Hoof boots or traditional shoes?

[Stroppy Mare]

My horse has only ever needed fronts on, and at the moment, I am at university too far away to ride often. I manage to ride in university holidays only (Xmas hols were out due to weather), and the occasional long weekend when I manage to get home.

Horse is currently barefoot as not ridden and sat in a field doing nothing whilst I'm away, but she needs something between her hoof and the ground when riding on hard surfaces, and I'm not limiting myself to softish fields and menages only while I am home.

So the question is, do I shoe her from April - September continually and remove shoes the rest of the year and don't ride, or would hoof boots be worthwhile trying?

 

[FfionWinnie]

Hoof boots would be cheaper than shoeing for what would just be occasional riding.

 

[Gloi]

I'd be going for boots. You may even find that after using them for a while in the summer you no longer need them even on hard surfaces.

 

[Stroppy Mare]

Have now borrowed some easy boot gloves to try, hopefully we'll get on with them. Tbh if she does, and in a year or so's time when I'm back full time, if I shoe her then the boots will come in handy on the very rare chance she loses a shoe (lost one in 7 years!)