question for those who have had horses shod,previously unshod

amandaco2

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Question for those who have had shoes put on horses that were barefoot/unshod.
What was the reason for shoeing and what investigations/things did you try, if any, to keep the shoes off, or ascertain why the horse needed them?
How did the horse go on after being shod?
 

Heelsdown

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When I bought my horse he was unshod. His feet weren't trimmed that regularly so they were flaked and cracked. He was very footy on stoney ground too even with his hard warmblood feet! He's now shod all round and his feet are great :)
 

ihatework

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My retired TB type cushings horse had been unshod for 5 years.
Had his first bout of lammi last year and I just couldn't get him comfortable enough for a quality of life. I shod him in front and he was much happier. He has had shoes off this winter but they will go back on next month, before he gets sore.
 

Morgan123

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Not sure how to put this into a short story format but I'll try not to be too long winded! I put shoes on my barefoot Sec D because of barefoot lameness issues - however, they also didn't resolve it and the mystery continues.

My welshie has been unshod for eight years while I've had him, partly because he hates the farrier and partly because I like(d) the barefoot idea. No problems, competed all disciplines incl endurance.

2 years ago we got a nagging lameness for no apparent reason. Vet and farrier both said, with no particular agenda 'we see a lot of concussive problems e.g. arthritis, sidebone in barefoot horses'. altho these did not turn out to be my problem, i started to rethink the whole barefoot thing.

We went through a host of inconclusive diagnostics incl MRI, no clear diagnosis but they thought bruising in the pedal bones through concussion. I did a full Rockley-style rehab on my own, he came sound initially. Vet advised to try shoeing which I did; fine at first then went lame. Another set of x rays - problem with hoof structure/potential deep abscess - tried remedial shoeing with one of the best remedial farriers in the country. No success.

I've now given him six months off completely - basically think there must be some sort of structural problem in hoof so decided maybe it needs time to just grow out on its own. He's sound again and i'm tentatively starting small walks on different surfaces (barefoot). I plan to keep him barefoot, but I certainly don't expect the 'barefoot' to be the thing that cures him any more than shoes could.

So yes, I'm someone who has tried putting shoes on a barefooter because of problems which most barefoot people say should have solves themselves! However, the shoes didn't work either. My pony may just be a one off or a mystery though.....
 

skint1

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My big lad came to me barefoot when I got him last June. I tried to keep him barefoot but the yard has very stony ground and can be quite hard in the summer particularly. He got a stone bruise and an abscess within the first month so I put front shoes on him, he was immediately a lot more comfortable (and forward!) so I have kept this up. I felt bad about it because he has such lovely feet, but when I think of the majority of horses on our yard, most have at least front shoes, so I think it was the right call.
 

amandaco2

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This is my horse who I'm considering shoes for......
Cushing, he's on a foot friendly diet, meds for cushings (need to check levels) but struggles on stones to and from field....
And my other one who struggles on stones as well...
Just feels like failure to shoe when they have been bare for years :(

My retired TB type cushings horse had been unshod for 5 years.
Had his first bout of lammi last year and I just couldn't get him comfortable enough for a quality of life. I shod him in front and he was much happier. He has had shoes off this winter but they will go back on next month, before he gets sore.
 

Goldenstar

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Ted was BF for two years but once he started hunting two days a week he was footsore at the end of the day that was not acceptable to me so I shod him and he carried on hunting he's shod for hunting now and works the summer months BF .
J arrived with all the classic symptoms of a young TB heading for big trouble poor horn collapsed heels lame after shoeing etc etc, he had eighteen months BF he was very good without shoes but was not confident without studs for XC we shod him and he was so much happier he's was at that time a young very large TB With a lot of furnishing to do I think that's why we found shod much easier ,he also spends part of every year without shoes .
All my horses go Into and out shoes as it suits me and what I want them to do .
 

pennandh

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I haven't personally reverted to shoeing, but a friend keeps hers barefoot in summer and has front shoes with road studs for hunting in the winter, which I'm considering doing with H as, whilst his feet are solid as a rock, they don't grow super-quickly; so if he ends up doing a lot more roadwork than usual he'd probably want fronts on to minimise wear.
 

