Printer-friendlyTo shoe or not to shoe? I get this question many times a week from clients and non-clients who just see me working away.
Usually, I will answer with. Depends on what you are going to doing with your horse and where you are planning to do it. The many many articles that are written on this subject seem to come up with the answer. If your horse wears more hoof that it grows put shoes on, if your horse grows more than is being worn off then give bare foot a try.
I fear that the people that are against shoes are going to run into a long early retirement for their horses due to pedal osteitus and other degenerative bone issues. I guess in a few years we will start finding out. I don't like to gamble with living animals that are loved and cared for. I do worry that there are going to a lot of heart broken owners that are going to spend a lot of money on vet bills before putting their horses out to early pasture. Rather, I would love to hear about their trips and how much fun they all had instead.
Different breeds and the different uses we have for horses throws a mulitude of questions at us. I have friends that have thoroughbreds that can hunt cross country barefoot. My own horse, who was reserve champ at big halter Arab shows in his day would be dead in a few days if he didn't have shoes. He has a club foot and other confimational problems that I have to manage.
(I am not going into how a stallion with problems can get so far in competitions)
I will respond to any comments that people send me
Going barefoot
I own a horse that has been in shoes since an early age. He was originally trained to be a reining horse, but I use him for trail riding and occasional cow work here in Montana.
I asked my farrier to take off his shoes to see how he would go barefoot. He wasn't ridden much the first two weeks after his shoes were removed, but he walked very tenderly. It's been more than four week now, and he still seem uncomfortable when we go on a trail ride.
How much time should it take for a horse to get comfortable going barefoot?
Thanks!
Going barefoot
Hi April,
I see a couple of choices.
1 Put the simple answer put the shoes back on as he seems to be getting worse not better.
2 Ride him in boots, but be careful of rubs above the hairline. Some of my clients also put high visablity tape on the outside of the boot so they can find them should they come off on the trail. If you are motivated about going barefoot this could be the way to go but, be ready for a lot of learning and trying different boots which you might be able to borrow off friends to keep the cost down.
You will also need an area of soft dry footing to him on while the hoof and sole grow to a good thickness. This is going to take a good few months at least and may not happen in which case save yourself the insanity and just go back to shoes
Are you able to ride in the winter? This might be a better time to try light work and soft dry footing. Enjoy the trails now while you can.
Phil
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