Wednesday 28 April 2010

Genetics...really?


I was talking to a vet last night who was interested in the rehab we do here. She told me that she recommends barefoot for the "horses who can cope" but that lots of horses can't - particularly thoroughbreds, with flat feet and poor hooves, which she said was due to genetics - they haven't been bred to have good feet.

I told her about Frankie, an ex racing TB, with flat feet. From the photo, you can see that he has a radically changing hoof, which will be a rather nice, concave hoof once it has grown down... Since we haven't changed his genetics, perhaps there is something else going on :-)

5 comments:

Cristina said...

Yes - Frankie's one of those TBs that can't go barefoot ;-) luckily he doesn't listen to vets and farriers.

Clare said...

This is something I hear all the time . . . there is always a valid reason that "their" horse is unable to go barefoot and I think the owners truely believe it too! but I guess most people don't have the driving force to look at other options or start researching barefoot "if it ain't broke!" etc etc

Cristina said...

You can't blame them though - most people are not going to go against their vet's and farrier's advice - I didn't for a long time.

Nic Barker said...

No, you can't blame owners OR vets and farriers - thats why its so important that vets are involved whenever horses come here. Once they have seen what can be achieved then they start to get interested, but we need to give them evidence :-)

Cristina said...

True - it's difficult all round to go against what you've always been told and have been received wisdom for years.