Time for shoes i think.....

This may sound really daft, but horses ive had before have either been barefoot or full set all round.

I will be discussing with my farrier aswell, but do fronts make a difference as her back ones are still bare?

Or is that a really stupid question!
 
I put fronts on my 4 year old connie as he was wearing his feet down too much!! Has made a hell of a difference he is now much better, he has not needed backs on either, as they were not being worn as fast as the fronts. Best thing I have done as I do not have the facilties or the time to accustom him to hard ground and he has to be out for certain amounts of time as yard rules. Hope that helps just putting fronts on has really helped. :)
 
Fronts do make a difference, as in theory a horse wears the front feet down much faster than backs.
I think it's also where most of the weight is taken

Ask your farrier- he'll be able to explain MUCH better than me lol :):)

After having hoes off all winter, I always start off just with fronts, and then put a full set on as their workload dictates
 
Fronts do make a difference, as in theory a horse wears the front feet down much faster than backs.
I think it's also where most of the weight is taken

Ask your farrier- he'll be able to explain MUCH better than me lol :):)

After having shoes off all winter, I always start off just with fronts, and then put a full set on as their workload dictates
 
Cadfael&Coffee said:
I agree- put fronts on.

If you really want to go barefoot, do it in a couple of years when it's education is established, and then you can play about with diet etc to your heart's delight :)
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C&C I don't disagree that this poster should shoe, because she cannot control the horse's turnout, but anyone considering this approach, "shoe now, barefoot later" needs to know that it is very often much more difficult to condition the horse when it has been shod for a couple of years than it is never to put them on.

For a start, the shoes will cause changes to the foot, with a shod foot typically having lateral cartilages only around 1/4 the volume of a working barefoot horse and lacking blood capillaries in that lateral cartilage. (research by Bowker).

Second, any metabolic issues which are preventing the horse from growing feet strong enough to work without shoes will continue to affect, and probably degrade, foot quality. In the worst cases (I have owned one) the feet can eventually become soft enough to bend with your fingers and the horse ends up having to be shod in pads to protect its soles, or worse.

The OP will most likely, like most people, have no problem at all with shoeing her horse. But "shoe now I can always barefoot later" is not necessarily as simple a strategy as it sounds.
 
I strongly recommend the book "barefoot performance" if anyone is in doubt about how hooves supposedly "wear" down...
 
We all have different opinions, personally, id have a good chat with everyone i could find from both sides. Have a look into diet and supplements, boots, trimming and farriers. Also have alook at the damage shoes acn do and the types of shoeing that area available today.

Yes, you can shoe all four, just fronts or none , depends on why you need to shoe and what issues the horse has.

Just dont be hastly as someone has said, it takes along time to go from shod to decent barefoot from all the changes a shoe has on the physicalities and restrictions of a horses feet. And yes, shoes hide a multitude of problems whether it be conformation, diet, general health, pain etc. You'll want to get this right at this early stage in your horses life as it will set them up for a future of good health.
 
cptrayes said:
C&C I don't disagree that this poster should shoe, because she cannot control the horse's turnout, but anyone considering this approach, "shoe now, barefoot later" needs to know that it is very often much more difficult to condition the horse when it has been shod for a couple of years than it is never to put them on.

For a start, the shoes will cause changes to the foot, with a shod foot typically having lateral cartilages only around 1/4 the volume of a working barefoot horse and lacking blood capillaries in that lateral cartilage. (research by Bowker).

Second, any metabolic issues which are preventing the horse from growing feet strong enough to work without shoes will continue to affect, and probably degrade, foot quality. In the worst cases (I have owned one) the feet can eventually become soft enough to bend with your fingers and the horse ends up having to be shod in pads to protect its soles, or worse.

The OP will most likely, like most people, have no problem at all with shoeing her horse. But "shoe now I can always barefoot later" is not necessarily as simple a strategy as it sounds.
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Is it also true that the internal strutures of the hoof are still developing at 5 and so shoes now could possibly affect that development and how easy it is to go barefoot later?
 
