Downsides of barefoot (slipping/thrush/cut frogs?) & what else?

[twiggy2]

Dog walkers for example, you may not see them but they would hear you coming sooner, in which case a loose excitable dog would be put on the lead sooner. People in gardens/children playing (that you can not see if behind a fence or might think I wont do that as it might frighten the horse that's coming, therefore wait until you've rode past.

be nice to think a dog would not be loose on a road especially an excitable one
I want my horse to learn to deal with distractions so don't expect people to stop what they are doing for my dog. horses hooves shod or otherwise cannot be heard over motorised traffic and if the road is clear it is safe to deal with any issues people playing might raise.

your reason for barefoot being a downside is a load of tosh so i shall agree to disagree.

 

[brucea]

you have to carefully select where you ride, cyclists,pedestrians and other horses cant hear you coming as shoes are noisier and it helps the horse develop a rhythm as he can hear his natural rhythm easier.

You can always buy your horse a set of bells. ;-)

 

[Kenzo]

be nice to think a dog would not be loose on a road especially an excitable one
I want my horse to learn to deal with distractions so don't expect people to stop what they are doing for my dog. horses hooves shod or otherwise cannot be heard over motorised traffic and if the road is clear it is safe to deal with any issues people playing might raise.

your reason for barefoot being a downside is a load of tosh so i shall agree to disagree.

My original reply was to the OP, my opinion based on experiences where I ride, which could be much differnt to where you ride.

I agree, I don't expect people to stop what they are doing either, never have done but accidents can happen.

Sometimes people do have loose dogs on the country lanes where we are.

For you to say that is a load of tosh, just because you do not agree or have not had the disadvantage like I have (at times) I think is a little rude.

 

[Scarlett]

Personally I find mine make just as much noise on the road as they did when shod, my big lad in particular has a proper 'clip clop', when he hacked out with a shod horse the rider commented on how noisy he was. It's a lovely noise

 

[paddy555]

Sometimes people do have loose dogs on the country lanes where we are.

loose dogs are loose dogs and my horse's foot status doesn't make any difference. If the owner has control they will call them in and if they don't and the dog is coming towards me out of control I will call out and ask the owner to call their dog back. If it keeps coming then I let my very well trained horse sort it out himself. Barefoot is an advantage for the dog owners that will not control their dogs as a kick from a barefoot will not hurt the dog as much.

Most of the downsides mentioned are not important. Frogs especially. Barefoot horses have frogs like thick leather. Try cutting one with a knife and then try cutting a frog on a shod horse. You soon see the difference.
The only downside I have come across, which is particuarly relevant at the moment, is hedge trimming if you ride on roads with thorn hedges which have just been cut. Blackthorn in foot usually equals abscess.

As for walkers being fast asleep and not hearing the horse behind it is up to them to make sure they are aware of what is going on. If my horse can creep up behind then so could an attacker or rapist on a quiet lane.

 

[amandap]

I find it fascinating the downsides are all to do with the impact on us humans. Inconvenience, can't go where we want sometimes, have to learn more etc. etc. etc.

 

[Jas123]

The sound of a shod horse, especially trotting, knocks me sick. I just think of the concussion with evey metallic clack.
I can't believe the noise is considered to be a good thing at all!!! They make cars quieter, people should be more observant!!!

 

[Clava]

I find it fascinating the downsides are all to do with the impact on us humans. Inconvenience, can't go where we want sometimes, have to learn more etc. etc. etc.

Of course it is, we ride horses for our convenience not the horses, if they weren't ridden there would be no discussion. However, I think the effort that goes into keeping a horse barefoot is worth all or any inconveniences as I value having a healthy horse and healthy hooves.

 

[fattylumpkin]

Have to agree with many, digging around in your horse's foot in search of gravel was a new experience for me when I took on Lena. I'm pretty amazed at how deep it can work itself into the white line, and those tiny little bits of grit can turn into an abcess if they aren't rooted out properly, so that's always in the back of my mind.

