Opinions on shoeing youngsters?

I have a 5 year old (late maturing) WB x TB who will be re-backed in a month or so. He hasn't been shod to date and I won't shoe him unless he needs shoes.

Personally I think to many people just do things because "that's what you do".

If he needs them, he'll have them - when he needs them.

Seems logical to me.
 
My 6yo (broken late) is shoeless. She's not in hard work is it's mainly schooling/lunging and a little bit of hacking on the road. My others are only shod because they need it, your horse will tell you when/if he needs it.
 
Yeah agree with the above poster. If your username is anything to go by and you have a welsh (though I could be way off the mark) than you may never need shoes.

Mine isn't shod now and hopefully wont be ever. Just play everything by ear, if said neddy has good feet than just get them regulary trimmed. Your farrier would be able to help if you were unsure.

xxx
 
my youngster is a native and has very good feet, the only reason i see for him needing to be shod in the future is for something to screw studs into,

but if you are set on having him shod, i would wait until the horse is at least 5/6 and his feet are fully grown as you dont want them growing boxy and narrow because they didnt have room to grow outwards
 
Yes, I agree with everyone else. Just play it by ear. You'll soon establish whether your youngster needs shoes or not, once you start working him regularly.

I've flat footed TB's so tend to need to shoe early on else I end up with foot sore horses, with bruised soles :rolleyes: But some I need only shoe in front to keep them comfortable.

Assuming you have his feet trimmed regularly and they are maintaining a good shape, carry on as you are. :)
 
sam4321 said:
....but if you are set on having him shod, i would wait until the horse is at least 5/6 and his feet are fully grown as you dont want them growing boxy and narrow because they didnt have room to grow outwards
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As someone who's had to have their horses as young as Long Yearlings shod, and most of my others start being shod at around the age of 2.5 yrs, I can genuinely say I haven't found this causes what you describe above. Mine see the farrier every 5 weeks from birth and he adjusts any shoe regularly enough that no stunting or problems occur as their feet grow. Frankly, the condition and shape of my youngsters' feet is worlds apart from most of the other youngsters I see turned out. The ones where the owners don't have them trimmed more than once or twice a year and the feet are just left.

I'd say, only shoe if you have to. Or consider using a well fitting set of hoof boots for road/rocky work if you can. But whatever you do, make sure your horse sees a good farrier at least every couple of months - shod or unshod. That alone will go a long way to keeping the horse sound and happy. :)
 
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Agree regular farrier important, but very cheering to see people waiting to see if they need shoes rather than just doing it as a matter of course. I waited and pony is now rising 7 and still shoeless and does roadwork and rocky stuff fine, and has just done an endurance ride and was the fastest non member doing it.

I did need hoof boots for a few months when we first started roadwork tho so it might be worth being ready to do that. But even if you later shod the horse, having hoof boots and the horse being used to them can be very useful as an emergency rescue if they throw a shoe!
 
I leave mine unshod as long as possible. My older horse was shod for the first time at 5 as he was knocking too much foot off when hacking. Having been fully shod for a number of years he is now only shod in front as he does not do much hacking any more.

My six year old was shod at 3 as he kept going lame when he was first backed. Turns out that although he has very good feet he has very thin soles. He has never been lame since having shoes on.

My four 5 year olds are currently unshod and hacking out happily.
 
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