Front shoes or hoof boots

[I don’t like mondays]

Hi everyone
My horse has always been barefoot but we’ve moved to a yard with lots of off road hacking however the tracks are very stony (every horse on the yard in work has front shoes, at least). So should I get front shoes put on (an easy fix) or try and find hoof boots (seems like a faff to find some that fit, put on etc but saves having shoes). Horse has flat feet prone to flaring and cracking. Interested to know peoples opinions and experience. Thanks

 

[sbloom]

Boots, and make sure your diet and trim are as good as possible.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Boots. Get in touch with Liz at the Hoof Boutique who will guide you through the process of choosing the best boot for his shape and size of foot and for the type of work you want to do as boot styles and uses vary. There are other suppliers but I’ve never used any if them so can’t recommend anyone else to help.

Agree with sbloom , diet and trim are important especially as it sounds as though you already have a few problems.

 

[Nari]

Before deciding I'd have a good look at your turnout too, round my way areas where the tracks are bad often have a lot of stone or flint in the fields too.

 

[Mrs G]

I used Hoof Bootique - and got fab advice and guidance from Liz - when I took my TB barefoot over 6 years ago now. It was much more straightforward than I thought it would be and mainly involved sending an email with photos of the feet and a description of our workload. Since then we have moved to a yard with fab but stoney off road hacking and we do a lot more road work too but I still much prefer using boots (and I'm only on my second pair so I def got my monies worth!) This was highlighted to me last week when my friend, who has two horses, couldnt ride either because of loose/pulled shoes and a farrier on holiday! It reminded me of all the times I'd had to cancel a lesson or tend to an injury because he'd pulled a shoe and/or injured himself doing it. Putting shoes on might not be the easy fix you think and you have the added advantage of already knowing your horse can go barefoot - he might just need a little help making hacking on your new terrain more comfortable.

 

[Nudibranch]

Boots.

 

[I don’t like mondays]

Perfect! Thanks for all the replies I’ll get in touch with Hoof boutique ?

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

I would ask your farrier for advice

 

[ycbm]

I would ask your farrier for advice

I will when they put boot selection and fitting into the farrier training syllabus.
.

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

Mine advised me and hoof boutique were very helpful. No need to be rude/sarcastic, I can't help it if your farrier can't help you. He/she should be able to advise you if your horse would be better off shod or hoof boots they know your horses feet.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Mine advised me and hoof boutique were very helpful. No need to be rude/sarcastic, I can't help it if your farrier can't help you. He/she should be able to advise you if your horse would be better off shod or hoof boots they know your horses feet.

YCBM has a valid point, the amount of farriers who truly understand the barefoot Hoof are few and far between. I have two farriers, one is Mark Johnson who is probably the most forward thinking BF Farrier in the country but he doesn’t shoe so I use a local guy who does a great job shoeing B but I wouldn't trust him with DP’s feet. When B had his shoes off two months ago I asked the Farrier to trim his feet but to leave the soles and frog alone. In one fell swoop he had trimmed both because he dresses feet for shoes and just couldn’t alter his mindset. Needless to say Mark is out to trim both ponies on Monday.

 

[sbloom]

YCBM has a valid point, the amount of farriers who truly understand the barefoot Hoof are few and far between. I have two farriers, one is Mark Johnson who is probably the most forward thinking BF Farrier in the country but he doesn’t shoe so I use a local guy who does a great job shoeing B but I wouldn't trust him with DP’s feet. When B had his shoes off two months ago I asked the Farrier to trim his feet but to leave the soles and frog alone. In one fell swoop he had trimmed both because he dresses feet for shoes and just couldn’t alter his mindset. Needless to say Mark is out to trim both ponies on Monday.

Mark does use plastic and composite shoes, just doesn't do regular "rim" shoeing

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Mark does use plastic and composite shoes, just doesn't do regular "rim" shoeing

Yep, should have said ‘doesn’t shoe with metal’

 

[ycbm]

Mine advised me and hoof boutique were very helpful. No need to be rude/sarcastic, I can't help it if your farrier can't help you. He/she should be able to advise you if your horse would be better off shod or hoof boots they know your horses feet.

You were lucky. I was stating a fact, that working barefoot horses, booted or otherwise, is still not in the farriery syllabus and as a result of that most farriers are simply unable to advise on how to keep a working horse barefoot.

I don't have a farrier, I've done my own horses for well over a decade and a lot of the reason for that is that farriers still aren't being trained on this stuff.
.

 

[ycbm]

Mark does use plastic and composite shoes, just doesn't do regular "rim" shoeing

Mark is also one of the nicest people I've ever met.
.

 

[HBB]

I suppose you could give the boots a try first but i'd be more concerned that his flat feet are still prone to flaring and cracking, to me they sound compromised and need extra support.

 

[Gloi]

I suppose you could give the boots a try first but i'd be more concerned that his flat feet are still prone to flaring and cracking, to me they sound compromised and need extra support.

Shoes do not support feet apart from by lifting them a quarter inch off the ground.
Diet and an appropriate trim may help them.

 

[HBB]

Shoes do not support feet apart from by lifting them a quarter inch off the ground.
Diet and an appropriate trim may help them.

I didn’t mention shoes?? Those feet do not sound healthy and need further investigation and support.

 

[nikkimariet]

Hoof boots.

I’ve always been a ‘shoe if the horse needs it’ but after watching a professional farrier induce mechanical laminitis in just a year of shoeing, I’d never shoe another horse again.

 

[sbloom]

I didn’t mention shoes?? Those feet do not sound healthy and need further investigation and support.

