Any barefoot eventers?

ihatework said:
Oh I’ve been out with a big drag hunt on a number of different horses. The experience is completely different to Eventing. Both pose challenges, just different ones. I’d be just as happy to go barefoot out dragging as I would shod and unstudded (in fact I may even prefer it given studding our hunting is not feasible with the roadwork). I would respectfully suggest that given your last attempt at a Novice course was in 2005 that things have evolved since then.
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Totally agree. The bigger tracks are so much more technical these days, not just huge jumps. The horse and rider need all the help they can get to get round so unless you are willing to pull out of competitions due to weather conditions you need shoes with stud holes (if you want to be competitive).
 
I think that there are too many variable for a definite answer.

A lot depends on how balanced the horse and rider are IMO. The going obviously has an impact too and if horse and rider have schooled over various terrain.

I also wonder if a horse that has never been shod copes better than a transitioned horse.

Definitely not an eventer but my QH gives me heart failure regularly with his antics. We have a big mound/bank of earth in one paddock (approx 8ft high and5m long) and he gallops up it, along then jumps off it and turns 90 deg within on stride to make through a gate before leaping over puddles at the entrance. Hes never been shod and despite the slippiest of conditions hes never slipped (I'm not counting his purposeful "sliding stops" within my of the fences before rolling back and galloping away 😏).

The cob is similar in that hes never been shod and, while he is far less athletic, he never slips even when having a carry on.

Then the transitioned ex racer is always skidding about, falling over his own hooves and pulling muscles. He might just be a clumsy lump or maybe hes used to more grip? He doesnt have a healthy hoof shape either after years of questionable.shoeing (if the shoeing job he arrived with is anything to go by)

Not that I'm comparing high jinx to eventing but horses for courses.

You know your horse, their balance and ability, along with your own, so make the call depending on what is right for you.

To be very competitive ever little helps but if that's not a big consideration then "you do you". If you're both comfortable, safe and able to make good decisions then crack on
 
I've got a friend who events barefoot, though I don't know what level she does (looks big to me but probably not much more than 1m). She did Badminton Grassroots a few years ago on her gelding, who has never been shod. She does dressage on grass and always seems to be having a busy, fairly successful eventing season. Never seems to have issues slipping. I wonder if it can make a difference whether the horse self-trims or is trimmed by a farrier?
 
ycbm said:
If we are going to say that eventing can only safely be done with studs, we need, I think, to consider the impact of removing the stress-releasing function of slipping. I found this interesting, there are also other papers on the subject:

http://www.internationaleventingforum.com/the-use-and-effect-of-studs/
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It is interesting. I am certainly not an advocate for over-studding as clearly this poses as much of a safety risk as eventing barefoot, in my opinion. At the end of the day you have to know your horse, be realistic about your capabilities as a rider and be clear about what you want to achieve to decide what is best for your own particular situation.
 
Upthecreek said:
It is interesting. I am certainly not an advocate for over-studding as clearly this poses as much of a safety risk as eventing barefoot, in my opinion. At the end of the day you have to know your horse, be realistic about your capabilities as a rider and be clear about what you want to achieve to decide what is best for your own particular situation.
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Absolutely. It can be done, it depends on your horse's strength and balance, your ability to help it, your own gumption to give a horse confidence, and your own objectives. Theres no problem with whatever choices people make about shoes and studs if they feel it's right.

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I think there will always be exceptions, I used to groom for a connie x tb that was only shod when it went advanced. But again that was 10 years ago now and the courses really have changed so it would be impossible to say whether he would cope these days.

I wonder how much the horses natural stride plays a part, it seems to me that those with a more upright ponyish stride would fare better than those with a more open type of stride. If the legs are going 10 to the dozen then a slip will be recovered more quickly.
 
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milliepops said:
I think there will always be exceptions, I used to groom for a connie x tb that was only shod when it went advanced. But again that was 10 years ago now and the courses really have changed so it would be impossible to say whether he would cope these days.

I wonder how much the horses natural stride plays a part, it seems to me that those with a more upright ponyish stride would fare better than those with a more open type of stride. If the legs are going 10 to the dozen then a slip will be recovered more quickly.
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The upright stride makes sense. Some animals are just surefooted anyway. I don't know what determines it. Reflex, balance, caution? The beast is like that. He's 16.1 with a long body but he's very agile and also very careful of himself.
 
I've not affiliated BE but have jumped and done xc in all weathers barefoot with my old horse - surefooted as anything. I got some good results and slipped less than some of the studded horses. I'd love to jump again with my new one but this one has a completely different mentality to jumps so I wouldn't risk it.

I rode differently than when he was shod, to when he was barefoot I have to be honest but the results were no different in my opinion.

If you want to follow BE who compete barefoot, facebook is better there's a few blogs/vlogs up with various riders. Try barefoot eventing UK. LAst I checked they were doing well.. might check in myself!
 
Ouch! Presumably no studs, rock hard ground.

I think in response to the OP, you can’t generalise; the pertinent factor is it depends on how surefooted and balanced their own horse is, for the height being jumped,
the speed they are going at, the ground conditions etc.

