Why did you decide to go barefoot?

Mine simply wasn't sound in front shoes, he was diagnosed with PSD in all 4 legs and reverse angle pedal bones behind but was showing symptoms of heel pain in front, pottery, tripping, walking on toe etc. I wasn't happy and asked the farrier to remove front shoes, he's been sound ever since, apart from injury, of which he has many! The changes to his feet are quite fascinating to see. I think the vet is actually at how sound he is now, "He's even sound on a tight turn" , and I do believe he's come right because of changes to the diet that has enabled him to grow the foot he needs. Some pics }

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150319185685159.388498.786005158&type=3
 
Bought a young horse. At vetting, vet said his feet were too long - he was only 4, recently backed, we didn't think he'd been shod more than a few times but the last shoes had been left on for 4 months while he stood in a field.

He arrived at mine, I tried to get regular farrier but he was in one of his "not replying to phone messages" moods. After two or three days, horse half cast a front shoe, stood on a nail, and even though we got the shoe off, he abscessed on it. Vet pulled the shoe and said "It's November, if you're not planning on doing anything, you could probably give him a rest from the shoes for a month or two".

I'd already read up on barefoot, but got to thinking "why would you need a rest from something that was good for you?". Got a local trimmer to pull the shoes. Decided I wanted a horse who would be with me for many years, rather than a competition vehicle - so shoes have stayed off. We use boots if needed and if they're not needed, we don't use them.

It's also meant that I recognise a problem hoof at 100 paces, and my goodness, how depressing it is to go to a local competition venue and see all the sad sick hooves :(
 
Thank you for all your replies, it's really helped my understanding and I hope others might read this and find it helpful. My fab farrier came today and after a discussion it was decided to take back shoes off but leave front on and see how he goes. He's an old horse with cushings and arthritic hocks and I just want him as comfortable as I can make him. He's in a bit of work, just to keep him mobile and I don't want to go through a difficult "transition period". Hopefully he'll be fine.
 
My 5yo had her shoes pulled by the vet due to bruising. I was told that it would be a good while before she would be able to gave shoes nailed on again and we would need glue on shoes when she came off box rest. I was worried about the time she would need to be box rested so I started researching boots and suppliments to support foot growth and started to learn about barefoot.

8 months on and she is sound ridden and very happy bare. She still wears boots for long hacks or rough terrain but competes bare.
 
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