Hoof boots.

I’ve always been a ‘shoe if the horse needs it’ but after watching a professional farrier induce mechanical laminitis in just a year of shoeing, I’d never shoe another horse again.

I used to be the same and am still very pro barefoot, and do wonder what sort of support HBB means if not a shoe, but I do see some great shoeing done by farriers such as Mark Johnson (also Norman Johnson in Dumfriesshire is interesting, he's just not on social media), some really interesting theory from Yogi Sharpe, all in the UK, and then Progressive Equine Services in Australia. Supporting the back half of the hoof, and having some degree of flex in the shoe, as well as addressing HPA, seems to be key.

 

[ycbm]

I didn’t mention shoes?? Those feet do not sound healthy and need further investigation and support.

Can you explain what do you mean by support if you don't mean shoes, HBB?
.

 

[HBB]

Can you explain what do you mean by support if you don't mean shoes, HBB?
.

Ok, just for you.....
Dietary support? Is the horses diet lacking in the fundamental nutrients required to support optimum hoof growth and quality.
Physiotherapy? Is there tightness in the horses muscles or stiffness that may be creating an unbalanced way of going.
Regular trims? How often does its feet get trimmed? Are they balanced?

Will that do so far ycbm? because to me this is very basic management when it comes to supporting a healthy usable hoof.

 

[HBB]

I used to be the same and am still very pro barefoot, and do wonder what sort of support HBB means if not a shoe,

Seriously?! You are a saddle fitter, you for one should surely know how to support a horse and it's way of going? Do you just plonk a saddle on and go "there" it's fine?
Ill fitting saddle = tight tense back = tight tense movement = can give an impression of lameness = hoof wearing down unevenly.
A horse requires support through other means than just shoes! Diet, correctly fitting tack, physio, regular trims........

 

[milliepops]

Ok, just for you.....
Dietary support? Is the horses diet lacking in the fundamental nutrients required to support optimum hoof growth and quality.
Physiotherapy? Is there tightness in the horses muscles or stiffness that may be creating an unbalanced way of going.
Regular trims? How often does its feet get trimmed? Are they balanced?

Will that do so far ycbm? because to me this is very basic management when it comes to supporting a healthy usable hoof.

FWIW i understood you meant "support" as in *care* rather than literally what the hoof is wearing, though I understand how it was interpreted the other way given the context of the thread.

 

[HBB]

FWIW i understood you meant "support" as in *care* rather than literally what the hoof is wearing, though I understand how it was interpreted the other way given the context of the thread.

Thank you @milliepops, so many people read these type of threads and take it literally. There is so much more to keeping an active usable hoof healthy and well supported.

 

[SEL]

I'm lucky to have found a farrier who is extremely pro barefoot but I also seem to have a horse who struggles with boots - mainly because there are very few options for large hooves that don't change her breakover.

So I'd try boots in your position but stay open minded about shoes. A friend has just shod her 16yo cob after a life of barefoot trimming / boots and the difference in the mare's way of going is incredible. They are on stoney ground and she's gone for heel support to try and prevent issues from standard shoes.

 

[AandK]

Thank you @milliepops, so many people read these type of threads and take it literally. There is so much more to keeping an active usable hoof healthy and well supported.

I agree with what you are saying BUT, not everyone will have understood what you meant by support. Which is why I think it is good ycbm asked you to clarify, seeing the reply written down will no doubt help others understand and take your advice in future.

 

[paddy555]

FWIW i understood you meant "support" as in *care* rather than literally what the hoof is wearing, though I understand how it was interpreted the other way given the context of the thread.

that's how I read it as well., In this case why is there cracking, flaring and flat feet. That is where I would be looking to start with. If it were an older horse I would also be wondering about the cushings status. (that is horses in general not necessarily this one)

 

[ycbm]

Ok, just for you.....
Dietary support? Is the horses diet lacking in the fundamental nutrients required to support optimum hoof growth and quality.
Physiotherapy? Is there tightness in the horses muscles or stiffness that may be creating an unbalanced way of going.
Regular trims? How often does its feet get trimmed? Are they balanced?

Will that do so far ycbm? because to me this is very basic management when it comes to supporting a healthy usable hoof.

Thank you. I can't help wondering why you didn't say all that before instead of just "support" and then complaining that people misunderstood you as advocating shoes. Whenever I've seen "the feet need more support" written or heard it spoken without any further explanation, the person saying it has always, without exception, meant shoes.

I apologise for not understanding that you meant something different.
.

 

[Kat]

I would heartily recommend boots. I am hesitant to say that I would never shoe again, but I struggle to think of any circumstances that would encourage me to shoe. The negatives massively outweigh any advantages.

Boots are brilliant, getting a suitable pair is not that tricky. Measure carefully after a trim and send photos to one of the retailers who offer fitting advice. Hoof Bootique, Urban Horse and Equestrian Podiatry Supplies come to mind. Maybe get two opinions.

Although boots look expensive, they work out far cheaper than shoes. Mine lasted about 4 years!

You retain all the advantages of barefoot 90% of the time and just put the boots on as required.

As boots aren't metal you are less likely to get serious brushing or overreach injuries than in shoes. They weigh less so cause less strain. They don't restrict the flexion of the hoof so you get better shock absorption. They grip better on most surfaces, especially on tarmac/concrete. They protect the sole from sharp objects which a shoe can't do. You won't get shoes pulled off causing damage to the hoof or sole. And it hurts less when they stand on your foot bare or booted rather than shod!