & Downland: A Historical, Horsey Wonderland!

The Weald & Downland Living Museum is unlike a traditional museum where artifacts sit behind glass. Spread across 40 acres in the South Downs National Park in Southern England, it preserves and interprets historic buildings, rural crafts and traditional agricultural practices from the area. Visitors can walk through centuries-old homes, watch lost trades being practised and observe working animals carrying out authentic farm tasks. The museum maintains livestock, crops, historic breeds and traditional farming systems, creating a living environment rather than a static exhibition.

As Farming and Livestock Interpreter at the museum, Andy is responsible for the care and training of the museum’s heavy horses. Robinson is part of a very small community of horsemen in the world who still possess the practical skills needed to work land entirely with draft horses. His four-horse team includes Percherons Thor, Kash, Ollie and Leon – horses that regularly plough fields, cultivate crops, pull equipment and undertake forestry work.

Lessons from the Land and the Horses That Shaped It

To many observers, horse-powered farming seems nostalgic. But Andy sees it differently. Draft horses can access sensitive woodland areas with minimal environmental impact. They compact the soil less than heavy machinery, consume renewable feed rather than fossil fuel, and create a close connection between the farmer and the land.

A local radio interview described Andy as a man who “loves ploughing” and is passionate about using his Percherons to work forests “in an invisible way”—a reference to the remarkably light environmental footprint horses can leave when compared with modern machinery. (Source: Shine Radio, A Singleton Man Passionate About Harnessed Horses)

🎧 Hear Andy’s podcast interview on Shine Radio:

Listen in!

Caring for Working Horses Starts from the Ground Up

One of the most striking aspects of Andy’s programme is the emphasis placed on horse welfare and the deep respect he has for his equine co-workers. To him, Kash, Ollie, and Leon are not pieces of equipment—they are trusted partners, each with their own strength, personality, limits, and needs.

Their comfort and welfare always come first, which is why every choice, from rest breaks to turnout to the gear they wear, is made with care. For heavy horses doing real farm work, hoof protection matters. Andy chooses Cavallo BFB Boots because they are designed specifically for the larger breeds, giving his Percherons extra support, traction, and protection when needed.

It’s a practical choice on Andy’s part, but also a deeply thoughtful one. When horses give their power, patience, and trust to the work, they deserve equipment that gives something back.

Why Protecting Giant Hooves with BFB Boots Just Makes Sense.

Working a draft horse places enormous demands on their feet, and top hoof protection is critical. Designed specifically for draft breeds and draft crosses, the Cavallo BFB was created for larger hooves, while retaining all the features that made Cavallo boots popular worldwide. The boots feature a durable industrial-grade nylon upper, shock-absorbing sole, flexible design and all-terrain tread intended to provide traction and comfort for large working horses.

For Andy’s unshod Percherons, these benefits are significant. The boots help protect their hooves from solar bruising or excessive wear on abrasive surfaces and provide additional shock absorption during long working days.

While the horses carry out the vast majority of their farm work unshod, Andy doesn’t take unnecessary risks with their comfort. Whenever they travel over the farm’s hard, uneven aggregate tracks made of sharp, local stone, work on ground that requires extra protection, or head into the village, the horses are fitted with their boots to keep them comfortable and confident.

Why Did the Weald & Downland Working Horses Go Barefoot and Booted?

Baling Hay at the Weald & Downland Living Museum

Like many good decisions involving horses, this one began with listening carefully to what the horses were telling their handlers. Andy and his team noticed a growing challenge. Two of the horses struggled with poor hoof horn quality. Traditional metal shoes were becoming increasingly difficult to keep on. Occasionally, a horse would misstep and catch the heel of the horse in front, tearing off a shoe. Because of this, there wasn’t always enough strong hoof wall left to confidently nail a new shoe into place.

Andy chose to look at the bigger picture. From both an animal welfare and management perspective, it was time to try something different. The decision was made to remove the metal shoes altogether and transition the horses to barefoot. It wasn’t a step taken lightly. Andy knew the horses would need support while their feet adapted, so two of them spent the first four months wearing Cavallo Boots to reduce any discomfort during the transition period.

Looking back, Andy doesn’t hesitate when asked about the outcome:

“Beyond a shadow of a doubt, it’s the best thing we have ever done for them. And the only reason we were able to do this is that the horses have their BFB Boots to fall back on when needed.”

Marrying Time-Honoured Traditions with Modern Comfort

Andy’s work isn’t about living in the past. While he honours traditional methods, he also embraces modern innovations that improve the welfare of his horses. Watching a team of Percherons pull a plough across a field feels like stepping back in time, yet those same horses benefit from advances like Cavallo BFB Boots, which help keep them comfortable and protected while they work. It’s a powerful reminder that while tradition deserves to be preserved, progress has its place too—especially when it helps horses live and work more comfortably.

Standing behind a plough with his Percherons stretching ahead, Andy is not simply recreating history. He is ensuring it continues to evolve.

Andy Robinson draft horse farming in BFB Hoof Boots

Want to join Andy on his historical journey?

Follow Andy on IG! >>

Wishing you many happy trails,

Carole Herder

President and Founder of Cavallo Horse & Rider Inc

I’ve spent the past 20 years dedicated to one simple idea: horses deserve comfort, freedom, and a voice in how we care for them.

What began as a search for better hoof protection became Cavallo — and a global community of riders who believe in working with their horses, not against them.

I’m still learning, still listening, and still inspired every day by what horses teach us.