Would you put front shoes on..

[twiggy2]

One of the most common reasons for barefoot failure is central sulcus infections - if you don't get a comfortable heel first landing it all goes wrong.

I tell folks to get in there with a strip of gauze and povidone and "Floss" - clean out the central sulcus - often you may be surprised by the speed with which the back of the foot decontracts when you do this. A closed up central sulcus will decontract to 5mm in a couple of weeks when you "floss the sulcus" every couple of days

she has been landing heel first all round for a while she just says ooch when a stone on hard ground pokes right in, we are clearing out the central sulcus every other day as above. she has never had shoes (so no contraction of the heels, but deep crevice and thrushy stinky rot) and until this winter lived out full time for 3 yrs, she was at a friends to be backed and she poos where she stands (horse not friend) so standing with her feet in it and not having them picked out daily (Grrr!) led to thrush that has taken all summer to get rid of (have had to change diet slightly too)

 

[ester]

I do know 1 mare who definitely wears her hinds down faster but that is because she has a huge walk and is still moving the limb forwards as it hits the ground but ime this is more the exception than the rule.

Frank is like brucea's 2, good over hardcore but will feel largish stones on a hard surface. I'm not surprised given the pressure exerted and if its just the odd patch we pick our way over, if its a whole track worth when we go up the hills he gets front boots on.

Megibo if everything management wise is as good as you can get it I would boot or shoe. If you shoe they can always come off again if you want/to give the hooves a break.