thatsmygirl

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I have 5 bare at the moment but use shoes as and when needed but will not shoe all year round as iv since what damage shoes do.
One is rock crunching with feet iv never seen before so he copes fine over any surface. My mare who funny enough was bare when I got her with fab feet and coped fine, but I shod her as that's what you do! She has lost all her internal structure so at the mo I'm hacking her in boots but when she started fast work, she will be shod as its just easier but its only about 5 months she's shod for then back to boots.
My lamatitic I keep bare as my early warning sign! He copes fine until spring when the grass comes so instead of shoeing him to cover it up I monitor/take grass away to keep him from going sore.
 

wingedhorse

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Mine was barefoot 18 months, six months turned away, 12 weeks at Rockley, ridden barefoot at home March to early November. October (not related to grass flushing as it wasnt), he slowly went really footy, and sore in his back as a result of compensating. He was sore even in the sandy field. I had back treated but underlying cause was sore feet. I put shoes on (rubber plastic EPONAs in front) and normal behind. He was instantly SO MUCH HAPPIER. Bucking and charging round the field. Made me realise he’d been footsore a while, but as not lame as all feet, I didn’t realise how miserable he was.

My initial plan was to shoe, re-run analysis on grass, hay, and bloods on horse, for suspected metabolic problem. Once found problem, take shoes off (I was advised that up to two cycles did minimum damage to barefoot feet). But all came back okay, including hay and grass sugar levels. And horse was much happier shod. So I never took them off.

That was November 2013, and he’s still doing well shod, though now in normal shoes. I do follow most of the barefoot management practises – hoof health, low sugar, low starch, movement, minerals, magnesium, copper, zinc etc. And good foot balance is VITAL to his soundness, I have a very good farrier, and treasure him. He too dislikes the damage shoes do to feet.

I love barefoot, think it can help lots of horses. But I don’t think it’s a dogmatic cure for all, or right for all horses.
 

ITPersonnage

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Ditto wingedhorse, how I loved to read that I'm not the only one to turn to the dark side again :)

I really did try, but my horse loves being out all summer, eating grass with her mates, I shod fronts first and what a difference, never looked back. Mine was at Rockley too with Navicular syndrome & we owe a lot of thanks to BF for getting us back on track. But mine also got back soreness from sore feet and has been shod all round for 12 months now. Just goes to show, they're not all the same and you can't treat them all the same. We've kept the same diet & she looks a million dollars & has a sympathetic farrier who always comments on healthy feet.
 

Abacus

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Thanks for this interesting thread.

Mine is currently barefoot behind (initially, hock arthritis meant we couldn't get shoes on him, 3 years ago). He has been sore the last few weeks with all the mud and wet, I am seriously considering putting the shoes back on, even though I would probably need vet sedation to get shoes on his back feet. We have had to keep him in for about 3 weeks (plus obviously pain relief) to get him through this time of year and I am using hoof boots now so that they don't get sore again in the field. I'm hoping to take the hoof boots off again in spring when the ground has dried up. Vet said initially that I should shoe him but has said that she understands I would rather not, due to the difficulties in actually getting the shoes on him. If I can't stop him being sore then I will have to.

I'm not especially a barefoot advocate - it suits some horses and doesn't suit others - I have mostly had my horses shod. I don't see it as failure if you have to re-shoe. As I have learned with my horse, I am constantly trying to find the best course through various conflicting ailments and shoeing would help with some while hindering others. You can only decide for the horse you have, and trying to plan for that horses future while making him comfortable now. It's not easy, and good luck.
 

amandaco2

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Thanks, I do not want to mask any laminitis, this is my major concern, but they r as sugar free as I can do without stopping grazing completely....boots to and front field isn't an option, the mud is horrendous......


Thanks for this interesting thread.

Mine is currently barefoot behind (initially, hock arthritis meant we couldn't get shoes on him, 3 years ago). He has been sore the last few weeks with all the mud and wet, I am seriously considering putting the shoes back on, even though I would probably need vet sedation to get shoes on his back feet. We have had to keep him in for about 3 weeks (plus obviously pain relief) to get him through this time of year and I am using hoof boots now so that they don't get sore again in the field. I'm hoping to take the hoof boots off again in spring when the ground has dried up. Vet said initially that I should shoe him but has said that she understands I would rather not, due to the difficulties in actually getting the shoes on him. If I can't stop him being sore then I will have to.

