Well our 'bare-footing' is coming to an end today I think....

Sparkles

Sparkles

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He's been barefoot for about 9 months now, but I'm biting the bullet and putting fronts back on him this afternoon if I can nab the farrier for a quick pair.
Feet looking fab, been in full work since he's had them off, competed without them, etc. However, been umming and arring past month or so about getting fronts put back on as he just seems to struggle with the ground a bit at the new place. Most of our hacking is ok as we have a lot of fields once we're on them, but there's so many other new tracks and bridleways across the ridgeway that I've not ventured down much as they're so stony and flinty in places. He's absolutely fine over any ground, apart from the real stony places and I feel now it's got to the point where we can't quite do as much I'd like to because of the lack of shoes.

It's done his feet the world of good being without them, they've changed shape completely and absolutely rock solid now, no cracks in sight...so hoping he'll hold his shoes much better than previously.

We'll see!

It's going to be wierd hearing the metal 'clip clop' again from him :p Haha. Though his feet sound not much different now tbh with how hard they are lol!

A toast to barefoot.....it was good whilst it lasted and did do him the world of good! [His splints even disappeared now...whetehr that's linked or not?!]
 
If his feet really have improved that much, maybe you should stick it out? Try him over those stoney surfaces?

Just seems a shame if his feet have really changed for the better, I know not all horses are suited to being barefoot but it seems to have done your horse's feet some good from what you say.
 
If his feet really have improved that much, maybe you should stick it out? Try him over those stoney surfaces?

Just seems a shame if his feet have really changed for the better, I know not all horses are suited to being barefoot but it seems to have done your horse's feet some good from what you say.

Ditto this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
Binky01 - i did the same as you, had my boy barefoot for nearly 12 months, moved to a new yard, started doing more roadwork etc., found it was limiting my riding, so had fronts on, and now ive got a full set again including road nails ;)

It suits some horses, and others it doesn't, and i for one do not wish to be limited to how much i can do beause my boys not in shoes!!

Enjoy your new hacking :)
 
Did you try boots - I've got the easy boot epic they help a lot over stones especially if the rest of the time he is ok.

Seems a shame if it has helped - although I know where you are coming from he has a job to do afterall
 
I have stuck it out...we moved back in December. I was going to put them back on February time, but decided to keep them off a bit longer. He's in a very stony field now too, so it's not like he's not getting exposed to the stonier surfaces I'm afraid. We regularly do 2 hour hacks on average, plus a long 4 hour+ one every Sunday.

If I thought he'd be tougher in time, I'd keep them off. All our cobs and youngsters are...but I just think we've reached our maximum for what he can do completely barefoot. I'm keeping his hinds off as they're fine, plus it was his hinds which cracked more when he was shod.

Thanks! I can't wait to go on a very long hack tonight with his new jimmy choos ;) I did try boots with my old mare...but I personally really don't like them much I'm afraid!

A few piccies of everything he's done barefoot:

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/45111_471365011752_708806752_6273848_2546722_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...0223572246753_708806752_8332081_3359681_n.jpg

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...0184217181753_708806752_8211732_5021246_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/41154_477089366752_708806752_6411723_2794098_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/72124_495480001752_708806752_6792245_1432258_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/62759_482886271752_708806752_6535009_3317673_n.jpg

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/41167_468800161752_708806752_6206714_5096761_n.jpg

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/39665_468800241752_708806752_6206718_471483_n.jpg
 
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A shame you can't keep him barefoot but sometimes it just doesn't work. If I start competing my Welshie again I will have to put fronts on him too because his strides just aren't quite as long without them. It's fine for now as we're staying at home for a while but it's a shame as it's saving me so much money.
 
You have to do what is best for you and your horse :) If you think he will be more comfortable in shoes then you are doing the right thing. There has to be a compromise...your horse needs to be able to do the job you want him to do and if he finds it easier to do that job in shoes, so be it.

I had my horse's shoes off for 6 weeks earlier this year and the difference in his feet was amazing - they improved so much in such a short time. They are back on now because I wanted to do more than he could cope with unshod, or at least I wasn't willing to wait for the length of time he needed to be 100% without shoes. Our ground is concrete ATM and I wasn't happy seeing him be footsore in the field - shod again and he is happy :)
 
I don't see anything wrong with shoeing if needed to keep the work up, and now that you know it improves his feet you can always take the shoes off over winter or sometime to help his feet. :)
 
My mare had her second set on Tuesday, she had been barefoot for 18 months previously to this, which improved her feet no end. I felt that I had taken her as far as was possible or at least as far as I could manage on livery.

She is a lot more comfortable in shoes and her stride and confidence has improved also.

The downs are that she now has a hairline crack in one front hoof from the coronet that wasn't there before and of course lots of nail holes, which I hate to see. She is spookier and stronger, although this could be due to the spring, but I'm finding now that she's a lot more horse for me to ride!

You do whats right for your horse that's true and I certainly have, but come Octoer they're coming off!

Good luck.
 
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