International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame member Esco Buff has been documenting a year-long journey of hoof-care with Jackson, a 15-year-old Clydesdale cross gelding.
In the series, he provides an example of when returning a horse to barefoot can work to the horse’s advantage, and as a continuation of previous care.
After receiving prior treatment, Jackson was observed moving comfortably and freely. However, during the final week of the shoeing cycle, Jackson’s owner reported a subtle but consistent return of mild discomfort. While the degree of lameness remained minimal, the timing suggested a mechanical etiology rather than recurrence of primary articular pain. Buff then elected to remove the shoes and return Jackson to barefoot management.
Buff explains this decision was made for a variety of reasons:
- Increased toe wear on the shoes.
- Rapid hoof growth exceeding the optimal maintenance window.
- The likelihood that increased toe length was contributing to late-cycle discomfort.
- Jackson’s improved physiological tolerance after medical intervention.
- The desire to simplify further while maintaining comfort.
Within 24 hours, Jackson returned to full soundness, moving freely without any observable irregularity.
“Returning to barefoot was not a regression but rather an evolution of the management strategy in response to improved physiological conditions,” Buff writes. “Jackson’s case continues to reinforce a central principle in chronic care: Successful outcomes are rarely the result of a single intervention but rather the thoughtful sequencing and integration of multiple approaches.
“Mechanical and medical strategies are not competing options; they are complementary tools. Knowing when to apply each and when to step back is what allows the horse to dictate the path forward.”
Read more about Jackson’s return to Barefoot in “Jackson Transitions to Barefoot” in the May/June 2026 issue of American Farriers Journal.
