should I shoe ???

Pale Rider said:
No you don't, if you don't like my view, don't read it.
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In which case maybe your posts should come with a warning which reads - 'content may offend'
If you don't want to be labelled a troll, don't act like one!! You post inflammatory comments and expect no response??

No, not everyone knows that roadwork is excellent for horses feet, we're battling years and years of being told that horses 'need' shoes to be able to work on anything other than an arena surface, barefoot trimming is a small but rapidly growing corner of the equestrian scene we need to be warm and welcoming to all interested parties and proving to the sceptics that our horses are capable of exactly the same as their shod horses.
Barefoot trimmers and farriers have the same end goal - sound horses and happy owners but its hard enough breaking through the stigma as it is without tactless comments that put peoples back up and make them close their ears to what we have to say.
 
there is actually a difference in types of trimming :o = a farrier (totally generalising here - becuase actually many farriers do not do this - but the barefoot brigade belive *all* farriers are the work of the devil and can' trim correctly to save their lives) will trim for preparation for a shoe

wheras a barefoot trimmer has been trained (and again i use term loosly here as i do not rate too many of the qualifications) to trim for the hoof to be shoeless

hence why the two terms came about

i'll shut up now or i'll start sounding like a troll lol
 
Pale Rider said:
I suppose that my view is that I wouldn't compete if my horse needed studs to do it. I am not going to shoe my horse just to compete.
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Now that did make me smile. And so did the other posters who suggest shoeing is the root of all evil.

Pansy; this is a good time of year for your cob to get used to increased road work. His feet should grow faster during the summer months and he isn't having to deal with continous wet/muddy ground, so he can manage better with abrasive surfaces during the period of coping with change.
If he seems footy, check that your new grazing isn't the cause before thinking about shoes. If he's been fine for the last 2 years, he's in a good position to continue unshod.
I have a cob who does 8-10 miles most days, road work varies between 40% and 60% of this.
That said, if your boy is uncomfortable, better to shoe than leave him to hobble. Your farrier may be happy to come out for a trim, but if not, check out the other farrier before using him. Unshod horses still need as much farriery skill, as shod horses, don't they ?
 
posie_honey said:
there is actually a difference in types of trimming :o = a farrier (totally generalising here - becuase actually many farriers do not do this - but the barefoot brigade belive *all* farriers are the work of the devil and can' trim correctly to save their lives) will trim for preparation for a shoe

wheras a barefoot trimmer has been trained (and again i use term loosly here as i do not rate too many of the qualifications) to trim for the hoof to be shoeless

hence why the two terms came about

i'll shut up now or i'll start sounding like a troll lol
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No, Posie, they don't believe "all" farriers are the work of the devil, I've seen some of the good ones get their socks praised off by the barefooters. By the way I totally agree with you, we ride for our own convenience so why on earth not shoe for it when or if you need to (being the important bit), especially when you have taken the time to find out all about being barefoot and know it's limitations for you. I also totally agree that you get less grip barefoot than with shoes on grass (not roads though!) and this is one of the reasons I would shoe if I wanted to compete (my TB anyway)
:)
 
Clava said:
No, Posie, they don't believe "all" farriers are the work of the devil, I've seen some of the good ones get their socks praised off by the barefooters. By the way I totally agree with you, we ride for our own convenience so why on earth not shoe for it when or if you need to (being the important bit), especially when you have taken the time to find out all about being barefoot and know it's limitations for you. I also totally agree that you get less grip barefoot than with shoes on grass (not roads though!) and this is one of the reasons I would shoe if I wanted to compete (my TB anyway)
:)
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sorry i should have said *many of the die-hard BF brigade* - not the middle of the roaders like you and i who can see both sides - and my old trimmer who also uses shoes to event for the reason of studs and also hardcore at take off and landing (actually the worst one for me was an irish bank with it on - poor HRH had a real hopping ouchy moment when she lept up ontop it :()

and yup = hated road work when i first put shoes back on - i use road nails all year round now for grip - BF road work is far nicer/safer = esp with these new road surfaces :(
 
I didn't mean to cause such a debate
Thanks for all your constructive replies !! I have read books & researched on the internet but sometimes it is nice to get someone elses view on things
:):)
 
As a member of the 'barefoot brigade' lol my personal definition of shoeless is a horse that is normally shod without its shoes - e.g a broodmare that would be shod to work or a horse that has been turned away
and barefoot means a horse that is intended to work without his shoes

thats what I always thought it meant anyways. :)
 
Daisydo said:
Thank you posie honey , that has cleared that up, so no difference at all then just the difference of the name of the person who does the trim. :)
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Well, essentially, not just the name, more the level of training and experience. (and price, strangely farriers charge a lot less generally.)
 
