To shoe or not to shoe?

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furryfriendsforlife

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Evening all,

I'd really appreciate your advice if I may.

I have a 7 year old Freiberger mare who is an ex RS horse, who hacked out and done summer camps, but mainly went round in circles on nice ground.
There are fantastic trails where I have her now and I must also walk for around 7mins on tarmac to get her to them. The trails are a mix between gravel and natural mud in winter and sandy/shingle type in summer.
She lives outdoors, with 7 other horses (with a large respite hut thingggy that has water on tap and bundles of hay), so she can only be shoed on the front.

She has been shod before according to her ex owner, however, when I got her it was definitely a while since she had last seen the farrier. Her poor hoofs were rather long, but she's since been seen three times by the farrier at my new yard who says her hoofs are strong and now in great condition and although he said that she seems to get on well with having bare hoofs, maybe I might want to shoe the front to stop her searching to walk on the grass verges (she does this a little bit, but not sure if thats because she had talons going on before and is now finding it a little sensitive. Although she will stay on the tarmac if I am firm that that's the plan). Plus he is at my yard every week and bless him, always gives her a free little file, because he said I should make sure I round off all the bits that get caught/messy from hacking out on the front hoofs.

So.... I'm new to this game... what do you think? Budget wise it's not an issue, I dont mind, I just want to do the best for my girl.
I'd really love to hear what you think. Thanks
 
If there are any stones shoes or not her sole could easily get bruised but the shoes will mask the pain, personally I wouldn't shoe if I could help it but I fall into the 'don't like shoes' camp, I expect you'll get a variety of responses then you'll be as confused as before lol

Might be an idea to check the farrier isn't taking any frog off.
 
LD&S said:
If there are any stones shoes or not her sole could easily get bruised but the shoes will mask the pain, personally I wouldn't shoe if I could help it but I fall into the 'don't like shoes' camp, I expect you'll get a variety of responses then you'll be as confused as before lol

Might be an idea to check the farrier isn't taking any frog off.
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Thank you LD&S. He slightly trimmed the frog the first time, but a very small amount and he doesn;t think that she is now sensitive. A few girls at the stables have said that maybe because she had such talons before, she is getting used to having such short hoofs now and its an adjustment phase and maybe why she firstly tries to walk on the grassy verges (sometimes a bit too close for comfort!), however, she will, like i said, walk on the stoney gravel, but theres something i feel less secure about trotting and cantering on it, besides the river, in case she decides she wants to go on the verge and slips! Way too much overthinking going on there.... We generally hack 15-30mins twice a week and school 3 times a week inside. But I'd like to hack much more longer distances in the near future.
 
There is so much evidence that a barefoot hoof is more healthy than one which is shod. Tarmac walking is great conditioning - just build up gradually. My riding horse (a farrier told his previous owner he could never go barefoot) does miles over all terrain and has done for the last 7 years since his shoes came off. I allow him to pick his own way on stoney tracks, and he'll often choose the verge of these because he feels the stones and prefers the softer ground. He will ALWAYS choose to walk on a tarmac road rather than a soft grass verge though. He doesn't like sinking in. That's what his hooves are designed to do - feel where he's walking.
I think the mistake people make is to expect barefoot horses to have feet as insensitive as shod ones (which are compromised in by being fixed solid, too heavy, and no sole/frog contact on the ground). Bare hooves are living and respond to what they are walking on. I would let your horse walk on the grass for now if that's what she chooses, but build up road work gradually.
 
Landcruiser said:
There is so much evidence that a barefoot hoof is more healthy than one which is shod. Tarmac walking is great conditioning - just build up gradually. My riding horse (a farrier told his previous owner he could never go barefoot) does miles over all terrain and has done for the last 7 years since his shoes came off. I allow him to pick his own way on stoney tracks, and he'll often choose the verge of these because he feels the stones and prefers the softer ground. He will ALWAYS choose to walk on a tarmac road rather than a soft grass verge though. He doesn't like sinking in. That's what his hooves are designed to do - feel where he's walking.
I think the mistake people make is to expect barefoot horses to have feet as insensitive as shod ones (which are compromised in by being fixed solid, too heavy, and no sole/frog contact on the ground). Bare hooves are living and respond to what they are walking on. I would let your horse walk on the grass for now if that's what she chooses, but build up road work gradually.
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This is really interesting and great to hear!
She really does seem pretty happy, the only thing that stresses me a little is that she needs to go back over the basics in the saddle, because sometimes if she swings her rear out to one side and i use the leg to correct her, she doesnt always understand/do it, out on a hack, whereas she will easier in the school and we are doing lots to work on this.
I'm just worried about getting in bad habits allowing her to walk where she wants and if for example the verge is close to a slope falling down into a river it could be dangerous.

Anyhow, enough waffling.... Do you trot and canter him out on the track?

Also, do you file her between sessions with the farrier yourself? Thanks so much in advance.
 
I think I would buy her some hoof boots for her fronts and use them if you feel she is uncomfortable. You don't have to use them all the time, just if you are going somewhere that you know she finds a bit difficult. All being well as she does more miles her hooves will get stronger and you will no longer need the boots.
 
Gloi said:
I think I would buy her some hoof boots for her fronts and use them if you feel she is uncomfortable. You don't have to use them all the time, just if you are going somewhere that you know she finds a bit difficult. All being well as she does more miles her hooves will get stronger and you will no longer need the boots.
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Wow, I had never even heard of these. They sound like a great alternative to start with. There's a whole new world out there!! haha.
Thanks so much
 
A horse is designed to be barefoot but and there is always a but it doesn't suit all owners.
One of the big things I read about is horses who've had shoes off becoming sensitive, it's not always the case that there is something bad going on but more likely the horse is now able to feel it.
You'll probably hear mention of a barefoot diet, the only difference is it's likely to be more natural with much less sugar. Again that is because it the horse gets a little footy you are more likely to notice it if the horse isn't wearing shoes.
A really cheap but generally good thing to add to what you give is salt, if you aren't giving hard feed it can go in a water bucket, i always offer mine plain water as well as salted but it is usually the salted that goes first and in the very warm weather I give a bit more.
Magnesium oxide though not as cheap as salt is also good for feet.
 
