Monty Roberts on Barefoot Horses

“Nature will dictate the angle that is appropriate for the leg conformation that it compliments. The surface of the earth will do a better job of trimming than any trained farrier could ever do. The absence of shoes will tease and condition the foot to grow and produce the strongest possible tissues so as to sustain soundness” – Monty Roberts

I read this quote recently from an article written by Monty Roberts, one of my good friends and favorite horseman. I thought it was a beautiful reminder of nature and natural hoof care.

Did you know that in 2003, Monty put the barefoot ‘theory’ to test? He was asked to pay tribute to the American Mustang at the Rose Parade Festival in Pasadena, California. Monty took six wild mustangs and placed them in training. Three of them were from the Bureau of Land Management, the Federal Agency that is in charge of the wild horses on public lands. The other three were captured on Indian reservations and given to Monty by the New Mexican Horse Project. Monty and his team spent six months preparing the horses to ensure they were ‘bomb proof’. All of this was done with no violence and NO SHOES.

Previous years had seen horses take part in the parade with shoes covered in rubber or borium to stop the animals slipping. Monty was constantly warned about the dangers of possible slips on the pavement, unlevel surfaces and thrown shoes.

Monty and his team were proud to complete the five-mile parade with no slips, signs of lameness or discomfort, and no significant cracks or chips at the end of their six months training. Officials present at the conclusion of the parade were astonished at the fantastic condition of the horses and these hooves

Would you like to hear more about Monty’s barefoot discoveries? If so, please go ahead and like this post and I will arrange to share more of Monty with you.