To shoe or not to shoe...that is the question.

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Mongoose11

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Cob hasn't needed shoes for three years and she has done really well, sure footed and fairly rock crunching.

New yard has a 100 metre, stony track from her field and she is sometimes reluctant on it. Every other horse on the yard is shod and I'm feeling the pressure to perhaps put fronts on her. Her feet have chipped and become raggedy (a little more so than usual, but the farrier is due Monday). She will have more road work to do here than on the previous yard, but has done a fair amount of road work without shoes anyway.

Do I ignore the wincing on the track? I'm wary of putting fronts on unnecessarily and I know I will worry about her slipping on huge road. I'm leaning towards having a trim this time and seeing how she goes.

Road nails? Do they make enough of a difference?
 
It maybe that the grazing at her new yard is richer at the moment or she has done less work since the move ?
If you can manage the increase in sugar by balancing her workload to her diet she may be fine without shoes. Just watch out for the late summer flush of grass when she may be extra sensitive. In some ways keeping the shoes off helps you to see how susceptable to laminitis risk she is and enables you to take preventative measures.

Lots of roadwork may help her condition her feet and she's less likely to slip on the roads too. If she's really uncomfortable, you could use boots until she gets used to the change, or even shoe until the end of the grazing season.
Don't give a thought to what everyone else on your yard is doing, you might just inspire someone else to ditch the shoes,
 
We made the decision to take our mare barefoot 7 years ago following a lameness issue, after discussion with the vet and the farrier. Initially there was some 'footiness ' on the stony track to the field but she soon got over it and now is sound as anything and stomps over any ground. We have had several 'comments' regarding us being unreasonable over keeping her barefoot, but the vet and the farrier agree it is the best way forward for her, so we just ignore the comments and do what is best for our horse. If you can persevere, and the farrier says that her hooves will cope then go for it. ignore other people, not every horse is ok with being shod.
 
I am possibly being influenced by others, sharer has politely suggested she 'will probably be needing some fronts' and YO commented that 'everything else is shod'. I don't know, I really shouldn't be wavering. Lost confidence in my own decision making due to my last yard I think!

She isn't hobbling by any means, just not marching as usual (and only on the stones, not in general). Can't bear the thought of shoes on these winding village roads!
 
I trust my farrier one hundred percent and would basically do what he advised. If you have a good farrier, they are worth their weight in gold, so I'd just wait until Monday, explain the dilemma and see what he says :)
Otherwise you could always try hoof boots - my mare is turned out in cavellos, they are suitable for riding in too :)
 
Grow a pair ;) Said in the most supportive way possible!

Shoes are going to just cover up the issue, that there is some grass sensitivity, a bit of thrush or WLD that needs sorting out. Educate the new yard instead of becoming their sheep :) If necessary boot and pad for a bit to up the work load - worked wonders for mine when she was diagnosed with pedal osteitis this summer.
 
You're right. No shoes, they need some assistance I think. Back to Pro Hoof and anything else you can recommend? There is some separation at the white line..
 
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Did you take her off the pro hoof then notice the sensitivity got worse?

Can she be turned out in the arena over night with soaked hay? A friends YO lets her do this - great for levelling the arena lol and gives movement without grass :)

Field paste in the white line helps keep crap out too. Don bother with kevin bacon type dressings, just stops the hoof breathing.
 
Pro hoof, salt, mag ox or even better mag chloride and boot if you need to for now. Make sure theres no thrush or anything that might make the feet more sensitive and keep an eye on the grass, its flushing like mad in a lot of places! :)
 
TigerTail said:
Did you take her off the pro hoof then notice the sensitivity got worse?

Can she be turned out in the arena over night with soaked hay? A friends YO lets her do this - great for levelling the arena lol and gives movement without grass :)

Field paste in the white line helps keep crap out too. Don bother with kevin bacon type dressings, just stops the hoof breathing.
Click to expand...

I stopped the pro hoof a good six months ago, probably because her feet were great...duh! I'll get an order in now and look into the mag ox etc.

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I'll scrub the request for 'fronts' off the board ;)
 
Could you use boots just for the stony track - pop them on for coming in and going out, but hack bare? If others didn't ever see the horse picking its way over stones, they might stop commenting and you might feel a bit more confident.
 
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