She Is Shod And After 18mths Bare.

Elsbells

Elsbells

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I have found a great farrier and Ellie is now shod.

I thought she would fuss, but no, she stood like a lamb as he hammered them on, I could hardly believe it. It appears she's over the moon with her new footware and seems so much more responsive, sharper and happier ridden.

I hacked her out in the woods over sharp stones and it was amazing. My friend schooled her in the menage and couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear. It seems my mare has improved in confidence and stride 100%!

I do not regret for one minute removing her shoes 18 months ago, as I did it for all the right reasons and would do the same again, but WOW! what a difference having them back on has made.

This time though she has excellent feet. She's has come so far and is going from strength to strength every day. She's is also very happy. She has shown me that she now wants to work harder and do more, so now was the right time.

My plan is to continue to shoe her for the summer and then in the winter, they'll be coming off to give her hooves a break.
 
Glad she is working well. I agree that its good to think about reasons for shoeing. I recently had fronts put on one of mine because although she has good feet and was comfortable over gravel tracks, the amount of road work she does was wearing her feet down too much. Stopped ridden work and long lined/walked in hand on roads to allow growth to catch up, but after a couple of months, resumed ridden work and again, feet couldn't keep up.
I found that once shod, she was much more forward going and didn't trip, slip or stumble on tarmac anymore which was contrary to what I expected.
Each horse is different, some can and some can't, keeping an open mind is all you can do.
 
It's obviously the right thing for you and her. I'm glad you plan on using the old fashioned "model" of giving her a break from the shoes each year, like they used to 40 years ago. Have fun this summer!
 
It always used to be the way that horses were shod for summer work and removed for rest and nowadays no-one seems to follow that course of action anymore as CPTrayes said...

Well, I bet having them natural for 18 months really improved them and I bet you've learnt lots. I still am. We're only 6 months in and still a long way to go before his feet recover from years of AWFUL shoeing.
 
Thanks cptrayes.

I believe a rest from metal has many benefits and as you say, years ago horses always had a period in the year when they wouldn't be shod but turned away rugless and bare into a a big medow and in a herd. Sadly, this is now rarely done or even remembered as the norm.

We're going to enjoy this summer though!!
 
Yes I have TH. Now when I look at a horse, I start at the feet and work up which must look like I'm undressing with my eyes but I can't help it. There is a leaflet for Dengie at our yard and it annoys the hell out of me as it has a picture of what they feel is a model horse to them, but to me all see is that it has such terrible high heels!!

I know what a healthy foot should look like, the mechanics of it and what a farrier ought to be doing when he shoes my mare. It's such a plus that I'm able to make an informed decision about how I want and expect things to go, that is invaluable.

My new farrier told me that he is amazed at how many owners just do not look at their horses feet! They show absolutely no intrest until it all goes wrong, even buying horses without looking at foot confirmation and health to then expect him to keep it sound. Seems very unfair to me.

Good luck on your barefoot journey, it can be a hell of a ride;)
 
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