To shoe? or not to shoe?

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amandal

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Hi I have a 4yr native mare who I ride 4/5 times a week, road and off road. She has never been shod, I have been told by more than one person including the farrier that she has very good feet! I had her trimmed 2 weeks ago but it was before Xmas the time before and although the farrier shaped her hoof there was nothing to actually trim off. I have noticed that she is wearing her toes on her front feet, she is showing no signs of lameness or of being foot sore. Now do I put front shoes on as a precaution or do I wait and see? I know once I go down that route the chances are she will remain shod whilst in work. I had planned to stay barefoot for as long as possible, so just wondering what your thoughts are.... :)
 
I'd leave them off, horses without shoes often seem to wear a shorter hoof, but as long as she isn't sore then she'll be fine. Mine never needs trimming when in regular work as she wears the hoof she needs.
 
Oops, somehow managed to delete my post!

Well what I said was - no I wouldn't shoe to cover up this sort of problem. Better to find out why she's wearing her toes down, as it could be caused by discomfort elsewhere in her body (poss saddle fit?).
 
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amandal said:
Hi I have a 4yr native mare who I ride 4/5 times a week, road and off road. She has never been shod, I have been told by more than one person including the farrier that she has very good feet! I had her trimmed 2 weeks ago but it was before Xmas the time before and although the farrier shaped her hoof there was nothing to actually trim off. I have noticed that she is wearing her toes on her front feet, she is showing no signs of lameness or of being foot sore. Now do I put front shoes on as a precaution or do I wait and see? I know once I go down that route the chances are she will remain shod whilst in work. I had planned to stay barefoot for as long as possible, so just wondering what your thoughts are.... :)
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Pics please.

(side view from the ground and sole view...IN FOCUS :))
 
Absolutely no expert in this, and it's different for every horse and every owner and every way of managing - these are just some observations from someone with a bit older native who is still without shoes.......

great idea above about having a really good hard look at her footfall.

At 4 your horse still has lots of maturing to do - and as they grow everything changes shape, she won't have her full teeth until next year, her back is likely to change enough to need a new saddle, all the muscles and tendons and ligaments will still be maturing (it always takes longer to get a young horse fit for the first time after all). The feet mirror all this change.

The trick to my mare, who is just coming up to 8, has been consistency. Consistency of work and management and a diet suitable for her type, then she balances the growth to the 'wear' - she doesn't work particularly hard but she is ridden on all types of surfaces for 5/6/7 days a week for an hour or two each time. When she was 4 it was a lot less, but then the rest of her body and her mind wouldn't have coped with more either.... we've just gradually built it up, with the usual young horse set backs along the way.

My farrier doesn't trim much off either, sometimes it's just a rasp round the edge, sometimes a little rebalance - it's got less and less every year which makes me think (and it's only my opinion) that the feet mature and strengthen at the same rate as the rest of the physical structures and are a fab 'early warning system'. I always talk to the farriers about the ponies' feet and take careful note of any comments that they have on the feet as they have an objective professional eye and will let me know of any different wear patterns or changes (tis then my responsibility as the owner to deal with any problems of course!!!)

You know your horse best - if she's enjoying her work and doing it well without shoes then it could well be best to wait and see before changing things
 
catkin said:
- it's got less and less every year which makes me think (and it's only my opinion) that the feet mature and strengthen at the same rate as the rest of the physical structures and are a fab 'early warning system'.
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I believe this as well, very astute of you. So do many of the Hoof Gurus. I read it in a book the first time I was alerted to it. :) In my understanding this is one of the reasons many (not all) horses need a period of rehab//transition when shoes are pulled, so their hooves can strengthen and mature through flexing, expansion and contraction and plenty of stimulation from good (heel first) foot falls.
 
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