Would I be wrong to shoe?

ktj1891

ktj1891

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My horse has been barefoot since April last year behind and September in front. He has never been comfortable and I can't even hack him out in front boots and bare behind without him being comfortable. We have had some fairly good periods but mainly bad ones. He went lame in march this year and be blocked to his RF. He has high/low heels also. He's had full lameness work up, x rays and MRI and all clear. I am pretty sure it all stemmed from just being footy as now on grass trotting he is sound. Although he's always had back end query issues.

I just don't feel I can do much more for him and I don't want him being uncomfortable. I want to be able to ride/ compete and enjoy my horse not worrying constantly about his feet. I feel I have done lots I try and get it 'right' and everything in between. If anyone has any glaring suggestions I would be willing to try however, I believes main issue is his grazing and digestion but being on livery yard I am very limited as to what I can do. Would I be wrong to re shoe and have a comfortable horse? I was thinking possible shoeing through summer and going barefoot in winter. Just to note, he was never lame in shoes.

I took his hinds off as he toe dragged which seems to have improved a lot since going barefoot but he is uncomfortable behind and I took fronts off due to an operation and just decided to keep them off to see if he could go all bare.

Advice please struggling a lot ATM.
 
Its never wrong or right to put shoes on if the horse goes better with shoes put shoes on talk it over with the blacksmith. My horse was unshod at the back when i got him as i am on the road a bit i had him shod. Its what you think is best that counts its not a failure if you shoe them. I prefer my horse shod but no doubt there are some who prefer them unshod there is no right and wrong in this, its for the individual to work out whats best for the horse.
 
Shoeing is not akin to the devil you know ;)

I had my TB barefoot a good year in order to improve hoof quality. She coped okay, but never brilliantly despite being on a good barefoot diet, 24/7 hour turnout in a muzzle and as much work as possible. Due to some persistent cracks I decided to shoe again in July. I can see how much better she goes now yet how much being barefoot benefited due to the shape of the hoof now. She does get shod every 4-5 weeks to keep this balance and will get a break from shoes this winter. But shoeing (with a break every year) is not as bad as some people make out IMO.

A quality farrier, good nutrition and hard work are much more important. I am all for barefoot but I would shoe.
 
No OP, you wouldn't be wrong to shoe :) I was in exactly your shoes (pardon the pun!) last year with my boy. Took his shoes off for just under a year and I lost him for that year, he wasn't comfortable or happy at all. Had bloods taken for cushings/ EMS, spent a fortune tweaking his diet, tried to stimulate his feet hacking out in boots... you name it we tried it :( I got the physio and vet out as he was stuffy and unwilling to work in the school and they both agreed it was from footiness.... Got his front shoes put back on and he's fabulous again. For some reason or other BF didn't work for him and I had to accept that. He was getting too fat from no work so I needed to put them on so I could exercise and get his weight down. So it's just about the horse and what works for them, yes many can go BF but the odd few struggle and don't feel bad for putting shoes back on.
 
I have a native mare, when I got her she was shod in front, we started doing a lot of rides over stony ground so I shod her behind, then it got to winter and I took the hinds off. Found out I was pregnant and fronts have come off too as we only shuffle slowly down the lane. When she comes back into work I will leave her without shoes until I think she needs them. I've tried sticking to totally shoeless before and I sacraficed our enjoyment (with a previous horse) and I'm not willing to do that these days. If she needs shoes, she has them, if not, she doesn't. Simple as that.
 
Out of interest when you say you cannot hack him in front boots and bare behind it is the fronts or hinds he struggles with.

I don't think it is fair on the horse to keep them long term bare if it is not possible to get them comfortable - for whatever reason- and as you have found it can cause other issues, a footy horse is usually sore elsewhere from holding tension in muscles. Cptrayes has always said that every horse can go barefoot but not every owner can provide what they need to do so- which sounds like a slight against the owner but really isn't! Some horses find it easier than others, some need very specific conditions which aren't very easily provided when you are on livery and we do all have different levels of hacking - for instance Frank would possibly need booting all round if we were on Salisbury plain - lots of chalky hard tracks rather than south east of it with a mixture of tracks/grass and roads. I don't think there is anything wrong with deciding that right now it doesn't suit your horse, or you and perhaps just trying to give them a break from shoes for a bit in the winter if possible (I would try and do this if I were to shoe any future horses!)
 
Hes okay in boots in front but hes constantly loosing his backend when going over stones because it hurts, its seems to have gotten worse lately which would tie into his new grazing. He has physio on insurance too- where hes quite reactive all over each session so I know hes not completely comfortable but its that chicken and egg scenario where I just do not know where its all coming from! This is why I am struggling and getting very de moralised about the whole thing, as well as having vets against barefoot too.
 
I would pop some shoes on and take his feet out of the equation for the time being particularly as he was sound in them previously and you know internally his feet are ok having had the MRI. And don't worry about it too much! We all only want the best for our beasts :)
 
why on earth should it be wrong to shoes if your horse is not comfortable??? each horse must be treated as an individual and if you wish to ride then sounds like shoeing would help. go with how your horse is and not how other people think he should be managed....no matter what some people say, not all horses can be ridden without shoes ...I think most can be without shoes if not ridden, but remember we are putting extra weight on to them when we ride even a lightweight rider makes quite a difference..good luck
 
I currently have my TB mare with shoes on behind and hoof boots on in front which is working OK for us. She is paddock comfortable without shoes but needed boots for riding as our tracks are very rocky/stony however booting her hinds was not successful as the twisted off. I tried front shoes but after pulling them off every day or two from over-reaching I left them off and stuck to boots to save my poor farrier from keep returning!
 
Hi - I just put on Front shoes to my 5 year old Highland/Cob - we had completed our first endurance ride - 10km - and he was a bit foot sore after - was a bit worried about my decision but now he is going so much better when on the road :) but like most things horsey - its entirely down to the individual horse.
 
Good post splashgirl45 !!!! put the shoes on!!!!! you know your horse well enough!!! one of mine can not be ridden without shoes went 1 year without them and nothing but problems, like the above post some can get away with no shoes some can not, get your farrier booked!!!! xxxx
 
If your horse is uncomfortable , put shoes on ! I am a total BF fanatic and have all 3 of mine barefoot, because i'm lucky (or rather, they are) and they have amazing feet that are tough and do not go sore. I have another pony in my care that I tried to take BF just like my own, but he couldn't cope. he could hardly walk on the road and hard grass, could just about manage soft grass and in the school- we did it very slowly and did backs first, then fronts but after a few months we just decided it was not worth it and stuck all 4 shoes back on. He's so much happier now! In contrast, my new youngster is 100% happier without shoes, it just depends on the horse and whatever is putting the horse through misery and pain is the bad choice, barefoot is definitely not always better for every horse.

ETA- the months without shoes made the sore pony grow brilliant feet, and he's much better off now with good feet and shoes so that can actually be a good option for crumbly footed horses if you can just chuck them in the field for a few months !
 
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