Barefoot or shod?

[maddiep1007]

Just wondering if people prefer shod horses or barefoot? And what level you ride your horse at whether you go for shod or barefoot. I have my mare barefoot all year around with cavallo hoof boots for longer hacks (1hr+). I've read a lot of stuff about shoes reducing blood flow to the horses legs and just wanted people opinion on it!

Thanks!

 

[muddybay]

Mine is shod! We have to go on the roads for every hack to get to the bridleways and I don't feel comfortable trotting him on roads without them. Most of the horses at my yard have them as well.

 

[ester]

why aren;'t you comfortable trotting on the roads without shoes, I'm much more comfortable trotting on roads without them.

OP currently retired but was hunting without shoes age 24 and doing all sort of other stuff.

 

[ycbm]

That's odd muddybay, because if I'm on tarmac I'd much rather be on a barefoot horse, I find they slip less. I have big hills here and it was such a relief to find how much better they were barefoot.

Maddiep to answer your question I have ridden barefoot up to BE Novice eventing (see picture left, though he has shoes on at that time) , drag hunted for 5 seasons and now hack and do dressage.

There are still a lot of horses wearing shoes who really don't need any. But people should do what they feel is right for themselves and their horses.

 

[ihatework]

If they are happy working without shoes then they are unshod. It’s generally better for their feet and it’s cheaper too.

Any hint they are unhappy then they get shod. Sore feet, even mild, impacts everything else in their body and training.

Eventing or jumping on grass through summer - always shod, trying to give them a break over winter if possible.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Mine is unshod after years of sh*t farrier work. He's training at Advanced Medium dressage and is hacked twice a week. Our hacking can involve a lot of hard ground, gravel, and rocks. I also purposely include walking on tarmac. I don't use boots, and he has no issues in any of his work.

I prefer unshod, but if the horse really can't be barefoot, then obviously I prefer shod.

I think there are many horses shod that would do fine unshod. However it can take patience, competent hoof professionals, diet, and the right exercise and surfaces. Mine, has really surprised me with how well it's worked out for him.

FWIW I prefer to ride unshod on roads.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Mine is shod! We have to go on the roads for every hack to get to the bridleways and I don't feel comfortable trotting him on roads without them. Most of the horses at my yard have them as well.

Can I ask why you don’t feel comfortable trotting on roads without them? My mare strides out barefoot on tarmac especially up and down hills whilst those shod are very slippy and tentative.

To answer OP’s post mine is barefoot but we’re pretty low level. We’ve been xc at about 60cm and showjump on grass and arena at about 60cm too. And then intro/prelim dressage. We’ve jumped at home up to 80cm.

If an owner has the facilities/diet to rehab a horse to the barefoot life then I prefer that over shoes. But I’d rather a horse was happily shod than be hobbling around longer than necessary barefoot.

 

[[59668]]

I recommend that every owner should read Nic Barkers "Feet First" and then decide. It's a real education and an eye opener

 

[IrishMilo]

Preference is barefoot but will shoe if that's not working for the horse.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I recommend that every owner should read Nic Barkers "Feet First" and then decide. It's a real education and an eye opener

I did this after recommendations on here and loved it! Really interesting.

 

[muddybay]

Can I ask why you don’t feel comfortable trotting on roads without them? My mare strides out barefoot on tarmac especially up and down hills whilst those shod are very slippy and tentative.

To answer OP’s post mine is barefoot but we’re pretty low level. We’ve been xc at about 60cm and showjump on grass and arena at about 60cm too. And then intro/prelim dressage. We’ve jumped at home up to 80cm.

If an owner has the facilities/diet to rehab a horse to the barefoot life then I prefer that over shoes. But I’d rather a horse was happily shod than be hobbling around longer than necessary barefoot.

