Hi, I’m Fran – founder of Barefoot Living at Oxhey Top – and this journey really begins with my horses. They’ve shaped not only who I am, but how I care for them. I owe everything to them for leading me down this path.

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Like many, I started out keeping my horses in a very traditional way. But over time, through experience, endless reading, and a lot of trial and error, my approach has evolved into something far more natural and holistic.

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I’ve had horses most of my life. I grew up immersed in the Pony Club scene – not so much a dressage diva, but more of a gymkhana girl with knotted reins and long stirrups! Following that I spent years as a happy hacker (I still am), dabbled in show jumping clinics, and enjoyed in-hand showing with my lovely Dales pony.

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After losing my Dales mare, I was briefly without a horse of my own – until my mum’s new horse, a talented German Warmblood, stole my heart. We went from trotting over 30cm poles to confidently jumping over 90cm. I learnt things I’d never tried before – extended trot, canter half-pass, flying changes – he made it all feel easy. But not long into our partnership, he began to show signs of lameness.

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Eventually, he was diagnosed with hock arthritis. I wanted to do more than just manage it with injections – I wanted to understand how to truly help him. That’s when I discovered the impact of shoes on joint health, and the benefits of going barefoot. Off came the shoes, on went the hoof boots, and we saw improvement... for a while.

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Unfortunately, more lameness followed, this time up front. We were recommended everything from egg bars to ibex filled pads. It was expensive, and I wasn’t convinced. Barefoot was still very niche and, frankly a bit taboo – but I took the leap anyway.

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Though we made progress, a later MRI revealed what no owner wants to hear: navicular, coffin joint arthritis, and DDFT tendonitis. Looking back at his old hoof shape, I can now see all the signs – but at the time, I trusted the professionals around me.

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I knew I didn’t want to subject him to endless rehab or box rest. He’d given me everything, so I gave him what he deserved – retirement, space, and movement. And slowly, with the help of a brilliant hoof trimmer, his feet began to transform.

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That experience changed everything. I began to notice how stabling stiffened him up, so I moved away from it wherever possible. I then discovered the concept of track systems – or ‘paddock paradise’ – and was instantly hooked. For Christmas in 2022, I asked for Amy Dell’s book, and I read the whole thing in one night. But how to make that dream a reality?

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Meanwhile, I had started riding my mum’s other horse – a foundation Appaloosa I’d re-backed as a six-year-old. He became my next project, though not without his quirks! He was a napper – for the novices or non-horsey folk napping is when a horse refuses to move and he would do this leaving the yard,  hacking, in the arena, or even heading home. He was the total opposite to my other horses, actually different to any horse I’ve ever ridden! In that though he taught me a lot.  

But we built trust, and he blossomed into a brave, fun partner in crime.

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In Spring 2023, I decided to invest in two new saddles, a jump and dressage saddle ready to step it up a gear. A week later, he was lame. I suspect a farm ride with poor footing triggered it. He was diagnosed with tears in hind suspensory ligament, and after a short, unsuccessful attempt at box rest (he literally bust the stable door off!), the vet and I agreed that movement was essential for his recovery both physically and mentally.

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With both horses needing careful, low-impact exercise, I had the time – and the motivation – to build my first track. They went onto it in May 2023, and I’ve been refining and developing it ever since.

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What started as a way to care better for my own horses has grown into something much bigger. Barefoot Living at Oxhey Top is now a place I’m proud to share – where horses can live more naturally, and where their mental and physical well-being is a priority.

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