Horses shoes off for winter - trying horses out...

[dai]

I have viewed a few horses for sale over the last few weeks, all with their shoes off for winter. I hacked them all down roads and bridleways. I was wondering though, if I bought one of the ones with shoes off for winter, would it be worth keeping them off? Can this be done/has anyone done it? I just know my old horse wouldn't have managed but about half I have tried have been fine!

Just curious!

 

[abitodd]

It would be well worth keeping the shoes off.
Do lots of research into barefoot and diet/conditioning/trimming(a search on this forum would be worthwhile)

Good luck with your horse hunting

 

[dai]

Thanks I'll have a look. My cob has never been shod but he has never needed them! Just wondered about ones that had been shod already and seemed fine without, was just thinking whats the point really?!

 

[cptrayes]

Blimey Dai, have you been on extended holiday to another planet ?

This barefoot thing everyone keeps posting about is about thousands of us taking the shoes off our horses and never putting them back on again. Of course it can be done

I hunt one of mine. Others event, long distance, showjump, hack for miles etc etc.

Watch out for the spring grass, they often go footie "when the ground goes hard" which is usually due to too much grass during the daytime, when the grass sugars are highest.

 

[dai]

Blimey Dai, have you been on extended holiday to another planet ?

This barefoot thing everyone keeps posting about is about thousands of us taking the shoes off our horses and never putting them back on again. Of course it can be done

Theres one below my post about barefoot, you're right!
i must just ignore them! My cob has never had shoes on but never thought about it as he is fine and everyone else I know thinks it's weird!

 

[Goldenstar]

I took off my dressage horses shoes when he needed a short lay off due to a minor injury he's never had them put back on he hacks out happily on roads some stoney tracks and I do not intend to shoe him again unless I really need to.
As suggested do a forum search look up the websites people suggest and perhaps buy a book or two on the subject I think you do need to understand the process and what you are trying to achieve.