Why to use shoes H&H article

DabDab

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http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/why-do-horses-need-shoes-645314

Really?! I think the only points I agree with are referring to laminitis and those with seriously compromised hooves.

My favourite 'fact' is "The weight of horse has a dramatic impact on the degree of wear. Obviously a heavier horse on hard ground is likely to wear out the foot quicker compared to a lightweight pony on grass."

Really is scraping the bottom of the bs barrel with that one...
 

cauda equina

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I quote:
'If your horse has 'balance' issues it would benefit from being shod.

Really? Would it not benefit more from being trimmed correctly?
 

Butterbear

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And what about a lightweight pony on hard ground compared to a heavier horse on soft ground? This article is very poorly researched and quite 'misinformative' (if it wasn't a word it is now! ;-) ) There are a number of what could be termed old fashioned ideas throughout that have plenty of new studies along with quality trimming that alleviate the issues mentioned. An unbalanced hoof will be no more balanced for nailing a lump of metal onto it. The lump of metal can only be beneficial if the correct trimming is happening to address the aforementioned imbalance! As for crumbly and poor growth, surely this should point to a different potentially nutritional issue that requires attention as well as good hoof care - with or without shoes as necessary? Lots of things in this article that make me uncomfortable, potentially the seeming lack of common sense, vet or otherwise.
 

stencilface

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The laminitis bit I struggle with as my boy does get lgl on the grass in spring and summer. Shoes would mask the issue, but would it help it? Desensitising the hoof by putting a shoe on, less blood flow could help, but is it actually doing Good?
 

ycbm

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Words fail me.

There is almost nothing I agree with in the whole article. I would rebut it point by point by I haven't got the energy!
 

PoppyAnderson

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Words fail me.

There is almost nothing I agree with in the whole article. I would rebut it point by point by I haven't got the energy!

Couldn't agree more. Total ignorance by h and h and the author needs some urgent education in hooves, shoes and barefoot.
 

DabDab

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The laminitis bit I struggle with as my boy does get lgl on the grass in spring and summer. Shoes would mask the issue, but would it help it? Desensitising the hoof by putting a shoe on, less blood flow could help, but is it actually doing Good?

Yes agree, completely take your point. I was sorry of reading between the lines to take it to be referring to the seriously lamanitic, with rotation and what not going on.
 

DabDab

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Couldn't agree more. Total ignorance by h and h and the author needs some urgent education in hooves, shoes and barefoot.

Yep. It wouldn't really have bothered me if it was just a layman article, but the fact that the guy is a vet with his own practice.... It's not great
 

soloequestrian

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Wow, epic fail H&H! So basically ANY horse can go barefoot as long as it's sound and healthy and you don't want to ride it....
Does the magazine pick up on this sort of feedback do you think?
 

paddy555

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Words fail me.

There is almost nothing I agree with in the whole article. I would rebut it point by point by I haven't got the energy!


It is around 2002 since we started rebutting these sort of articles. Like you I have just run out of energy!!!!!
 

ester

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Given that they did a previous one which was dire I'm refusing to read it for the sake of my blood pressure :p.

Usually they quite like to read the forum to steal our ideas, they've obviously missed this bit :p.
 

supsup

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I didn't think it was quite that bad, but you'd get a much better article if it were written starting with what shoes *can* do: Limit wear to the wall, add material, and in some circumstances, make a slightly lame/footsore horse comfortable.
If your horse needs one of those three things for some reason, you might consider if shoes are the best option. You could then weight the advantages of using shoes against the unintentional drawbacks that shoes also can bring: weakening of the palmar hoof, and/or gradual distortion of the hoof capsule, damage to the wall from nail holes etc.

I get annoyed that things like balancing the hoof or accounting for conformational flaws gets dumped in with applying steel shoes. Most of the "balancing" happens during the trim phase anyway, and steel shoes are no longer the only option for adding something to the hoof (composite shoes, boots, hoof casts...).
 

laura_nash

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Words fail me.

There is almost nothing I agree with in the whole article. I would rebut it point by point by I haven't got the energy!

Agreed.

I found one bit I agreed with:

* If your horse has any concurrent disease, for example Cushing’s or metabolic syndrome.

That's the only sentence in the entire article I agree with.
 

tallyho!

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Well there you go, now you know H&H are partly subsidised by the FRC and I think they are panicking!!!! :D

"Oh no, people are taking shoes OFF horses and giving them really good diets and they have good feet - eek, what'll we do??"
 
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Well there you go, now you know H&H are partly subsidised by the FRC and I think they are panicking!!!! :D

"Oh no, people are taking shoes OFF horses and giving them really good diets and they have good feet - eek, what'll we do??"

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Lol'd too hard at this. It's probably true as well.
 
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