I'm not especially a barefoot advocate - it suits some horses and doesn't suit others - I have mostly had my horses shod. I don't see it as failure if you have to re-shoe. As I have learned with my horse, I am constantly trying to find the best course through various conflicting ailments and shoeing would help with some while hindering others. You can only decide for the horse you have, and trying to plan for that horses future while making him comfortable now. It's not easy, and good luck.
 

Celtic Fringe

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We shod my son's horse as he was sometimes slipping when competing (BE Novice/one-star). When the ground was hard underneath but damp on top he was loosing his footing in grass dressage arenas - most noticably one that was on a slight slope. After that he was shod in summer and always had studs when competing, with shoes off at the end of the season. Now they have stopped eventing he is back to barefoot all year round. Competing on a surfaced arena is absolutely fine - Elementary/Medium dressage at the moment. Hunting also fine because ground is soft enough for his feet to 'bite in'.
 

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I had mine shod when he was unable to do the amount of work I wanted at the gait I wanted over the type of ground I ride on. He can manage a few hours hacking a week with at least 1 day off between but several hours a week with trot and canter on roads and forest tracks is tooo much for him barefoot.
 

HashRouge

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I had my retired cushings mare shod after two happy years without shoes because I was really struggling with grass management and LGL and just couldn't get her comfortable. She only had the shoes on for two months or so, though, and hasn't needed them since (2 1/2 years ago). My summer management has been much better since then - that year was our first summer on a new yard and we just didn't restrict our grazing soon enough. We've *touch wood* got the knack now though. I think it can be very difficult when you really can't get your horse comfortable, and additionally complicated when you add something like cushings into the mix.
 

ycbm

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This is my horse who I'm considering shoes for......
Cushing, he's on a foot friendly diet, meds for cushings (need to check levels) but struggles on stones to and from field....
And my other one who struggles on stones as well...
Just feels like failure to shoe when they have been bare for years :(

If it helps, I'd shoe a Cushings horse too, it can be impossible to help them any other way.
 

ycbm

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Ditto wingedhorse, how I loved to read that I'm not the only one to turn to the dark side again :)

I really did try, but my horse loves being out all summer, eating grass with her mates, I shod fronts first and what a difference, never looked back. Mine was at Rockley too with Navicular syndrome & we owe a lot of thanks to BF for getting us back on track. But mine also got back soreness from sore feet and has been shod all round for 12 months now. Just goes to show, they're not all the same and you can't treat them all the same. We've kept the same diet & she looks a million dollars & has a sympathetic farrier who always comments on healthy feet.

Mine was barefoot 18 months, six months turned away, 12 weeks at Rockley, ridden barefoot at home March to early November. October (not related to grass flushing as it wasnt), he slowly went really footy, and sore in his back as a result of compensating. He was sore even in the sandy field. I had back treated but underlying cause was sore feet. I put shoes on (rubber plastic EPONAs in front) and normal behind. He was instantly SO MUCH HAPPIER. Bucking and charging round the field. Made me realise he’d been footsore a while, but as not lame as all feet, I didn’t realise how miserable he was.

My initial plan was to shoe, re-run analysis on grass, hay, and bloods on horse, for suspected metabolic problem. Once found problem, take shoes off (I was advised that up to two cycles did minimum damage to barefoot feet). But all came back okay, including hay and grass sugar levels. And horse was much happier shod. So I never took them off.

That was November 2013, and he’s still doing well shod, though now in normal shoes. I do follow most of the barefoot management practises – hoof health, low sugar, low starch, movement, minerals, magnesium, copper, zinc etc. And good foot balance is VITAL to his soundness, I have a very good farrier, and treasure him. He too dislikes the damage shoes do to feet.

I love barefoot, think it can help lots of horses. But I don’t think it’s a dogmatic cure for all, or right for all horses.


I always wondered what happened if you re-shod 'navicular' rehabs, so thanks for those stories.