Daisydo said:
Thank you posie honey , that has cleared that up, so no difference at all then just the difference of the name of the person who does the trim. :)
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yeah basically lol! there are many variations on how to do a trim to be shoeless - and that is how different terms came about - but yeah - its basically the same thing - 'orse wiv no jimmy's :cool:
 
I read the original post as someone considering shoeing because they may have to change farrier. This I feel is a drastic step to take for a trivial reason.

Now people are asking about barefoot and shoeless, if you keep horses, this is very basic stuff.

Whatever reason people have for shoeing, my reason for not shoeing is equally as strong. I know people set a lot of store by competition, I don't, and I don't really see it as a valid reason for shoeing.

People get very hot under the collar on this site about all sorts of issues which are not the current conventional way of doing things, but, things are changing and changing fast, compaired to a lot of posters on here I think I have been quite subdued.
 
]Hi,

I have a middleweight cob who has not had shoes on for the last 2 years
- I have never really done much road work - but have recently moved & we are doing a lot more road work - does this mean he needs to have shoes on ?? @ the moment his feet are looking ok a tiny chip in the front of one of his hooves but it is about the time I would normally be booking in for a trim.

I am inclined to believe that if he ok that I dont need to shoe & to carry on trimming - but what do you all think - the other thing is the farrier that I have been using normally does my boys feet along with some others but I have moved to a small yard where no one else uses him so I think he would be reluctant to come out just for a trim - how does anyone else deal with this - or should I just ask if I can use the farrier that 1 of the other girls is using ??
Any advice appreciated- Many thanks
[/

I did not I read the original post as someone considering shoeing because they may have to change farrier. This I feel is a drastic step to take for a trivial reason
ALL i DID WAS ASK FOR SOME ADVICE I did not say that I would shoe because I may have to change farrier - I think that you have been very harsh I know that this subject can cause some debate - but I do not need to be told off - I thought these forums were here to support people & offer advice @ the moment that does not seem to be the case :mad:
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pansy - don't be disheartened, asking for advice is a good thing. :)
sometimes people get over excited with emotive subjects and they forget to treat other people as they would like to be treated themselves.
As i said before follow your instincts, take on board all the advice (good and bad) that you hear and go with what works for you. :-)
 
Wow! This got long. I haven't read all the replies but I'd say that for the first couple of trims in the new 'roadier' yard it is probably worth offering to pay a bit extra if necessary to get the farrier you trust (assuming you do!) and who knows your horse's feet out. Then just see how it goes/what he says.
 
Also missed out the middle lot of posts here but ...

I am in the same boat. Have been doing a lot of road work over the past few weeks feet are now as short as they can be without causing a problem so have a decision, either to shoe, or reduce the roadwork.

I have decided to hope we get a bit of rain and going to lay off the road work for a bit and see how we go. If necessary will just shoe the fronts for 2/3 months - but horse goes so much better without shoes I am hoping to avoid unless necessary.
 
posie_honey said:
there is actually a difference in types of trimming :o = a farrier (totally generalising here - becuase actually many farriers do not do this - but the barefoot brigade belive *all* farriers are the work of the devil and can' trim correctly to save their lives) will trim for preparation for a shoe

wheras a barefoot trimmer has been trained (and again i use term loosly here as i do not rate too many of the qualifications) to trim for the hoof to be shoeless

hence why the two terms came about

i'll shut up now or i'll start sounding like a troll lol
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This is rubbish.

Any horse can be shoeless. Only a horse which is doing work for which the conventional wisdom suggests it needs shoes is a barefoot horse.

I think the term came about because "shoeless" implies that the natural state is shod. We do not walk around in the morning, or on a beach, "shoeless". We walk around barefoot. I also like Maggiesmum's explanation.

It has nothing to do with who does a trim. It's not new either, it's in the original True Grit. "I ain't riding no barefoot horse".

I am a proud member of Barefoot Evangelists and the Barefoot Brigade, both of whom do sterling work telling people about the barefoot option. But neither set of people believe any farrier is evil, far less all of them. That is a troll statement.
 
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canteron said:
Also missed out the middle lot of posts here but ...

I am in the same boat. Have been doing a lot of road work over the past few weeks feet are now as short as they can be without causing a problem so have a decision, either to shoe, or reduce the roadwork.

I have decided to hope we get a bit of rain and going to lay off the road work for a bit and see how we go. If necessary will just shoe the fronts for 2/3 months - but horse goes so much better without shoes I am hoping to avoid unless necessary.
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Boots?