Just to throw in my 2penn'orth.
We have 4 horses, 1 retired and unshod. 1 shod all round, she wears her back shoes out faster than her fronts (proves she's not working on her forehand). The other 2 have front shoes only. I tried the ID with no shoes for about 4 months this time last yr, when she was off work (very poor grazing, hay provided all year) but her front feet were breaking too much. Her back feet are now so hard that farrier struggled to trim them last time. I might ask him about taking fronts off again. The other one is new. Previous owners had been told she needed shoes all round. We took the back ones off to introduce her to the herd. Her back feet are a bit raggy but otherwise fine, so we do not intend to shoe.
They all have a very similar diet - grassnuts, dried grass (usually Graze-on), hay/lage with supplements as necessary to their individual needs. The new mare had previously been given a proprietary brand of pony nuts and chaff, so I assume a high percentage of sugar. I doubt if her new regime has had time to make a difference to her feet, given the time it takes the hoof to grow.
OP, IMO you need to discuss your options with a farrier who you know to be good and who will not push you in one direction just for the sake of it.
 
Do what you and your horse is happiest with!
As you are doing more work on hard/stony ground you might need shoes.
No point keeping her barefoot even if she is sore, just so she is barefoot! You probably won't need to put hind shoes on though. My cob can do loads of roadwork with just fronts and but gets footsore compleatly barefoot. :)
 
I think the barefooters among us (and I'm not trying to label here...) make a good point about shoeing covering up when your horse is grass-sensitive, but personally my horse has gotta do what he's gotta do, and I think he would much rather be shod and out in the field for the majority of the day than barefoot on restricted grazing. But that's just him, and me!

If you're going down the what-is-more-natural route I would debate what is more UNNATURAL about shoes v keeping a horse stabled for long periods of time to enable it to be unshod. But it sounds like you just want to do what's best for your horse - if it was mine I'd stick fronts on and keeping working, but I trust my farrier 100% to keep the feet well balanced, and it does depend on the quality of your farrier too.

ETA I'm not saying people who go down the natural route don't care about what's best for their horses, just that OP doesn't seem to be specifically going down the natural route. If that makes sense...
 
kickonchaps said:
If you're going down the what-is-more-natural route I would debate what is more UNNATURAL about shoes v keeping a horse stabled for long periods of time to enable it to be unshod.
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Tbh, I think 'natural' barefooters would argue strongly against stabling to restrict grass intake, and stabling for any length of time full stop. Movement is a key componant to healthy hooves, minds and bodies. This is where yards and tracks come in if you need to reduce grass intake.
 
amandap said:
Tbh, I think 'natural' barefooters would argue strongly against stabling to restrict grass intake, and stabling for any length of time full stop. Movement is a key componant to healthy hooves, minds and bodies. This is where yards and tracks come in if you need to reduce grass intake.
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As most horses are kept on livery yards there aren't many people with yards or tracks available to them so to reduce grass they do need to stable for long periods.
 
millitiger said:
As most horses are kept on livery yards there aren't many people with yards or tracks available to them so to reduce grass they do need to stable for long periods.
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many yards have individual turnout too - I now have a track system in my paddock and I am very pleased with it. We have also convinced our YO to seed a track system round a 9 acre spud field for comunal sumer TO

If you want to put a full set of shoes on your horse put a full set on its your horse !! Some of us would do the same, some of us wouldn't therefor this is a pretty pointless post all in all
 
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I know lots of yards have individual turnout but many yards would not be happy with liveries setting up their own track system- you are very lucky :)

I was simply highlighting that these options are not possible for all people who are restricted by their yards.
 
millitiger said:
I know lots of yards have individual turnout but many yards would not be happy with liveries setting up their own track system- you are very lucky :)

I was simply highlighting that these options are not possible for all people who are restricted by their yards.
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I am lucky yes YO is very laid back. I can't see why if you have your own individual paddock a YO would be happy for you to electric fence off a corner to use for restricted grazing in the summer but not let you fence off the middle of your field for effectively the same reason?
 
millitiger said:
As most horses are kept on livery yards there aren't many people with yards or tracks available to them so to reduce grass they do need to stable for long periods.
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I understand this and this may well be where shoes are a good compromise.

