Why were shoes invented?

I'd agree that we took them off natural pasture, but I believe that they have kept their natural traits.

This is why the average horse is so poor in comparison to his feral cousins.

Most metabolic disorders are a direct result of our management, and appear to be on the increase, as well as resulting side effects like laminitis.
 
It is absolutely crazy that a nomadic animal like this is reduced by a lifestyle choice made by humans for him that he cannot cope with his own feet. Yet we grin and smile and slap ourselves on the back, thinking how
clever we are.
We poison their metabolism, deliberately deform their feet, drive them nuts by keeping them caged like hamsters. Justify it to ourselves but claiming a fortune spent on vets, medication, and stupid totally unsuitable feeds is right and proper.
It really is disgraceful. Not what we do but not understanding how wrong we are.
 
At the end of the day, those who simply do not believe barefoot works will never do so until at least one long-term comparative study has been done, involving significant numbers... unfortunately that's never likely to happen as the vicious circle of shoeing and hoof damage will kick in long before. I still think that for many people it really is easier just to dismiss the barefoot argument as it's an inconvenient truth. It may not work for 100% of horses, but to make blanket statements without ever actually putting in a concerted effort to try shoes off, is just plain daft in my opinion. Irrespective of what history says, we should now be in a position to understand more than ever before about shoes and metabolism and diet. I think we are, but because tradition seems to bear more heavily on the horse world than any other sport, barefoot is sadly still seen by many as new fangled nonsense. Such a shame, but living where I do now, I see it more and more amongst the traditional set and no doubt once my boy is in work I'll be the subject of many derogatory comments for not having him in shoes as well.
 
Having just done some study on Farrier Science, I believe the modern use of nailed on shoes is a matter of perspective and belief.

From reading Hickman's Farriery and looking at the WCF website, the reasons given for 'footy' horses or poor hoof quality are;

The weather: the wet weather creates weak hooves that cannot sustain work. You can only have a working barefoot horse in hot climates.

Genetics: we have bred the hooves off horses and therefore they need protecting or they will become lame.

The weather and genetics are things we cannot change, so there is no reason to question the need for shoes.

Barefooters believe the reasons for footy horses and poor hoof quality are;

Diet: The use of bagged feeds and the ex dairy grass high in NSC but with an imbalanced mineral profile means poor quality hoof and predisposition to sub clinical laminitis.

Movement: Lack of movement weakens and under develops the hooves' internal structures.

Diet and movement are things we can change, so there is always the belief the hooves can be improved.

Whatever the reasons people choose to care for their horse's hooves is entirely personal to them and no one has the right to judge another.

What I will beg for is the traditional practice of allowing an annual break from shoes to be routinely reinstated.
The loss of this practice has coincided with an increase in lameness and navicular diagnoses' despite our horses having the best care and the best and most educated farriers in the world.

I am not suggesting that this is purely down to shoes - but both schools of thought agree that shoes change hooves. Perhaps we would be wise to allow a few months in the year for them to change back again?
 
Spotsrock said:
We took horses off natural pasture and bred natural traits out of them then asked them to do other than what nature intended. As my over bred tb still lives on man sown pasture and carries me about he still needs his shoes.
Click to expand...

Do you ever ask yourself why plenty of other people are able to keep their over-bred TB's barefoot without too much trouble?

You might like to follow the Rockley Bursary winner, M and his progress on rockleyfarm.blogspot.com as his feet change without shoes on. An ex racer who has been lame for two years, now improving every day.

You need your horse to have shoes. He may not need to have them, you have not tried so you do not know :rolleyes:
 
As soon as farming started in the UK so did horse shoes. There is evidence that in the Neolithic period horse shoes were designed out of leather. Tbh metal shoes have probably Bern around since the late bronze age/ early iron age.
 
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