Shod or barefoot?

Shod, partially shod or barefoot?

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gosh, you're brave!!

I vote barefoot (with the provisio that the owner is able to sort exercise and diet out - often when you're stuck on a livery yard then sorting out a grass free grazing area if needed for your horse to be comfortable can be utterly impossible!).
Both ours are barefoot year round, heaps of hacking, dressage for one and dressage/sj for the other. They manage brilliantly, though it has been a year of hard work working out what suits them and getting their diet sorted out. Been worth the stress though!
 
Impossible for me to answer as you only allow for one horse and my seven are shod or not dependent upon type of work and condition of feet.
 
Both mine are unshod (hate the word barefoot!) because neither have ever shown any need for shoes but they'd have them if they were required :)
 
Barefoot as opposed to just not shod?

I have a certified farrier to trim my horses, I haven't encountered a 'barefoot trimmer' here that I would let within 10 feet of my horses (a two week course does not cut it in my opinion) The question of barefoot or not never arose in the UK as my horses were always shod.

There are over 20 horses on my yard, one of them is shod when she is working (she does breakaway and heeling) another does exactly the same job but doesn't have shoes.

Not one of the others has ever been shod (oldest is a 22 year old) most are retired/ youngsters, or brood mares, no problems with any of them, the ones that work have no problems with our going.

I have just worked out that my farriers bill for all the ridable horses would be over $1100 every visit (without tax) :eek::(
 
Enfys said:
Barefoot as opposed to just not shod?
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Good point, for the sake of the poll consider the two to be the same (please nobody take offence to that!).

I actually am quite dumb for not including a 4th sometimes shod sometimes not / some are some aren't option- as my first loan horse was shod, the second wasn't, but in the case of the second I guess it was more 'just not shod' than barefoot.. don't think he'd ever had shoes on. To me I suppose barefoot implies going from being shod. Ah well, sorry guys!
 
I have 2 ponies permanently barefoot (as in properly trimmed by a barefoot trimmer, not just unshod). My competition horse is unshod now over the winter (normally shod through eventing / outdoor season) and a friends horse I have currently is fully shod. Personally I would keep everything barefoot or unshod if I could. I only shoe if I have to (ie. competing on grass and need studs).

There is a difference between barefoot and unshod. Unshod is simply a farrier trimming the hoof in preparation for a shoe (but just not sticking one on!). The trim is very different to a barefoot trim. Hate people slagging off barefoot, there are some fantastic trimmers out there and after having one of my ponies shod all his life (on advise of the farrier), he'd have numerous problems (2 absesses a year always, bruised soles etc.), after we went barefoot about 5 years ago the difference has been amazing and (fingers crossed!) not one absess since!
 
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Cluck said:
Why the dislike of the term 'barefoot'? Is it because it's associated with 'barefoot trimming' as opposed to a farrier trim?
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No idea but it's a hotly contested issue! Best not to get involved... call it what you want.
 
On our yard we have 4 shod and 5 barefoot. V conventional yard too.

ISH - My youngster sometimes shod, currently not
ISH - my mare always shod
cob x - shod
native pony - shod
riding pony - shod
sec B - never been shod
young pony - never shod
haflinger - never shod
aged pony - unshod
 
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tallyho! said:
No idea but it's a hotly contested issue! Best not to get involved... call it what you want.
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Thanks for the advice :D

In the US I don't come across the term unshod very much, in fact most people wouldn't understand the word that's why I asked.

There is such a big difference between most farrier/pasture trims and barefoot performance trimming that it probably is important to distinguish between the two in some way.
 
2 have always been unshod.
2 had fronts when I bought them, now both unshod.
Our new horse is shod all round. I will keep her like this for a while as I don't want to make any changes until my daughter and her have established a ridden partnership.
Will propably try backs off in a few months, if successful fronts will be next.
 
Old pony - unshod used to be shod when working hard, had fronts on whilst hacking a lot but once semi retired hacked out unshod with no problems. She is arab x connie.

3yo TBx unshod and never been shod. Will stay that way for as long as possible but will probably end up shod as he will hopefully do some competing in a couple of years.

Both trimmed by my farrier who is lovely:)
 
Cluck said:
Thanks for the advice :D

In the US I don't come across the term unshod very much, in fact most people wouldn't understand the word that's why I asked.

There is such a big difference between most farrier/pasture trims and barefoot performance trimming that it probably is important to distinguish between the two in some way.
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Absolutely, I agree with you cluck!

We do need to distinguish the differences and goodness knows we've tried, but in England, there seems to be a positive hatred towards performance trimmers with many people happy with a farrier trim. As long as horse is "performing" then there isn't a problem... is there?

There are a few here who know the difference but choose to keep the peace.
 
1 is shod all round, all year round.
3 are barefoot, although Kaiser will be shod for a few months a year for studs (So is Macey when competing). Macey's come off late Sept- early May, and i'm hoping Kaiser will be able to do the same :)
 
tallyho! said:
Absolutely, I agree with you cluck!

We do need to distinguish the differences and goodness knows we've tried, but in England, there seems to be a positive hatred towards performance trimmers with many people happy with a farrier trim. As long as horse is "performing" then there isn't a problem... is there?

There are a few here who know the difference but choose to keep the peace.
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:D I know what you mean.
 
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