He's been shod his whole life (to my knowledge) and his feet would not cope with being on the hard road if he wasn't shod! Some of the surfaces are also not very forgiving and I wouldn't want him to get any stone bruising! We also stood on a glass bottle on a hack once and I think his shoe is what stopped him from getting injured

 

[CanteringCarrot]

He's been shod his whole life (to my knowledge) and his feet would not cope with being on the hard road if he wasn't shod! Some of the surfaces are also not very forgiving and I wouldn't want him to get any stone bruising! We also stood on a glass bottle on a hack once and I think his shoe is what stopped him from getting injured

I ultimately don't care what you do but for discussion...mine was shod his whole life and was in pads right before he went barefoot. I really thought it was going to be terrible. How do you know he wouldn't cope with being on the hard road unshod? When mine came out of shoes he wasn't 100% right away on hard surfaces and rocks, but it did not take long at all for him to be fine. No stone bruising that I've noticed. I think they could still get one while shod though?

The glass bottle thing is one of those things that isn't so common (I hope).

 

[muddybay]

I ultimately don't care what you do but for discussion...mine was shod his whole life and was in pads right before he went barefoot. I really thought it was going to be terrible. How do you know he wouldn't cope with being on the hard road unshod? When mine came out of shoes he wasn't 100% right away on hard surfaces and rocks, but it did not take long at all for him to be fine. No stone bruising that I've noticed. I think they could still get one while shod though?

The glass bottle thing is one of those things that isn't so common (I hope).

Maybe I'm being overprotective almost every horse on the yard is shod! It's very common around where I live and I feel like there's probably a good reason for that! It does make me maybe consider it when I hear good stories like yours.
Hopefully the glass bottle thing doesn't happen again but there's so much littering around me who knows!

 

[ester]

mine was shod until he was 19 so likely 15 years shod before he had them off.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Maybe I'm being overprotective almost every horse on the yard is shod! It's very common around where I live and I feel like there's probably a good reason for that! It does make me maybe consider it when I hear good stories like yours.
Hopefully the glass bottle thing doesn't happen again but there's so much littering around me who knows!

Yeah, most of the horses on my yard are shod...and most work less and hack less than mine. So I can't use the logic that the majority are doing the best thing in my case ? I mean, maybe they are, but I don't know for sure and it is ultimately their horse, their money, their choice.

 

[GinaGeo]

I’ve just taken the shoes off my final horse.

Their feet are all improving and they are all happier working on tarmac than they were in shoes. In fact you get less damage because the shoes and nails tend to shatter their feet over time working on tarmac.

I have hoof boots if we’re going on long hacks over tough terrain and if I needed to stud for Eventing I’d shoe for the season and then take them back off again. Same with hunting, back on for the season and then out.

I am however optimistic that they won’t need them.

 

[Arzada]

Maybe I'm being overprotective almost every horse on the yard is shod! It's very common around where I live

It was like that round here about 15 years ago. Nowadays it's unusual to see a shod horse.

 

[paddy555]

He's been shod his whole life (to my knowledge) and his feet would not cope with being on the hard road if he wasn't shod! Some of the surfaces are also not very forgiving and I wouldn't want him to get any stone bruising! We also stood on a glass bottle on a hack once and I think his shoe is what stopped him from getting injured

Why do you think your shoes will stop stone bruising or damage from a glass bottle? They will protect the foot is the stone or glass is directly under the shoe. What if it is in the middle of the foot? how will the shoe protect it then?
If there are no shoes and glass or stones are a potential problem you can boot which will protect the entire foot from the stones and glass. That way your feet really will be protected.

 

[RHM]

He's been shod his whole life (to my knowledge) and his feet would not cope with being on the hard road if he wasn't shod! Some of the surfaces are also not very forgiving and I wouldn't want him to get any stone bruising! We also stood on a glass bottle on a hack once and I think his shoe is what stopped him from getting injured

Correct me if I’m wrong but the “hard road” AKA tarmac is one of the best surfaces for conditioning barefoot feet. I’ve just taken the shoes of my mare I compete 4 weeks ago. She has yet to take a single lame step over a multitude of surfaces.

I much prefer to keep my two barefoot where possible. If I needed studs I would shoe again.

I understand that on certain yards there is quite a bit of pressure to shoe. I know I faced a barrage of questions when I took mine off. The funniest being “but don’t you want to compete?!” At the end of the day you should do what you feel is best for your horse and if your not sure speak to your farrier.