I entirely agree studs bring their own risks by the way.

The sure footed pony stride point is interesting Mr H (in the video) is a short striding pony! A few years ago I rode my ex-racer in unaffiliated events, long strided, flat footed, unbalanced, bad steering and no brakes - never slipped!😂

ycbm said:
No rain, shod horse.



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Following this with interest as I really don't fancy shoeing Skylla...

She's been fairly surefooted so far (training and baby events only so far), the ground was atrocious at the hunter trails champs which made me question leaving her bare, but she actually did a fairly fast round despite me thinking we were taking it steady and my friends said just as many shod horses had issues on the ground too. So I think I'm just going to keep going barefoot and see what happens, as it is super unlikely we'll get to any decent height lol!!
 
This is probably a silly question, but can you use boots on a barefoot horse at a competition? That seems like the best compromise if allowed, to be able to keep the horse barefoot if it is happy and sound, but to increase surefootedness with ’grippy’ boots when conditions demand.
 
No boots allowed at BE. By dispensation with vet letter for a limited time at BD. Dont know about BS.

I would never, ever, jump in hoof boots.
 
There’s a kiwi rider, Kate Hewlett, who showjumps 1m40 in scoot boots. Back in the day she evented successfully to advanced with unshod horses. I think the stallion Internet was only shod when he was approaching 4* as he was certainly barefoot when I met him in NZ but was shod at Badminton and Burghley. (this was more years ago that I really want to admit though...)

With my little horse I wouldn't even contemplate eventing him barefoot (or in shoes to be fair!) as he has no sense of self preservation and his quick, daisy cutter type movement lends itself to him slipping and falling regularly. He is more balanced under saddle now but when left to his own devices being led or loose, he slips a lot. He is not a great advert for the barefoot movement in that regard! I think if barefoot you have to be more prepared to ride differently or withdraw if ground conditions aren't spot on.
 
Reacher said:
Ouch! Presumably no studs, rock hard ground.

I think in response to the OP, you can’t generalise; the pertinent factor is it depends on how surefooted and balanced their own horse is, for the height being jumped,
the speed they are going at, the ground conditions etc.

I entirely agree studs bring their own risks by the way.

The sure footed pony stride point is interesting Mr H (in the video) is a short striding pony! A few years ago I rode my ex-racer in unaffiliated events, long strided, flat footed, unbalanced, bad steering and no brakes - never slipped!😂
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ouch as in the hooves on the ground or studs?

for us rock hard ground was awesome to compete on barefoot. A sound bare hoof is best on that terrain in my experience anyway as the hoof has maximum shock absorbing ability and superior grip.

It was when he was shod I hated the hard ground because he got concussion lami the day after a course once. Then again his hooves were shot in shoes.
 
i have eventing mine absoultetly fine barefoot , never had any issues , i am careful what ground he jumps on but this is same rule as if he had shoes on , i have had more problems with shoes and studs and hes slipped than when he had shoes on
 
Haven't read most of the second page, but in my limited experience of my own horses. I would say that a horse who is used to hunting should for the most part be fine eventing on the XC and for my IDx who has shoes and studs i find them far, far more useful in the dressage and SJ phases than XC, yes courses are becoming more twisty etc but at the low levels they are still fairly straight forward. If i have shoes i would always opt for studs as i believe horses with shoes only are at a higher risk of slipping than a barefoot horse. I also have a cob who is barefoot, she is fine XC but struggles again in the SJ and to an extent in the dressage she is much better balanced than the big horse.
 
For the last maybe 10 years ish, we have had two horses competing up to 1m Aff BE. A homebred TB who has never been shod - and has a long shoulder and a long daisy cutter, supremely comfortable stride, that eats the ground up. He's also short backed and agile as a cat. He sometimes has problems in the dressage, on firm but wet ground.

The other was a WB , only shod briefly as a 5 y/o, with an upright shoulder and ponified stride - definitely found collection easier than extension! She struggled the same in dressage, and also sometimes in SJ - more so as she reached her retirement in her 20's interestingly.

Neither ever had a problem in the XC, whatever the conditions.

I now have an ex-racer, who has been barefoot since I got him (nearly 2 years ago) but sadly I have my doubts that he will truly cope sj and dr on grass in less than ideal conditions. He is schooling xc no problems at all, but I'm just not sure about the other 2 phases. If he needs shoes/studs, I will probably investigate glue-on composite shoes - it would break my heart to undo 2 years of rehab on his hooves!
 
Sorry I was referring to ycbm's photo - meant ouch as in horse was nearly sat on its bum.

I 've jumped my BF horse a lot on rock hard ground and he is happy as Larry. It's just slippy wet ground he isn't happy on.

tallyho! said:
ouch as in the hooves on the ground or studs?

for us rock hard ground was awesome to compete on barefoot. A sound bare hoof is best on that terrain in my experience anyway as the hoof has maximum shock absorbing ability and superior grip.

It was when he was shod I hated the hard ground because he got concussion lami the day after a course once. Then again his hooves were shot in shoes.
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She always did stuff like that warming up, scattering poles in all directions, then used to go in the ring and jump clear !

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