Barefoot eventers

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Horsegirl25

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Does anyone event their barefoot horses? My horse that I event atm, I took his shoes off over winter but have put them on again for the start of the seasons for studs etc. However, yesterday I took my barefoot mare to a hunter trial, I normally only showjump her and her feet are great so the though of shoes has never crossed my mind! But she was absolutely epic at the hunter trial it has started a bit of a fire in my belly to get her out BE!!
She coped fine with the ground yesterday while out on the course but she did find the warm up a bit slippy so we didn't do too much, there had been a hell of a lot of rain the night before and the ground was churned.
Just wondering if anyone has evented their barefoot horses before and how they cope with the different grounds, I kind of grudge putting shoes on her if they aren't needed (she hacks out etc barefoot no issues).
 
I used to know a vet (Alun Jenkins?), husband of Justine who runs Equine Podiatry supplies, that evented his horse to at least 90. Also, if you can get hold of a copy of The Lame Horse by James Rooney (another vet!), he does go through the biomechanics of the hoof brake. I forget if he did the studies or referenced them, but it was shown that a balanced bare hoof cut into turf more effectively than a shoe (which slid for further distance before gaining traction, albeit un-studded, I believe!).
 
Vodkagirly said:
I have 2 horses, on has gone to 90 and the other 80 barefoot. Cope with the ground better than a shod horse without studs.
Both also have done endurance and hunting with no issues.
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Perfect, that is reassuring to know! I always felt it was 'necessary' if you like to have them studded just in case but as I say really grudge doing it for 4 events a year!
 
Fransurrey said:
I used to know a vet (Alun Jenkins?), husband of Justine who runs Equine Podiatry supplies, that evented his horse to at least 90. Also, if you can get hold of a copy of The Lame Horse by James Rooney (another vet!), he does go through the biomechanics of the hoof brake. I forget if he did the studies or referenced them, but it was shown that a balanced bare hoof cut into turf more effectively than a shoe (which slid for further distance before gaining traction, albeit un-studded, I believe!).
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That's very interesting I will look into that!
 
My horse struggled even in the dressage phase, especially if the test was in the early morning with dew still on the grass. It may have been because he was previously used to having shoes with studs in the back and if he'd been barefoot all his life he would have been used to it. I used to take his shoes off over the winter but put them back on for the summer.
 
If you are doing low level stuff and are prepared to wd if ground not right plus go slow and take wide non competitive lines as required, then you might be ok. You do still risk a slip or loss of horse confidence though.

Any aspirations of riding competitively or at a level that requires accurate lines, then you would be a fool not to shoe & stud imo
 
I evented barefoot to 90 and my daughter evented her pony barefoot to 80. We both schooled barefoot over 100 fences.

XC was never an issue. But my horse slipped on short dry grass in the dressage phase and my daughter's pony slipped badly on a turn SJ on grass and learly went down. So we decided we needed to stud for dressage and SJ on grass.

Shoes with no studs is worse than barefoot so once we shod them for studding, we studded for XC too.
 
Thanks everyone for your responses! Definitely something to think about then! I am aiming for her first BE in June which is surface SJ but obviously xc and dressage on grass which I get could be a hit or a miss depending on timing/weather that day!
She has xc schooled and done the HT yesterday no bother but as I say did find the warm up slippy which would probably be the same in a dressage or grass SJ.
Thanks everyone!
 
Ambers Echo said:
I evented barefoot to 90 and my daughter evented her pony barefoot to 80. We both schooled barefoot over 100 fences.

XC was never an issue. But my horse slipped on short dry grass in the dressage phase and my daughter's pony slipped badly on a turn SJ on grass and learly went down. So we decided we needed to stud for dressage and SJ on grass.

Shoes with no studs is worse than barefoot so once we shod them for studding, we studded for XC too.
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This. It can be done on the right horse but you will never be competitive barefoot in the dressage phase and will always risk time penalties for the admiralty sweeps you need to take in the showjumping.

