To shoe or not to shoe...

[_Jazz_]

Jazz has ben shod fronts only for many years, we mainly hacked off road-about 99% of the time.She was sound. Since moving this has changed to road work 100% of the time at present. Last Thursday night she presented lame on her NH, luckily farrier was due anyway the following morning and a little dig produced pus, abscess. I've poulticed dailyand this morning she was so much better and lots of stinky goo in the poultice. My plan is to assess tonight and either poultice once more if looking good etc then just pop protection on hoof for a couple of days to keep clean. Then what? I'm really tempted to shoe her hinds too now. What do you think?
Thank You

 

[piebaldsparkle]

What does your farrier think? Think I would be led but him/her.

 

[_Jazz_]

I updated him by answerphone this morning, I just thought I'd pick your brains whilst I wait for him to get back to me

 

[piebaldsparkle]

It really depends on how hard her feet are and how much hoof she grows and how much road work you do. That said most horses would require shoes if only doing road work.

 

[nuffield]

my mare is shoeless alround at the moment. I wont be having her shod unless she gets "footy".
My friends mare who is shod alround is off work with an abcess due to grit getting under the shoe and working its way in.
So that seems luck of the draw. being unshod behind may or may not be connected to the abcess.