Mmm. Farrier article in BHS Mag

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OldNag

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The new BHS mag has an article by a farrier in which he states...

"There's a misconception that ... you can't ride a horse that hasn't got shoes on... That's not true. Obviously, your performance isn't as good as it could be because you haven't got the grip and some horses are uncomfortable without shoes so you have to look at your type of foot, but in most cases there's nothing wrong with leaving shoes off if you're not doing very much with your horse."

Really? I can only presume he doesn't have many barefoot customers.

<Goes to bash head against wall>
 
I'll have to mention that to my 4 wheel drive barefoot welsh cob...his grip whether going up and down steep hills, jumping or schooling (or indeed 'having a moment' in any of those places) is phenomenal :D

Oh - and maybe that farrier should have a chat with Sarah Braithwaite or Nic Barker...

<Joins in headbashing>
 
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He can't have owned a working BF horse either as on some surfaces the grip is better and I've never been able to get CM self trimming even with regular 3 hour hacks. Maybe hacking (however difficult the terrain, or the length of the hack) counts as 'not doing much' in his eyes?
 
See if he classifies performance as sj/Dr on grass then I'd tend to agree :p

The not doing much .. Frank thinks chance would be a fine thing ;) he did some serious hacking and hunting miles last week! Though did get treated to his boots on after his rest day, fine after that.
 
I don't know anyone who would hunt with studs!??? It's not the jumping I would have issues with - it's the turns in a jump off ;)
 
LittleBlackMule said:
I'd better remind my horse of that as we rocket past shod horses on the next endurance ride..
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Is there much jumping on endurance riding ? Genuine question - it isnt a sport that I follow or know much about.

I do know that my horses couldn't get round a muddy 2, 3 or 4* event without shoes and a set of appropriate studs, and nor would we ask them.
 
I would never hunt with studs, will keep to my barefoot horse who jumps anything and is sure footed and don't slip. Why would he need studs?
 
ester said:
I don't think I'd worry about xc at the lower levels as not many turns/complicated combinations.
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I agree with you, but 2* and above I think it would be dangerous not to have studs. I dont know of any who event barefoot at the higher levels, but that doesnt mean there isnt someone who does I suppose. I am not even sure if they would pass the trot up in FEI regulated competitions, but thats just a guess, as have never looked at the rules around it. Do you happen to know ?
 
Bestdogdash said:
I agree with you, but 2* and above I think it would be dangerous not to have studs. I dont know of any who event barefoot at the higher levels, but that doesnt mean there isnt someone who does I suppose. I am not even sure if they would pass the trot up in FEI regulated competitions, but thats just a guess, as have never looked at the rules around it. Do you happen to know ?
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probably because the judges/vets wont have seen a heel first landing in a while ;) lol
 
My son evented at BE Novice on a barefoot horse. The XC was less of an issue than the dressage. Totally dry ground or deep mud were fine but when the ground was dry underneath but damp on top (typical UK summer) it proved too slippery for tight turns. The XC courses tend to be well maintained with dressed take-off and landing zones providing secure footings. For the last three years the horse has been shod during the summer and barefoot in the winter - hacking on and off road, a small amount of hunting and working on a surface without problems. Our farrier has been very supportive. I don't think there is an issue with FEI rules but when they went out at 1* the horse was already shod so I cannot give a definite answer.
 
Our dwb mare has been barefoot for 7 years, competed at sj/dressage/xc and now endurance - no problem with turning at speed or jumping on grass in all conditions. Farriers at endurance competitions compliment us on her strong feet.
 
I'm perturbed by the notion of keeping horses barefoot being regarded as a money saving tip. I believe barefoot to be healthier for the hooves long term and so I choose to keep mine barefoot. EG - My older horse has just finished several months of very careful trimming and other care to resolve the seedy toe that was present in all four feet when I purchased him. His hoof balance remains a work in progress and will probably never be perfect due to his age, but at least his feet are healthy now! Likewise, if either of mine genuinely needed boots or shoes, then I would use those. If I were unable to afford proper care then I wouldn't have them at all.

My money saving tip would be to step away from the bling, matchy matchy, unnecessary hard feeds, and fancy gear!
 
All mine have been BF for years, but last year I rode a shod horse, and was reminded how often they slip, even on roads and reasonable ground. It was very un-nerving. Barefoot for grip, every time.

Stony tracks is when shoes are useful, and even then they tend to trap the stones.
 
Lots of horses work without shoes. And bare can offer better grip on quite a few surfaces......
mine all shoeless competing up to adv dressage, hack out, do bit of jumping....

If its lame out of shoes, surely its lame?
 
I wonder if this person has ever watched a herd hooning round a muddy field?

I watched mine (unshod) and one of her mates (shod) tearing flat out towards the gate one muddy day. Mine stopped within six feet of the gate when she slammed her anchors on and the other horse realised she wasn't going to stop and had to swerve violently.

Oh yes, and regular readers will know that my mare has recurrent abscesses on the same foot. I asked my farrier if she'd be better with shoes, and he said it would make any difference.
 
Lucinda someone or other used to compete at a high level for the life of me cannot remember her surname. Her horses lived out 247 unrugged never clipped and barefoot they did ok
 
(tongue in cheek)&#8230;.

&#8230;in the light of the extract in the first post in this thread, I feel dreadfully sorry for all those wild horses and ponies, and asses, who throughout centuries have had to struggle to survive in difficult terrain in all seasons with no shoes. Such ill-designed creatures. Thank god Man came along and realised the cure was to nail metal shoes to their hooves&#8230;
 
Suechoccy said:
(tongue in cheek)&#8230;.

&#8230;in the light of the extract in the first post in this thread, I feel dreadfully sorry for all those wild horses and ponies, and asses, who throughout centuries have had to struggle to survive in difficult terrain in all seasons with no shoes. Such ill-designed creatures. Thank god Man came along and realised the cure was to nail metal shoes to their hooves&#8230;
Click to expand...

&#128516;&#128516;&#128516;&#128516;&#128516;&#128516;&#128516;
 
Suechoccy said:
(tongue in cheek)&#8230;.

&#8230;in the light of the extract in the first post in this thread, I feel dreadfully sorry for all those wild horses and ponies, and asses, who throughout centuries have had to struggle to survive in difficult terrain in all seasons with no shoes. Such ill-designed creatures. Thank god Man came along and realised the cure was to nail metal shoes to their hooves&#8230;
Click to expand...

Wild horses did not carry people about ,they adjusted their movement to need if they eaten enough they rested if an area had abundant food they ate moved little then moved on searching for more .if their feet got sore they will have restricted themselves as much as they could .
If their feet where poor they died early , if they had abbceses they got caught when the herd was being predated and got eaten .
Most horses where dead by seven
Its a completely pointless comparison .
I do my horses both ways they spend time shod and unshod , this what I find
Wet grass , shod best no doubt .
Roads,no difference
Snow unshod much much the best .
Jumping shoes and studs make a significant improvement in performance on grass on surfaces no difference but shoes best when going fast .
Dressage I prefer the feel of them unshod riding an unshod horse on the flat is a great feeling .
 
Having watched two shod horses go down, one on its knees and one did the splits on a shiny length of tarmac near where I kept my girl, and then having ridden her across it myself without the slightest slip, been grateful for a safe journey... She was unshod because of arthritis but she wouldn't have needed shoes anyway in her latter years since we were just pottering about and riding on fields. I learned to ride on a Bodmin Moor pony who wasn't shod. We used to do miles on the roads, jumping, shows (hacked to and from of course) etc and his little feet were absolutely fine. No chips or splits or excessive wear.
 
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