Have said that one of my highest placings at BE Novice, 3rd, was on concrete ground and another of my decent results was in mud that all the shod horses were slipping in. Rider confidence to keep the power on, rather like powering a car round a sharp corner, is essential, as is a bold horse who trusts themself and you.
 
ycbm said:
Millennium Magic, I think it was, evented to Advanced barefoot because they could not keep him sound in shoes.
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I know this horse, my best friend was its groom at the time, and the whole yard was under the care of the same farrier that does my horses. I'm pretty sure the horse went to Intermediate not Advanced, but I could be wrong, either way, he was a tricky horse in several respects, and they managed him very carefully to be able to event him so successfully. But whilst he managed well, it didnt make them want to take any of the other eventers barefoot, so I think if you want to feel safe on a variety of different ground I'd stud an eventer. I say that as someone who has had most of my horses happily barefoot for almost twenty years now, but mine are dressage horses, so its a lot easier.
 
daffy44 said:
I know this horse, my best friend was its groom at the time, and the whole yard was under the care of the same farrier that does my horses. I'm pretty sure the horse went to Intermediate not Advanced, but I could be wrong, either way, he was a tricky horse in several respects, and they managed him very carefully to be able to event him so successfully. But whilst he managed well, it didnt make them want to take any of the other eventers barefoot, so I think if you want to feel safe on a variety of different ground I'd stud an eventer. I say that as someone who has had most of my horses happily barefoot for almost twenty years now, but mine are dressage horses, so its a lot easier.
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I found his record, you're right about his level. I don't think anyone really competitive would event a horse barefoot, but I did love doing it to Novice and managing to beat some good horses on the day.
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My son BE evented to Intermediate. His horse has great feet and barefoot to Novice level but on short grass which was wet on top but dry underneath there were problems - and one day went down XC between fences. Fortunately neither the horse or my son was hurt, just winded. After that he was shod with studs during the season and had his shoes off all winter. He hacked, did some hunter trials and hunted barefoot and was always fine. He is now mostly retired in his mid-twenties and enjoying life with his herd.
 
Hoof boots might be the solution especiall as some have stud fittings , but you would need to check the rules
 
I’m currently eventing mine at BE90 barefoot, we have so far not had any issues with slipping. But he is a very sure footed horse. I’ve spoken to a few other people who do it without a problem, but I do think you have to be more aware of the ground and your lines.

But saying that, part of what went into my decision was that I knew that all our events bar 1 have SJ on a surface up until the end of June. And he will have shoes on at some point this season, Im aiming for Bicton 3DE again and I don’t think that is fair on him barefoot because the roads and tracks is quite stony. I’m likely to put shoes on again around June, as that’s when the ground will be getting more greasy with rain/dew on hard ground and I’m not sure how he will cope…
 
I went up to BE100 barefoot on a horse that never had shoes - dressage and XC no problem at all. My horse had balance to die for, and I often scored very high in the dressage (by that I mean very low!). My horse hunted barefoot and knew his stuff so XC was easy for him. Showjumpingn on grass was not great - if claggy ground, you could guarantee I'd hit a pole or even two as I'd take us in too deep. I became fearful of corners and sometimes ambled when I needed a bit more Go. Showjumping on a surface he is a machine, even now in his 20s, never touches a pole, jumps off any angle. But I never felt I could ride him like that on grass, unless the going was perfect (which it sometimes was, of course, but more often too claggy or too hard). A more ambitious rider might have kicked on and been OK. Either way, most of the poles on his record were not really his fault!
 
palo1 said:
I am sad to say but I do think this is for good reason. Hoof boots can be brilliant but I have had a couple of awful falls when they have slipped or come half off at speed.
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I've seen many trips and falls from horses standing on overreach boots going xc yet they are allowed.

I think if they want to look at 'what ifs' from equipment failures, a lot of currently allowed tack would be banned.
It feels like hoof boots are the odd ones out being banned.
 
millitiger said:
I've seen many trips and falls from horses standing on overreach boots going xc yet they are allowed.

I think if they want to look at 'what ifs' from equipment failures, a lot of currently allowed tack would be banned.
It feels like hoof boots are the odd ones out being banned.
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My experience is that certain types of hoof boots will detach easily, like an overreach boot, but others not so much! I know they are improving all the time too so it's possible that a genuinely good boot could be used. I just wouldn't choose that particular jeopardy.
 
palo1 said:
My experience is that certain types of hoof boots will detach easily, like an overreach boot, but others not so much! I know they are improving all the time too so it's possible that a genuinely good boot could be used. I just wouldn't choose that particular jeopardy.
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It's a bit like air jackets.
Some people are adamant they are dangerous, can cause you to be dragged, influence the way you fall and your ability to tuck and roll.
Some people won't go xc without them.
And this polarised view is at all levels, right up to 5*.

BE have allowed air jackets yet banned hoof boots?
Likewise hat cams are allowed FEI, right up to 5*, yet BE say you can't wear one around a BE90
 
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