Taking shoes off for winter to 'give feet a break'?

AprilBlossom

AprilBlossom

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My 20y/o WB has been struggling to keep shoes on of late and his feet are not looking fantastic. Farrier has suggested taking his shoes off for the winter to give his feet a break as he's probably been in shoes a good 15yrs or so...

With us having sticky wet clay turnout is this going to hinder him?

I shall have to accept that hunting will be out this season then, but to be honest he's a bit wild out with the field and I won't get him out regularly enough to settle him anyway. Plus, I could then get my head down and focus on my own riding with a view to doing some dressage instead (hacking is out as soon as it gets darker in evenings).

So, 'lifestyle' wise it would be ok but would the break really do any good for his feet do you think? He is currently on a&e veteran vitality with some value cubes and hifi, and will get linseed through winter too.
 
Mine always have shoes off for 4-5 months through winter and I think it really helps their feet for the rest of the year, when they go back into shoes.

Mine are fed adlib hay or haylage, pink powder and some Alfa-A so all fibre and I don't have any issues with them being foot sore in winter, even over the hardcore drive but obviously what works for mine might not work for yours :)

Why not take his backs off and see how you go and maybe look at getting him some boots?

I use keretex on my lots' feet when the shoes first come off and this helps a lot and I have a little rasp so I can stop them getting too raggy in between trims.
 
I think it's good for horses to have a break from shoes. My big horse had a few weeks without backs (he won't go without fronts, he's too crippled and at nearly-18yo I don't really see the point in forcing the issue) after the last hunting season. Did a few little hacks on him but otherwise he had a holiday. Shoes went back on so I could crack on with work but even a few weeks did his feet some good - they looked totally different by the time shoes went back on, much healthier.

My farrier really advocates taking shoes off for a period each year if possible.

The only thing to watch is when the ground gets hard and icy - he might end up a bit footsore if the wet ground freezes and is spiky (if that makes sense). I know mine would struggle then.
 
I give horses a break from shoes every year I took them off one of mine this time last year and I did get soreness after a period of very frozen ground funnily he was ok at the time it was after he was sore.
In fact mine was so good and the feet looked so good I started work without them and he's never had them back on.
 
Well, what are you trying to get out of it? Do you want to carry on working as normal?

If it was me, I'd take the lot off and then give the horse a few week's holiday while he gets used to being without shoes. I know the barefoot people will say you should work them, get them used to going on smooth tarmac etc. I tried that with my horse when I took his shoes off last year and he was hopping. In hindsight I should have given him a holiday to let him get used to it, then started the work.
 
I just want to enjoy him, and get him out and about to local stuff of I can - some jumping next summer if possible and over the winter some dressage - we hae a nicely surfaced arena so I can school at home.

The aim is to improve his foot quality so that he holds shoes better (or, if the feet are coping well, leave him without) for me to hack and fun-ride etc next summer.
 
Well put it this way if you don't do as your farrier suggests you may end up at the point where he can't get shoes back on your horse so the break may come at a later stage where you were hoping to do more. A break from shoes is ALWAYS a good thing but you may need to do less with the horse to begin with.
 
yup do it every winter to give feet a break - also helps with the snow we get up here for balling etc. put fronts back on first - then backs when i start to think about comps (and therefore up work load and need studs)
 
I hardly see how my comment was offensive! Jeez loiuse! You asked for opinions and I gave mine. If your farrier is suggesting a break from shoes you should listen as its often when they can foresee not being able to get shoes on your horse at all. Not sure why the heck I bothered now!
 
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