Should I shoe?

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Always-Riding

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I know this has been done to the death but I think I need further advice.

I have a TB mare who has reasonable feet. She's been barefoot since February (hasn't been trimmed since but has been seen to by a AANCHP... or something like that..trimmer).

She's being fed the "barefoot" diet. High fibre and low starch. Ad lib hay. However she has never been comfortable on hard ground. Really choppy movement, whereas on the soft she has flowing paces.

Now spring grass is coming through I'm worried she's going to get a lot more sore, as I can't do a Paddock Paradise type set-up. However, I can have sheep put into the paddock to reduce the growth of the grass - but this could over-stress the grass so would end up back to square 1.

I'm going to bring her into ridden work over the next week which will be primarily hacking with hoof boots.. Which I have no issue with. But as soon as they're off, she has to walk a fair distance to the field from the yard and she really struggles.

I really would like her to go barefoot, but I'm beginning to think this is just impossible?

This is going around and around my head right now so any advice would be appreciated!
 
Do whatever you need to keep her comfortable. I have 4 barefoot and 2 with plastic shoes on the front, they were barefoot successfully for 10 years but things change and their comfort rather than my wishes come first. Sounds like you have tried and imo she would be better with shoes and getting plenty of exercise over the spring and summer, you could always try again next winter if you wanted.
 
Grass nuts, pro balance, spillers hi.fibre cubes, soya oil and micronized linseed.

Her hooves have changed for the better and you can see the new hoof capsule growing down at a much better angle but she's just so tentative.
 
Always-Riding said:
Grass nuts, pro balance, spillers hi.fibre cubes, soya oil and micronized linseed.

Her hooves have changed for the better and you can see the new hoof capsule growing down at a much better angle but she's just so tentative.
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If you feel that shoeing will help you both enjoy the summer and the horse has no pathology where barefoot is necessary - then go ahead and shoe. You can always go bare autumn/winter :).

If you want to stay bare - then I would consider as she has never been 100%, that the diet (although perfectly sensible) does not suit her.

As a start I would cut out the grass nuts (you can replace with unmolassed beet if you NEED weight) and cut out the soya oil (it doesn't agree with some horses).

For the spring and summer I would recommend starting yea-sacc too.
 
ester said:
Oberon why would you say that for spring/summer? just curious, thanks!
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Because the lovely green grass can often make horses sore and unhappy, especially if they are already so.

We don't get enough ridable weather to waste it on sore horses - and the lack of exercise won't help them metabolically....so sometimes it's just better to shoe and go :).

If the OP wants to stay bare, then I'd try the diet tinkering....but if she doesn't want to, then shoes are the better option IMO :).
 
Oberon said:
Because the lovely green grass can often make horses sore and unhappy, especially if they are already so.

We don't get enough ridable weather to waste it on sore horses - and the lack of exercise won't help them metabolically....so sometimes it's just better to shoe and go :).

If the OP wants to stay bare, then I'd try the diet tinkering....but if she doesn't want to, then shoes are the better option IMO :).
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Um I think Ester meant the adding yea sacc for spring summer ? :D
 
I did but I'll let her off ;)- only because it is in our concoction all year. I'm guessing its perhaps something to do with eating more grass still tho ;)
 
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