Eventing/HTing without back shoes?

[TiaPony]

Do-able or daft?
xx

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Eventng may be doable providing the horse can cope without studs behind. Hunting more probably daft unless you hunt somewhere with very little roadwork or stoney lanes.

 

[sfward]

Or did you mean hunter trialling, in which case ditto S_J's point above. I wouldn't be doing anything too big though

 

[TiaPony]

for the autumn & winter, ive got an intro and a couple of Hunter Trials and tia is currently only shod on the front - would it be wiser to shoe back and stud or will she cope without the backs? She's managed the last year without backs - pony club camp, xc schooling, showjumping although she is prone to slipping during dressage
x

 

[sfward]

I would put back shoes on and use studs. You can always take them off again when the season finishes if you really want to. Best to have more grip and be safe IMO.

 

[christian]

I know a 14hh pony who has been placed regularly at intro and has recently gone clear at its first PN- totally barefoot- so if your horse is sure footed enough I don't see why not!

Its getting fashionable now anyway isnt it?

 

[Eccles]

I think I would back shoes on. Is there any reason why they are a problem?

 

[sarah23]

my little mare does 3ft hunter trials with no back shoes and does very well not often out of the places, but i must say she is very sure footed so i think it's upto weather the horse would cope with no back shoes on, only you know that.

 

[Sneedy]

My friend did some PN last year with NO shoes - veterinary reasons why she didn't have any on, (can't say I would've been that confident as the mare is a bit wild! ). Anyway, she survived! The only time she struggled was when the ground was' dewy' and slippery, everything else was fine.

 

[flyingfeet]

Do-able if jumps are small i.e. under 3ft and ground is good

If you don't shoe you will have to be prepared to drop out if ground is slippery.

 

[bandit]

I'd say it was do-able, esp if the horse is used to being barefoot behind...

Recently I went to Pyecombe (to watch not compete) and there was a very large 17hh+ horse totally barefoot doing the large sj classes (talking 1.30+). it was on a surface however, but still did it!

I never studded my old hunter, and he never once slipped, and would jump bog to bog without batting an eyelid. new horse is not as sure footed and needs more help so basically you can't put a general rule of thumb down as each horse is different.

Bx

 

[Orangehorse]

There are a small number of people who hunt and event without shoes, one lady in New Zealand does advanced 3 day eventing without shoes, and there are some BE eventers who do so also.
A local lady hunts with fronts only.

Several endurance horses are shoeless, and what could be tougher terrain than that.

I was schooling my horse last week, with no shoes, on wet grass in the rain. It is nice old turf and he coped perfectly well and didn't slip at all, cantering different sized circules on both reins.

I also did a cross country schooling session. I was a bit worried about some of the all weather landings, but everything was completely OK.

However, the horse does have to get used to not relying on shoes and studs and obviously their feet have to be in good condition and strong. Hind hooves adapt more quickly than front as they are doing more work - giving the push from behind - and my horse has developed quite deep concavity now in his hind feet. Also as rider, you have responsibility to keep the horse well balanced.

(A horse shoe artificially gives the horse's foot concavity, and it does not protect the sole of the foot.)

People who event without shoes and have experience say that the horses don't slip any more and sometimes less than a shod horse. There is a NH racing yard that runs some of the horses shoeless as well.

I haven't yet done a dressage test withoutshoes on grass and I don't jump very high either.

 

[teapot]

Instructor's horse events PN (hoping to be going N at end of season) completely barefoot - not had any problems

 

[neigh]

I've never bothered to get back shoes put on my horse......he is six this year......he seems fine and i compete him regularly and do roadwork with him too.

 

[helenandshadow]

Depends on how sure footed the horse is really and if they're used to wearing shoes/studs. I personally wouldn't with Shad because she isn't the boldest XC without the added worry of slipping, I SJ'd her a few weeks ago without studs (only 2'6''-2'9'') and she was slipping all over the place. If I HT Destiny she won't have back shoes on but she's a sure footed newfie and it will only be small.