 

[Gloi]

I first moved away from shoes because I was doing more roadwork than I could do in shoes. The shoes wore razor thin on one side and his feet were falling apart from the number of nail holes. I moved to boots and did many miles in them including the Mary Townley loop.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I know I faced a barrage of questions when I took mine off. The funniest being “but don’t you want to compete?!”

That’s fair comment, though, but it depends on what competitions you enter. For eventing, I’d always go for shoes and studs.

Mine are unshod, btw, and I now trim them myself, so no more depending on hoof care professionals of dubious competency or reliability. Phew.

 

[tiahatti]

One of my mares has never had shoes. Her companion on the other hand had poor feet & needed shoes all her life even as a field companion.

 

[Widgeon]

Mine is shod all round; to be honest I'm not sure he needs the hinds. He had hinds on when I bought him last summer but his last owners said they only did that so they could stud for x country. I've kept them on because a) we have lots of slippy tarmac hills and all ours are shod with road nails all round, and b) we also have lots of rubble tracks and I'm not sure how he'd cope without hinds.

I'm a bit undecided about what to do, seeing this thread has made me think perhaps I should have a chat with the farrier. He has excellent and straightforward feet (the horse, not the farrier...!) so perhaps I should try losing the hinds. He also has arthritis in one hock so I'd be happier trotting on roads without back shoes on, really.

 

[RHM]

That’s fair comment, though, but it depends on what competitions you enter. For eventing, I’d always go for shoes and studs.

Mine are unshod, btw, and I now trim them myself, so no more depending on hoof care professionals of dubious competency or reliability. Phew.

Showjumping for us, winter SJ is all on surfaces. Many people including some on this forum have evented barefoot to a decent level. I would 100% shoe and stud on grass if I wanted to push the clock though because undoubtedly you would have to take more careful slower lines without them.

 

[SEL]

I've got 3 barefoot. One is retired and was shod in a previous job but grows odd shaped feet due to his arthritis so now he's left to grow what he needs.

Small pony never been shod. No hoofcare for 18 months before she came to me and they were still pretty good. Extremely sure footed native type so can't see her needing them.

Big mare rising 11 also never been shod. Used to be rock crunching but had some health issues and I'm tentatively thinking about trying her in shoes and pads in summer. She's better in boots but has wide feet & everything I've tried rubs and twists.

Ultimately you have to do the best for the horse in front of you. I wouldn't shoe just because others on the yard do.

 

[maddiep1007]

Mine is shod! We have to go on the roads for every hack to get to the bridleways and I don't feel comfortable trotting him on roads without them. Most of the horses at my yard have them as well.

I will only trot mine with boots on as also don't feel comftable. I know they slip easier but they get foot sore so easy

 

[maddiep1007]

Thank you for everyone's reply - it's very interesting to see what everyone does! I was just wondering because I know the frog helps with circulation of the leg but if the frog can't touch the ground how it affects the blood flow?

 

[ycbm]

He's been shod his whole life (to my knowledge) and his feet would not cope with being on the hard road if he wasn't shod!

Ooh how I wish I had a tenner for every person I've ever heard say that and found out they were wrong

Tarmac roads are great surfaces for conditioning and balancing barefoot feet.

 

[IrishMilo]

He's been shod his whole life (to my knowledge) and his feet would not cope with being on the hard road if he wasn't shod!

Horses for courses and all that, but how do you know if you've never tried?

Eta - I think the problem sometimes is that people take the horse out of shoes and think that just because the horse isn't immediately fine, they won't cope. The reality is that a lot won't cope straight away because they've been trimmed for years on end to have the foot ready for a shoe (i.e. flat) which is totally different to how it should be.

 

[muddybay]

Ooh how I wish I had a tenner for every person I've ever heard say that and found out they were wrong

Tarmac roads are great surfaces for conditioning and balancing barefoot feet.

It's definitely interesting to hear everyone's views! As I said it's weird to not have them shod around me. Even though I would definitely look at nonshoeing him I'm looking to do hunter trials and xc so will need studs!