Dithering about barefoot !

[Bernster]

Maybe I'm over-thinking things but I keep dithering about taking my horses shoes off! No medical/vet reason for it as he's sound, fit and in full work. But I think he'd benefit from some time without shoes though, and possibly permanently bf if he copes well. He does have slight imbalance on the fronts due to his conformation and way of going and as a result tends to pull the nails. This has improved with a few cycles of glue-on shoes but they aren't a long term fix.

So now is the time to either go back to traditional nailed on shoes or take em off altogether. After discussing with farrier today (who is v helpful and quite pro bf), he's taking off the backs today, we'll leave the fronts on another week, and have another chat later this week about options.

I'm hesitating for a few reasons - partly 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'; the ground is hard and we have stony hacking all around; I haven't got boots for him yet; I'm worried about abscesses, slipping on grass etc. etc. And partly, I'll admit, for selfish reasons as I have a few events planned in the next 2 months and I'm worried we might not make them whilst he's transitioning. But maybe there is never the ideal time to try it?

Any words of wisdom to offer before I meet the farrier on Thursday?!

 

[ester]

Honestly in your position I would wait until the autumn, I know so far it has been pretty damp but transitioning on harder ground can be tougher for them to start with and IMO it is unlikely to be fair- unless he steps out of them amazingly- for him go do stuff in the next couple of months. Let the hinds sort themselves out a bit first and take fronts off in a couple of months is my vote.

 

[ycbm]

If the events matter to you, I agree with Ester that you should wait until they are over, but I would not nail shoes on if you can continue with glue ons and I would nail plastic on rather than return to metal.

 

[EQUIDAE]

I'm with Ester - I've had a similar dilemma to you with my new one. He's been shod since he was 4 and he's now 12 and I wondered how he would cope. I've took the backs off and he is a bit pottery over our rough ground (we hack round a massive rock quarry) but fine on tarmac. I'd considered taking the fronts off sooner but think it will be fairer for him to wait until the end of autumn when we will be hacking less.

 

[criso]

Another one for waiting a bit. In additional to the reasons mentioned, let the grass get past the autumn flush and then you won't have that to content with at the start.

 

[Goldenstar]

Wait till the ground gets softer in Autumn .

 

[Bernster]

Thanks folks! It's funny how you can get yourself in a bit of a tizz thinking these things through, particularly as I've had it in my mind for a while now to go bf. I feel better delaying it to the Autumn for the fronts. I'll chat to farrier on Thursday.

 

[ester]

Make the most of having the luxury of a sound horse so you can be a bit picky

 

[Bernster]

Make the most of having the luxury of a sound horse so you can be a bit picky

Shh, don't say that too loud !

 

[Polonaise]

Depends on the horse. Took the shoes off my sound one very cautiously at the end of the event season in case anything went wrong. He walked sound down the stone drive that day and every day until spring when a bit of dietary refinement was needed he's not got the prettiest feet in the world but they work for him and "transitioning" just wasn't needed. My rehab on the other hand wasn't even paddock sound straight out of shoes, we're now 3 years on and post Rockley and generally rock crunching with the odd bout of "can't walk" 2-3 times a year for one very trivial reason or another!
Would agree autumn is easier, there's thrush to worry about but a lot less sore feet.