If the field gets really wet and boggy I spend a lot of time worrying about her feet. Lena has 24/7 turnout with a gravelled shelter and a heated stable, but come rainy soggy weather she's sure to be found squelching about in the soggiest bit of the field.

Dry weather is annoying too, I regularly took her for a dip in the lake this Summer and you could hear the relief when she let her feet have a good soak!

 

[Goldenstar]

In my experiance the biggest downside of the bare foot horse is that it works best when work levels are kept very level and increases in work are done gradually the feet find sudden increases in work load hard to manage .
I keep mine barefoot in period of gentle training and shoe when they are doing a lot it works well they move between shod and unshod very easily .
I have not had trouble with abbcesses and was always pretty fussy about hoof care so thrush is not really an extra issue.
The diet stuff is just good healthy management anyway .

 

[LucyPriory]

The biggest 'downside' is that keeping your horse unshod is that it reflects on our collective ability to manage our horses. As an example, healthy, well kept horses don't have a stretched white line, so grit getting in is not an issue. That sounds harsh, it's not meant to be, its just what I see on a daily basis. Some owners/carers are hostage to their livery conditions. I welcome the day when livery yards are run with the horse's well being is the priority rather than for example 'chocolate box' settings.

 

[OldNag]

you cant put in studs, you cant have remadial shoeing, you have to put in a lot more time and effort to ensure they are healthy barefoot, you have to use hoof boots which i have heard rub and annoy the horse, you have to carefully select where you ride, cyclists,pedestrians and other horses cant hear you coming as shoes are noisier and it helps the horse develop a rhythm as he can hear his natural rhythm easier.

Have to disagree.
I have 3 barefoot. I don't use hoofboots at all. Have never had an issue with other road users not hearing us... we are quite noisy enough. And we don't have a problem with rhythm either.
I haven't yet found a downside, only benefits, sorry.

 

[brucea]

The biggest 'downside' is that keeping your horse unshod is that it reflects on our collective ability to manage our horses. As an example, healthy, well kept horses don't have a stretched white line, so grit getting in is not an issue. That sounds harsh, it's not meant to be, its just what I see on a daily basis. Some owners/carers are hostage to their livery conditions. I welcome the day when livery yards are run with the horse's well being is the priority rather than for example 'chocolate box' settings.

Absolutely Lucy

And spin the question the other way round - downsides of shoes. Long term hoof damage, inhibited growth and development, inability to develop adaptive asymmetry, hoof damage on removal, risk of pricking and driving the nail too deep, navicular damage, risks to other horses and people, increased concussion for the rider and horse etc., and £80 every six weeks to replace them. Add in a long wait for a rude, hostile farrier who may not bother to turn up and won't bother giving you the courtesy of a phone call too.

Not a lot to like is there really

 

[twiggy2]

Absolutely Lucy

And spin the question the other way round - downsides of shoes. Long term hoof damage, inhibited growth and development, inability to develop adaptive asymmetry, hoof damage on removal, risk of pricking and driving the nail too deep, navicular damage, risks to other horses and people, increased concussion for the rider and horse etc., and £80 every six weeks to replace them. Add in a long wait for a rude, hostile farrier who may not bother to turn up and won't bother giving you the courtesy of a phone call too.

Not a lot to like is there really

agree with all Lucy posted and everything except the farrier bit in your post brucea - my farrier is great, does not want to put shoes on horses unless they need them, is always on time, polite, funny and great with the horses and that is over a 27yr period and many horses.

 

[stencilface]

agree with all Lucy posted and everything except the farrier bit in your post brucea - my farrier is great, does not want to put shoes on horses unless they need them, is always on time, polite, funny and great with the horses and that is over a 27yr period and many horses.

Ditto this, we've had the same guy for 30 years now, always on time, early annoyingly sometimes, quick to come out for lost shoes/problems, he can be a bit grumpy, but he's a Yorkshireman so that's to be expected! We do always feed him coffee and biscuits, and he'll be getting presents this year as thanks for ll his work over the years

But I will be stealing your 'adaptive asymmetry' description to explain to people why I am trying to bf my horse brucea, beats the half baked 'I'm letting his feet go wonky to compensate for his wonky legs' description I currently give!

