Caballo Barefoot Trimming & Scoot Boots South Africa

01/09/2025

Giacomo's ingenius idea to use an tab glued on to stabilize a crack. So far the results are very promising.

28/08/2025

💥🎊💥 SALE now on! 💥🎊💥

Order any pair of Scoot Boots or EVO Hoof Boots and save 5% on your order!

WhatsApp 0733895245 to view our return and exchange policy and price list or to get remote or in-person sizing assistance from our seasoned hoofcare professionals

Sale ends 6 September

26/08/2025

Why hoofcare needs a good team...

Over the years, I've observed subtle or dramatic changes to the horse's posture and back once I've taken the horse barefoot. A very common one is a camped under posture (typically noticed when the horse hasn't been shod with caudal support) which starts to release as soon as the shoes are off and seems to improve further and stabilize to a neutral posture in about a month in most cases. Some horses with severely negative angles and discomfort in the body may be limited in how much they will improve in which case I look to composites and hoof boots and I am currently also experimenting with wedges. 

I have also noticed many horses brace with their front end and prefer to hold their heads abnormally high before shoe removal, and struggle to accept lowering the head to a more neutral position. This often changes within minutes of the shoes being removed. 

In my opinion it is ideal to perhaps take a step back from regular work as the horse goes through these changes even if he is fully comfortable on his newly bare hooves, instead focusing on hand-walking, liberty work, in-hand exercises etc (I personally don't like excessive lunging on repetitive circles, in this instance I walk with the horse and make sure we are doing a lot of straight lines in the session). Around 2-4 weeks off from ridden work can be sufficient to assist the horse's body to comfortably ease into the changes.

During this time I encourage massage and chiro sessions, and here's a big one - re-fitting your saddle. If your horse is used to holding his head relatively high and bracing and this is how his saddle is usually fitted, you can imagine how things may change when he adopts a new way of standing.

Attached are some examples of changes that occurred for various horses. While the one horse shows a massive back change within a month of going barefoot, the most mind-boggling for me is the first horse who was suddenly no longer on his forehand within 20 minutes of having his shoes removed. I pulled a full set of shoes with no pads and the shoes were of equal thickness.

24/08/2025

A twenty minute gap between top and bottom photos. What happened in this time?

I removed a full set of shoes off this 23 year old Thoroughbred with very contracted heels. He also did a two minute walk to check his soundness with regards to going barefoot.

I tried to help him stand better in the top photo when he still had his shoes on but to no avail. Needless to say if these are the improvements in twenty minutes I very much look forward to about three months from now.

I never get tired of seeing this change.

23/08/2025

I found my best chicken friend while the groom went to fetch more horses. 😍

And if you're wondering, why yes I did give him a little sniff.

23/08/2025

I found my best chicken friend while the groom went to fetch more horses. 😍

19/08/2025

Jochen Schleese and Christine Pinna will be meeting for a second Live session this Thursday at 8pm SAST (2pm ET).

During this session we will be discussing various alternative tree options such as leather trees, treeless saddles and ba****ck pads. We will also learn about what makes the Schleese tree unique.

We hope to see you there!

15/08/2025

What boot is best for my horse?

Always the one that fits!

We have a specific process in place to help you end up with the right pair of boots for your horse. This includes:

*Fitting assistance based on your and your horse's individual needs
*After sales support
*An exchange/return policy
*Accessories to help prevent rubs or help adjust fit
*In person fitting sessions in certain areas

To view our price list and fitting and return/exchange policy, WhatsApp Christine on 0733895245 or email [email protected]

31/07/2025

🐥 SOUTH AFRICA CLINIC - EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS TODAY!

🇿🇦 South African equine professionals and informed owners:

Don’t miss the chance to learn from The Equine Documentalist, Yogi Sharp, this October in Cape Town and Jozi.

Farrier, equine researcher and a finalist Farrier of the Year (2025 Equine Business Awards UK), Yogi Sharp, DipWCF, BSc(Hons), PGCert. will present his worldwide cutting-edge research and technology, combined with live demonstrations.

What will you learn?

A WHOLE HORSE APPROACH TO HOOF MORPHOLOGY

(MORPHOLOGY,
BIOMECHANICS & POSTURAL INFLUENCE)

➡️ Understanding hoof morphology
➡️ Shoeing for balance & to create the ideal
➡️ Measuring hoof balance
➡️ Connecting hoof, posture & movement

These full-day clinics also include a sand pit demo, showing the effects of base proportions on equilibrium, a demo using HoofmApp, and a live shoeing session.
This is a must-attend event if you work with horses and want to extend your knowledge and commitment to equine welfare.

Book now on Quicket (links below) Early bird ends tonight.

With thanks to our amazing sponsors
Royal Feeds South Africa
Onlinepethealth
Ridely App

JHB - https://www.quicket.co.za/events/320794-the-equine-documentalist-yogi-sharp-johannesburg/

CPT - https://www.quicket.co.za/events/320743-the-equine-documentalist-yogi-sharp-cape-town-cli

22/07/2025

The horse we thought would always have cracks (after having cracks for years) seems to be steadily changing to a more promising outlook. What did we change?

* Immunohoof added to her diet consistently
*Moved to a yard with BIG fields with good grazing from a small mostly dirt (mud over summer) paddock
*Continued monthly trims

We believe the additional movement and nutrients from the grazing as well as getting out of the wet has made a big difference to the quality of her feet.

There are so many reasons why a horse may get cracks or chips, from conformational or body issues causing uneven pressure, often in combination with extreme wet weather or sudden dry weather, or wet-dry cycles, mineral imbalances or too much sugar in the diet. Malabsorption of nutrients in the diet can also play a role, especially in older horses and horses with a history of gut-related issues. Lastly, a lesser spoken of cause - nerve impingement affecting hoof growth.

And to end this off... I'm giving the first 10 people who reply "Hoof Hygiene" to this post a FREE pass to our Hoof Hygiene online hoofcare course (link in bio) or for more info visit www.caballo.co.za

21/07/2025

This is such important stuff! How's your horse's chest look? What does it tell you?

Wide load coming through! ⚠️

I am super pleased with this progress, whilst they are not the perfect before and after picture set up ( because i didnt think there would be one so significant ) i think the difference really shows.

Finn was quite narrow infront and sometimes could actually look abit pidgeon toed but since all the rehab over the past year that " pinched " look has gone.

This is just the result of good hoof care, thoracic sling strenghtening, pole straddling and lateral work in slow walk - in some eyes its the " boring " stuff but it’s often the simple things that are the most important.