I feel that yards do need to become more flexible especially as weight and laminitis management are quite big issues.
 
dominobrown said:
Do what you and your horse is happiest with!
As you are doing more work on hard/stony ground you might need shoes.
No point keeping her barefoot even if she is sore, just so she is barefoot! You probably won't need to put hind shoes on though. My cob can do loads of roadwork with just fronts and but gets footsore compleatly barefoot. :)
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What this person said!!

All the time your horse is pottering around and sore it will be putting down rubbish new foot anyway.

Even my barefoot trimmer told me to put fronts on my mare, which she now has and is much better. I do think babies should be barefoot. I do try to keep my grown ups barefoot too but if they need shoes they need shoes. I wouldnt worry about the hind shoes until you have had the fronts on for a while then just see how improved it is.

Yes hoof boots are also a option and I have gone out alot in mine, but they are not for everyone. They are fiddley and look ugly but thats no big deal! They would rub my mare too badly so its not a option, but she is a delicate flower!
 
Have you seen that study by k c la pierre? Well, basically if a horse is shod too early, the pedal bone (like the rest of the body) doesn't develop as well so is less dense. This could explain why some horses transition well and some take time.

Think about it - e.g. those japanese binded-feet ladies? They bind the feet when children so thay are small. But when as adults released they take a normal form but the bones are weaker and eventually some women need support. If you saw a skeleton at the National history Musuem their feet are much holey-er. And thinner.

Not EVERY horse can transition well because of early life-factors and it does depend on early development so if they have to have shoes, so be it. You have learned now that the horse has to develop properly first to reach its full potential. You can take that knowledge with you to the horse you have in the future.

Wilds colts don't start to fight for a herd until they are 7-8 years - when they are strongest!
 
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If your horse is kept in a decent lifestyle as it sounds like she is, hasn't got weight issues, and is content in her 24/7 at greass lifestyle but not coping without shoes, despite having never been shod pre-work and a reasonable attempt made at letting the horse adapt to increased work, I would boot or shoe the horse for work. I personally would shoe as boots are a massive faff and shoes eliminate the problem. If she goes instantly sound great. As you wouuld with any professional for your horse, ensure your farrier knows what he is doing and is not doing a slapstick job.
Then enjoy your horse, and let her enjoy being a horse.
 
AngieandBen said:
I personally don't think boots are a "massive faff" takes all but five minutes to put on a pair of Cavallo's; hardly time comsuming.
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Ooh I have those - I think they're great. No faff at all. Like putting a pir of slippers on.

I love my horsey trainers. £80.00 lasts you two years on average. 2 years shoeing = £520 based on a £60 fee. Most charge £75 now... £645.

That's a nice holiday in Greece for two!
 
tallyho! said:
Have you seen that study by k c la pierre? Well, basically if a horse is shod too early, the pedal bone (like the rest of the body) doesn't develop as well so is less dense. This could explain why some horses transition well and some take time.

Think about it - e.g. those japanese binded-feet ladies? They bind the feet when children so thay are small. But when as adults released they take a normal form but the bones are weaker and eventually some women need support. If you saw a skeleton at the National history Musuem their feet are much holey-er. And thinner.
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Sorry TH, I don't think that the analogy works. I do agree that you shouldn't shoe a horse too soon/young. I personally only shoe if it is needed.

It was in China that they bound feet.

Binding the feet involved breaking the arch of the foot, which ultimately left a crevice approximately 5 cm (2 in) deep, which was considered most desirable. It took approximately two years for this process to achieve the desired effect; preferably a foot that measured 7–9 cm (3–3 1⁄2 in) from toe to heel.[10] While foot binding could lead to serious infections, possibly gangrene, and was generally painful for life, contrary to popular belief, many women with bound feet were able to walk, work in the fields, and climb to mountain homes from valleys below.
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footbinding.gif
 
I haven't seen the pedal bone study but I do believe shoeing a young horse especially year round does inhibit greatly the hoof mechanism and especially stimulation the back part of the hoof needs from underneath to develop a mature and strong digital cushion and lateral cartilages. I believe the digital cusion does take as long as the skeleton to fully mature. This is why some horses need a long transition period to build up these weak structures. This is apart from any other prolems such as dietry issues or thin soles in my understanding.
 
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