Shoes . . . on or off??

[Derfette26]

I have my farrier coming to see my 26 year old pure arab this evening and I am debating whether to have his shoes taken off for the winter or not? I work 6 days a week, so can only do anything on a Sunday and then that's only if the weather is ok! He has spent a part of this summer off as I've been finding it difficult to keep his weight on and he had lost his topline and alot of muscle. This is the first summer that we've experience this problem, winter time he tends to drop weight but then picks up again in the spring. So, do I take his shoes off for the winter and just concentrate on keeping his weight and then start again in the Spring or keep his shoes on, on the off chance that the weather may be acceptable on a Sunday for me to have a ride or at least walk him out in-hand? Outside of the yard is a main road then a rather stoney lane, don't really want to risk any stones catching in his feet and causing an abcess! What would you do??

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I would try having the shoes off, you can always have them put back on after all.

 

[Gloi]

If you find he can't cope you can get some boots for him as he'd only need them on the occasions he was ridden.

 

[Kat]

Take the shoes off and buy boots to ride in so you can hack if you want. You might even get him going barefoot by next spring!

 

[splashgirl45]

i would take the shoes off if you are not going to do much with him during the winter..as someone else said you can always put them back on, you could just put fronts on.....if he has lost his top line and you have had trouble keeping weight on it may be worth a cushings test before giving him more food...