 

[brucea]

Ha - I give a natural process a pseudo scientific name and suddenly folks start using it and it "sounds" like it is a really good idea to encourage it because it sounds like something a vet might say!!! Better than my other gem the "Barefoot Taliban" though!

 

[FfionWinnie]

I don't actually find the management side all that onerous. Initially I worried a lot (passing endurance vettings on stoney tracks will do that!) but really none of its rocket science, once you have a routine its hard at all.

 

[LucyPriory]

I don't actually find the management side all that onerous. Initially I worried a lot (passing endurance vettings on stoney tracks will do that!) but really none of its rocket science, once you have a routine its hard at all.

I have some sympathy for those with horses at livery on the M25 loop. There is a lot of 'pretty pretty', polished concrete, profits and the grass must look 'nice' at all times. So horses either have to have reduced turn out, grazing muzzles or both. Some yards even ban hay soaking. I do wish more people could vote with their feet (no pun intended) but they then end up having to travel many miles further and then it's harder for them to look after their horse :-(

 

[AngieandBen]

Well I only have unshod horses on my yard ; I decided three years ago when I had my then 18 year old ponies shoes off that I would adapt my yard to their needs even if it meant more work for me;

All four thrive, especially my friends laminitic horse who has been with me for a year now; We did the Burghley Sponsored ride yesterday and she is so thrilled he was almost pts 18 months ago! And only 2 miles from her home

Simple track system, strip grazing, access to large concrete yard and hay during the day. Fast Fibre with magnesium/salt and linseed in winter.

 

[Lancelot]

Mine slips on our concrete yard when its wet, he went down on his bum in the early days and has been very careful in wet conditions ever since. Not such a bad thing really I guess! I find having to pre plan where I am going to ride a bit of a downside but if I flip that round, it really means I have to be more considerate to my horse which is never a bad thing

 

[Nudibranch]

The only downside I have found is that vets don't seem to believe that horses can exist without shoes. Mine is booted occasionally if we are going over rough ground, when I told the vet that he said "Why don't you put shoes on her? It's easier." He also appears to believe it would be a good option for managing arthritis...???

 

[pines of rome]

One of the biggest downsides for me is the constant worry of his he footy, is he sore, has he got LGL! As for my vet, his views on barefoot have improved and even though he thinks shoes are the way to go with my boy, he does understand my reasoning for not shoeing and he agrees with me that my boy,s feet do look better than they did shod!

 

[pinklilly]

Someone I know has a barefoot endurance horse and she wasn't heard by a couple having a spot of fellatio midday and in broad daylight! Then again they wouldn't have heard someone walking past either!

My horse hasn't had any abscesses, he's had a bruised foot but had far more bother when he removed his own shoes in the field!

I have just moved yards as the grazing at my last yard was purely rye grass and didn't suit. My horse suffers from mild laminitis so he's managed as a 'barefoot' anyway. He does have all four feet naked now. I find it's easier to see the early warning signs of problems, rather than if he was shod which would cover them up a bit. I do have to be vigilant with him anyway because of his health aspects. My vet was very pro shoe but the horse was lame in front until I took off the front shoes and he was immediately sound, and you can't argue with that.

 

[undergroundoli]

Someone I know has a barefoot endurance horse and she wasn't heard by a couple having a spot of fellatio midday and in broad daylight! Then again they wouldn't have heard someone walking past either!

Lol.

When I lived in Wales the were lots of lanes with corners and its nice to be able to hear if the is something coming round them as obviously one can't see. It was definitly possible for a cyclist to end up on a walker and neither party to be at fault. IME some unshod horses are louder than others and while in some places a warning noise isn't necessary in others it is. I like the suggestion of bells.

I don't find that being rude to people leads to them thinking they can respect my opinion and learn from what I'm telling them.