Removingfront shoes - how long are they sore for?

[tcarter]

Following on from the post before:

My cob-type horse has just lost another shoe by looning around the field.

She has lost serveral this year and I am seriously considering moving her to barefore (she only has fronts). However whenever she loses a show she is v sore until a new one is put one, probably because it damages the hoof wall and she ends up walking on her soles.

So the question is - how long does it take for horses to adapt to being barefoot? Would it be fair to try it few a few months and then put shoes back on it she doesn't adjust.

I would still like to hack her out (light hacking) and take her in the school - but am happy to give her time off for her feet to settle down.

Any advice would be greatly received

 

[BigRed]

My pony is not shod, the farrier trims his feet every third month. I stupidly missed my slot and his feet broke up and he was very foot sore. It took him a month to recover.

 

[Alibear]

My little lad has been bare foot for 18 months now, he still needs to wear old mac boots in front for hacking other wise he ends up footsore. All our hacking is on roads though. We did a 12 mile sponsored ride the other weekend all of road and he didn't wear his boots and came home sound as a pound.
The boots were about £95 and have lasted 12 months so far.
So could be an option?

 

[HelsB]

My boy had his front shoes off a year ago (hinds came off 18 months ago) and I have never looked back. He is amazing on them and was not sore at all.

I have him trimmed every 5-6 weeks when the farrier comes to shoe my friends horse and have to make sure I do a bit of roadwork inbetween or they get to long & chip