OP I would only trot/canter my barefoot horse on stony tracks if there were no loose or protruding stones for him to land on, and only for short distances, and on the flat or uphill. The same would go if I were riding a shod horse. The forces through the horse's leg are tremendous, and if a trotting horse lands on a single point they are likely to bruise a sole, shod or not.
May I add that in 9 years of barefoot riding over roads, flint, chalk, clay, turf etc I have never had to deal with an abscess, nor any sort of serious chip or split.
I'd do a bit more in boots - as someone else has said these are a good tool for use when necessary. I use them on my horse for TREC competitions, where I don't know the terrain in advance and we will be covering a lot of ground against the clock.
Re upkeep OP, I have never used a farrier, I have a barefoot trimmer regularly for my retired and complicated older horse, but my ridden horse pretty much self trims, I tidy up with a rasp every 2 or 3 weeks, and my trimmer has a look a couple of times a year just to check he's doing ok. She doesn't charge me, because she usually takes about 2 minutes all in with him.
 
Thank you all so much for all this great information. I think I will keep her barefoot and get her some boots, based on your wonderful advice and see how we go.

The farrier was quite sweet and said he'd give me an old file if I kept her barefoot, so that I could do it myself once a week if we hack out a lot. I just maybe need one of the hoof posts to rest her on, but im sure there is one knocking around the yard somewhere.

Thanks again everyone. I'm sure this won't be the last question I ask on this subject in the coming months, I really appreciate it.
 
OP, there is a huge amount of info to be found on barefoot management and trimming. I'd suggest you have a read (but don't scare yourself!) Look at Pete Ramey, look at the Rockley Farm website, and for boots you could look at The Saddlery Shop or Cannock (I think) Equine. Always take off a minimum if tidying up. You can't put it back! You will need to get your eye in and work with your horse's way of going...there is a lot to learn but it's very rewarding when you have a sound happy horse over all surfaces!
 
Search on this forum too. There's even more advice. I always give the same advice. Any horse can go barefoot. 3 elements - diet, exercise and trimming. Get the nutrients right (cut out all sugar and alfalfa) and feed a good supplement (not any of the usual D&H, topspec etc). Then get the horse out using the feet in the way they were intended. Use hoof boots if horse is footy at first. Then don't over-trim. Allow the hoof to grow. Stop thinking a hoof has to look perfect. It doesn't. It just has to be functional. Don't let the trimmer near for weeks on end and even then, no rasping the wall or touching the frog - even if it looks scruffy. The holy grail is self trimming. Get reading and learn learn learn. Good luck!
 
I am in the barefoot camp! Mine horse is a fine ISH and he had his shoes off this time last year, took a while to grow out where the nails had been and a few small cracks, but almost a year later and they look great! However it took months before he would walk off the verge without me making him, and every time he has a trim he is a little footy for a couple of weeks (not lame just sensitive). Because he is hacked and schooled on a variety of terrain I find he only needs a little file every 2 months, back feet even less (we go up lots of hills). The only problem I have is the dry weather/ground in the summer, it dries out his feet, so adding in extra moisture helps and also I have a file to tidy any edges as soon as they appear. Good luck!!

We have to be careful though on grass, barefoot reduces traction especially when doing cross-country style activities!
 
Any horse can go barefoot.
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Not true I'm afraid. There are a number of diseases including EMS, Cushings, leaky gut syndrome, grass allergy and others which can make it impossible.

There are horses with behavioral problems like Ffion Winnie's warmblood who simply scrapes away his own feet pawing the floor.

There are horses with very compromised feet for whom it would be unfair to put them through it, especially if they are older.

And on top of that, there are a lot of people/horse/livery yard combinations where, for no fault of the owner, the horse just can't cope. A typical case would be a horse who needs a lot of movement and a rider who has no time in the winter.
 
ycbm said:
Not true I'm afraid. There are a number of diseases including EMS, Cushings, leaky gut syndrome, grass allergy and others which can make it impossible.

There are horses with behavioral problems like Ffion Winnie's warmblood who simply scrapes away his own feet pawing the floor.

There are horses with very compromised feet for whom it would be unfair to put them through it, especially if they are older.

And on top of that, there are a lot of people/horse/livery yard combinations where, for no fault of the owner, the horse just can't cope. A typical case would be a horse who needs a lot of movement and a rider who has no time in the winter.
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definitely.
one of my mares seems unable to cope unshod in the summer the last 2 years (BF for 7 years but always footy on stones), she is muzzled and on a BF friendly diet...perhaps if I kept her in the stable or tiny bare patch of soil fed on soaked and rinsed hay she would be able to cope BF in summer but im afraid im not willing to keep her like that- so I will shoe in front for the summer- she can then work hard on any surface, stay fit and healthy and be out with the other horses.
she has a shoe break in winter when she copes ok being BF.
shes been tested for cushings 3 times (first was her episode of lami 3.5 years ago when the vet was pretty stumped by she came down with it) she did have thin soles on the xrays.
 
ive just had 2of my others shod too.
they are fed restricted grass, hay and salt. they are sensitive on stones in walk and I have a lot of stone chips on the yard and lane so I cant ride them comfortably. boots do not grip enough.
so I have had to shoe.
they will get a shoe break of 2-3 months in winter though as I think its very bad for them to be shod all the time....
 
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