Some horses can be very difficult to manage without shoes. I've had one which could not have grass at all due to EMS issues, but was crippled by shoes. I think if I had one I had to shoe I'd try to do what Goldenstar does and take them off for three months a year.
 

Enfys

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Question for those who have had shoes put on horses that were barefoot/unshod.
What was the reason for shoeing and what investigations/things did you try, if any, to keep the shoes off, or ascertain why the horse needed them?
How did the horse go on after being shod?

I shod because she is flat footed and I was doing a lot of roadwork and riding on stony terrain.
Plain lightweight shoes, no toe clips, with rims and borium studs (for our current icy, snowy weather)

I didn't try anything else because she didn't need anything else, nothing wrong with her feet at all.
Just an application of common sense combined with knowing my own horse :) It helps that my farrier previously owned her and knows her well.

She is much happier and no longer oochy over stony, icy or hard going. She still goes like a Duracell bunny on rocket fuel :D
 

PollyP99

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I going throguh this dilemma currently, was trying BF after my mares accident where she ripped a shoe off and damaged the hoof when she went down in the trailer. She also severed am artery so has been in box rest. She's back out now with her mates and this last week has gone horrible sore in one foot and generally seems to be really feeling the ground, we think it's the wetness of the ground. This is not in her damaged leg/hoof so that's at least something. It's depressing though as I had just started riding again after the layoff. I really don't want her to be set back in her rehab and with the spring coming need her moving for weight management. I had made a decision to try her BF and have boots for the short hacks we managed last week. So I'm now thinking can she cope without shoes, maybe I should try again when the fields are drier? Maybe now was the wrong time since she's had the box rest her feet were very unused to the wet conditions?
 

Bernster

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Interesting to get this perspective on things as most often I hear of a permanent move to bf, not heard what happens for those who go back to shoes. I really like the idea of bf but not sure I've got the know how or set up to do it successfully. v hard when vet advises to shoe them and most other people shoe.
 

thatsmygirl

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I do wonder sometimes how many people who sent their horse to rockley go back to shoes, I know off 3 who turned back to shoes after.
I do think its knowing your horse and doing what's right by your horse. I think barefoot is great and keep barefoot as much as possable but at times its easier to shoe. On the other hand there's a lady near me who horse looks so sore and she rides it without boots as its healthier to be bare but the poor horse is suffering you can see it.
 

paddy555

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when I was in that position I shod mine. He simply couldn't manage. There appeared to be no reason as to why he shouldn't manage. He was fine for the first set, half way through the second set I removed them. They just about crippled him. His performance got worse and worse. He was so happy after I removed them. I didn't think he would care but he did. It took me several years later to find out he was cushings and at last I had a reason.

I boot on all 4 feet to ride and he copes around the yard etc barefoot. From a laminitis POV I wouldn't shoe. I feel with cushings you need the early warning system of barefoot. I have an old mare with cushings. She gets laminitis. Without shoes I can catch it immediately and take action.
 

kassieg

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Mine was unshod when I got her at 2 & stayed that way until she was 5 when I started to event her & after a couple of slips in dressage eventing I shod her so I could stud so she didn't loose confidence.
She was then shod during the event season & then barefoot over winter. She had fantastic feet :)

My two 4 year olds are unshod & will stay that way
 

amandaco2

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Yes thats why im reluctant to shoe but if they arent comfy going from stable to field and theres no other management changes i can make, i feel shoes r the only option......
my mare isnt positive cushings (had her tested twice) but she is feeling stones..,,.vet says thrres no evidence of laminitis, she needs shoes. The other vet says bare is better but ifshes not comfy she may need them.

when I was in that position I shod mine. He simply couldn't manage. There appeared to be no reason as to why he shouldn't manage. He was fine for the first set, half way through the second set I removed them. They just about crippled him. His performance got worse and worse. He was so happy after I removed them. I didn't think he would care but he did. It took me several years later to find out he was cushings and at last I had a reason.

I boot on all 4 feet to ride and he copes around the yard etc barefoot. From a laminitis POV I wouldn't shoe. I feel with cushings you need the early warning system of barefoot. I have an old mare with cushings. She gets laminitis. Without shoes I can catch it immediately and take action.
 
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