Am i the only person in the world who doesnt shoe their horse?

No you are NOT ... I have recently become the proud owner of a rescued Standardbred mare, after an absence of 18 or so years gap since last owning/riding anything ... Had her a year and she has been almost a year (November 2009) since having shoes taken off. Her feet are fantastic. gets trimmed regularly - ridden on roads and some off road about 4/5 times a week.

YES - I get other people/riders comments like "oh you can't do that, you must get her shod" .... I feel she is more shorefooted. The other horse that lives with her, friends private land, has just fronts shod. The owner wanted to go barefoot, but was nervous thinking hers would be in pain etc. so gave in. Tried to question my choice etc. !!! The Farrier even admitted how good her feet are - so I am quite shore I have made the right decision to try it and will not go back to getting her shod now.

And, by the way, I have also gone bitless as a further experiment and so far she seems very happy with that. A big difference: didnt seem to feel comfortable with any bit I tried so ditched that as well 2 months ago !!! She is only 5 yo so still 'learning' ....

So with a bit of care and attention it can be done.
 
Considering going barefoot for my new very heavy cob but wondering if his weight would be a problem also as a youngster he is heavy on the forehand. Also confused as to the difference in a barefoot trim and a farrier trim, can i just get my farrier to do his feet or do i have to get a barefoot trimmer out.
 
3 of my 4 are barefoot. No problems at all with the barefooters, they compete weekly and 2 have been hunting barefoot alot before too. People always use to make comments but after explaining my reasons they are accepted. A few liveries have now gone barefoot too and there horses copeing amazingly and they are glad they did.
Iv'e got horses who have taken to it fab and others that haven't.
Lots of goldfish looks too when they see no shoes but even more when our barefoot horses which must "slip 24/7" beat there horses.
 
Pharaoh is barefoot :) He had fronts on for about 6 weeks but he was silly and kept striking out his front feet when I rode him so took them off again, to be honest he didnt really need them but we were worried the stoney track would hurt his feet. When he was out on loan they put shoes on him (was the norm at their yard) we werent happy about it but each to their own. We took them off as soon as we got him back and his feet are still great and rock hard (he's a NFxTB with the NF feet). I dont think I would ever put them on again unless I really had too - besides he's a sod to lead and I'd rather not be caught by a shoe!
 
op, you sound like you are on my old yard lol

my lads barefoot, has rock hard feet and is never sore , was seriously looked down on when i refused to get him shod.
 
I often get 'What's wrong with her feet' when people notice she doesn't wear shoes, it's a difficult question to answer without sounding condescending! I tend to just smile to myself and respond 'Nothing, her feet are absolutely fine' and think to myself 'which is why I don't nail bits of metal to her feet' :)
 
mine is competing elem, schooling adv med, and barefoot, and is also an ex-racing TB to boot.

he has super feet :)

i get the "whats wrong with his feet ?" comment a lot too, or at shows, "you do know your horse has lost a shoe...oh,er,um.....no shoes?"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
No shoes here too! Had them off a few months ago as I read up alot and really struggled to see what shoes could do for her. Turns out they did nothing good (and I am lucky enough to have a v good farrier!). She strides out beautifully, floats over the ground and uses herself better. We had a few chips at first as her nail holes grew out. No probs at all now.
I changed her diet to a barefoot friendly one just after I got her as it seemed a much more sensible way of feeding, so after about a year being more careful with her feed, her shoes came off. Just a couple of v slightly footy days which are related to grass flushes. She has lovely hard feet, they grow at a good rate and has lovely soles!
I just have my farrier roll the edges, she does the rest. Am so glad I had her shoes off, she is much better without them.

I am on a livery yard, if people notice and ask about her shoes I just tell them she doesn't have them - que blank looks! I am also the only one who didn't rug up every time the temp dipped below about 20 too, suspect I am classed as harmless but odd by those on the yard!

Can't wait for oh mare to take her break after winter sj, she is a v sensitive mare but I think will benefit massively from no shoes - am itching to get them off!! She is v toe first in her landing and quite trippy even just after being shod.

Fab to know there are more out there!
 
I don't shoe either, my mare doesn't need them and we manage to do everything quite happily and comfortably without. I do get an old busybody who comes out and remonstrates with me that my horse needs shoes - he can obviously hear her rock hard feet as we trot past his house :rolleyes:
My vet always comments on her good feet and is very supportive of not shoeing.
 
my two boys are both unshod!! both came to me shod allround. since having them removed they have marvellous feet and no more cracking/splitting/forever calling farrier for thrown shoes!! its great :D
 
All five of ours were barefoot too. one x TB, one x exmoor, one x coloured baby cob, one x arab and my highland. The TBs was just out of training and his feet improved greatly when his shoes came off. He was a bit sore for a day or two but afterwards he'd go over any ground.
 
good for you! my daughters pony is unshod and his feet are hard as nails, he is ridden several times a week on all terrain does all sorts of the normal pony club stuff with no problems at all, he is show-pony bred and very dainty, so, not your normal native stock type and he is just fine, it is great to not have to worry if he will lose a shoe the day before a show or rally! am hoping her next pony will be able to be shoeless as well, saves me a fortune..LOL
 
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