I was close to using them on my hunter this january/february when his feet wore quicker than they were growing because I hadn't been able to keep up his movement and work levels in the big freeze. It took about three weeks for his feet to suddenly wake up and realise they needed more speed of growth, then we were fine again but it was touch and go for a couple of weeks.
 
cptrayes said:
This is rubbish.

Any horse can be shoeless. Only a horse which is doing work for which the conventional wisdom suggests it needs shoes is a barefoot horse.

I think the term came about because "shoeless" implies that the natural state is shod. We do not walk around in the morning, or on a beach, "shoeless". We walk around barefoot. I also like Maggiesmum's explanation.

It has nothing to do with who does a trim. It's not new either, it's in the original True Grit. "I ain't riding no barefoot horse".

I am a proud member of Barefoot Evangelists and the Barefoot Brigade, both of whom do sterling work telling people about the barefoot option. But neither set of people believe any farrier is evil, far less all of them. That is a troll statement.
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i think you have only read half of my posts and not read where i retracted that statement about farrier being root of all evil ;) but hey ho..... to pick and choose is one perogative after all :)

anyhow - so my statement is rubbish - and you believe that a farrier trim to prepare the hoof for shoes and a barefoot trimmers trim to prepare the hoof to be without shoes are the same.....?

interesting lol
 
posie_honey said:
i think you have only read half of my posts and not read where i retracted that statement about farrier being root of all evil ;) but hey ho..... to pick and choose is one perogative after all :)
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Don't post inflammatory nonsense if you don't want it corrected.


posie_honey said:
anyhow - so my statement is rubbish - and you believe that a farrier trim to prepare the hoof for shoes and a barefoot trimmers trim to prepare the hoof to be without shoes are the same.....?
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Are you stupid or do you just think I am? LOL

Preparation for a shoe is different from preparation to work shoeless. Only a farrier can prepare a foot for a shoe, or his apprentice under supervision. In practical terms you would want the foot extremely short (far too short to go without a shoe on) so as to get the frog as close to weightbearing as possible in spite of the thickness of the shoe. Both farriers and barefoot trimmers can trim for barefoot work. Some are good at it and some are lousy, farriers and trimmers in both categories.

posie_honey said:
interesting lol
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Why do you find that funny?
 
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gosh you are a great representative of pro-barefootedness arent you? :D

i shall therefore bow down to your superiour knowledge and leave this thread gracefully for you to fight the barefoot brigade corner - as my slightly less agressive pro-barefoot sentiments are obvioulsy no match and will help no one see the benefits of going shoeless... or is that barefoot... no shoeless - pah - i give up - whatever - go forth and spread the word :D
 
If your inflammatory posts were intended to be in any way supportive of barefoot then I'm afraid I and an awful lot of us reading this thread missed your point completely. It does not help people discuss barefoot sensibly, for example, when you join the thread by posting, with regard to havnig shod your own horse, "i bought her to ride - so ride i will dam it". It simply reads as if you want to start a good old fight between barefooters and shoe devotees. So I think that your implied criticism of me as aggressive is a pot calling a kettle very very black, don't you?
 
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wow i was replying to one post you made then you went and changed it all - so i shall start again -

you seemed to miss the ;) at the end - in forum speak that implies it to be taken lightheartedly - similar to the :rolleyes: although that tends to get peoples backs up so i do not use it - obv the ;) can also be misinterpreted

but anyhow - clearly my posts stating that i'd keep any horse barefoot as long as poss - or stating that my mare was fine on roads but it was stoney tracks that caused us to get boots (and even recommending types of boots) - or suggesting the OP ask farrier to show how to do a basic maintainence trim to stop chips - or look at nutrition etc before putting shoes on were all unhelpful and trying to cause a fight?

on the other hand - the posts stating that i tried to follow as the above - used a trimmer who is also an eventer - who also agreed that shoes were needed in this case due to hardcore at fences - and also to stop slipping etc for safety - including that i take shoes off over winter to give feet a break too - are all equally argrumentative, agressive and trying to start a fight?

well then - i give up - i shall not bother to try to help anyone again who is wondering if shoes might be a good option - or on the other hand - that taking them off might be - beucase with posters such as yourself on here to spread the word - who needs the likes of me to help the cause?
 
To the OP. I would give your farrier a call and ask him if he would still be willing to come out and trim your horse. If he doesn't get the other farrier who is shoeing the other girl's pony to trim your horse - no reason why he shouldn't if he is going there anyway.

If he is managing fine keep him as he is - no point throwing money away.

I've got 5 Thoroughbreds who are all unshod/barefoot/shoeless whatevever you want to call it - 3 of which are all hacked out daily on roads - I've found in my experience the more you do the better their feet become.
 
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