My polls

[lucy1984]

Obviously I'm just curious at other peoples answers but I've always been one to keep my horses unshod, BUT I'm considering having my 3 year old shod as I'd like to get her out and about and not just going round in the field.

I have hacked her out a few times and she was fine but her feet wore down at such a rate. I was considering buying horse boots but at the end of it all I suppose it would just be easier to have her shod?

For the people who just have front shoes - how do you find the back ones cope?! I can understand it varies from horse to horse and how far you hack etc.

I just need reassurance really

 

[RachelB]

When Maiden had front shoes only, she wore her (rock solid) hind feet down so far after doing road work that she ended up lame. She's lame in front without shoes anyway (old tendon injury needs to be kept nicely balanced, plus she gets footsore) so I have to have her shod all round. She's absolutely fine when shod

 

[TheFarrier]

Fronts normally shod first as they carry 60% of the weight. Horses often manage fine without back shoes but you will have to play it by ear.

 

[lucy1984]

Her hooves grow really slow - is this just because she is young? (3 yrs old)

 

[TheFarrier]

Growth rate slows down as horses get older. It may just be the way she is. In people some grow hair faster than others. Some horses grow inches of foot between shoeings and some grow almost nothing.


If you prefer to stay barefoot im not a farrier that will tell you your horse needs to have shoes, that said i prefer shoes over boots for various reasons but there is no reason you cant use a good fitting pair of boots of you prefer your horse to go barefoot

 

[LadyRascasse]

my personally opinion would to have front shoes on and take it from there, your farrier would be the best person to tell you as he/she would know your horse well and the way her feet grow.

i don't like hoofboots and i have seen some nasty rubs caused by them, however i don't have any first hand experience of them

 

[lucy1984]

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my personally opinion would to have front shoes on and take it from there

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I think I will just have the fronts done for now as there is a pregnant mare in my field that Izzy doesnt tolerate sometimes so it would probably be best in this case