The tradition of putting shoes on horses began in medieval times, when humans first started to stable and confine horses.
After a time in confinement the horses feet would start to deteriorate due to the lack of movement and near constant contact with excrement and urine.
The tradition of shoeing was born to ‘’protect’’ the horses feet.
Today, many horse owners believe shoeing to be a necessary part of horse management, and that going ‘’shoeless’’ will cause excessive wear to their horses hooves.

This could not be further from the truth.
Even a balanced, naturally trimmed horse can still require trimming on a four to six weekly basis – despite working on roads and other ‘’hard’’ terrain.
Wild horses travel 20-30 miles EVERY DAY over varying and challenging terrain, doing the things that come naturally – like eating, rolling, drinking and interacting and playing with each other. This near constant movement shapes their hooves into the perfect rock crunching, ground eating ‘’tool’’ to carry the horses safely over any challenging terrain they may meet.
Very few (if any) of our horses travel these kind of distances (and varying terrains) every day.
Your horse may not be wild, but with proper diet and movement and a consistent balanced natural trim he or she can enjoy the health, comfort and soundness that are natural for his wild relatives.

Greatly improved shock absorption Faster growing hoof due to better stimulation - and the faster it grows the quicker it heals! Amazing traction on all surfaces The quality of the hoof horn will improve The quality of the entire hoof will improve Stumbling or tripping may disappear Increased circulation in the hooves and legs Your horse is less likely to overreach or cause him/herself leg injuries No more worrying about lost shoes and finding someone to put a new one on.

Thermo graphical image of horse shod on right fore - note differences in heat (and therefore blood flow)

Owners who have changed their horses lifestyle to include the balanced natural trim have reported many more advantages then those above

Barefoot Aspects
Deciding to ‘’go barefoot’’ will be the start of a life changing and enriching experience for you and your horse.
When you first call your AANHCP trimmer, a few of the first questions he / she will ask is
‘’What and how much is your horse eating and how much movement does he get?’’
The answers to these questions will provide the basis for your initial consultation, and will point you and your horse in the direction that most enables your horse to heal naturally – inside and out.
Many barefoot trimmers agree that facilitating the healing of the horses hoof is 20% the trim and 80% the horses lifeway (meaning the movement, lifestyle, feed etc).

To best work with the horses natural healing ability you may need to make management changes for your horse – both in relation to feed, turnout and other issues. This will always be discussed at length with your AANHCP trimmer.