horse hooves - shod vs. barefoot?

Question

horse hooves - shod vs. barefoot?

Answer 1

My horses are shod. I have just their front feet done. My older horse could not cope barefoot full time, and my youngster needs extra support due to having very thin soles and poorly conformed front feet.



I'm certainly not against barefoot, but it doesn't suit my horses. Each horse should be assessed as an individual, to ensure their welfare is put first.



Domestic horses don't travel widely; they spend a lot of time in stalls or paddocks where the ground is soft. Their hooves, which were adaptable in the wild where travel was constant and varied, get too long and uneven under domestic conditions. Hooves, like our toenails, have to be kept trimmed back or their growth makes them frail and uneven, causing large pieces to break off. If your horse's hooves break, split or grow unevenly, they can cause your horse to become lame. When people wear shoes that don't fit properly, their balance and spinal health are compromised: proper hoof care for horses is as important as wearing properly fitting shoes is for humans.



Aside from environmental factors, breeding affects the way your horse's hooves work. While many horse owners focus on conformation around the head or even the colors and markings of the coat, too few people pay attention to the way horse's hooves are shaped, how strong they are and how they affect the overall health of the animal. Whereas wild horses with poor hooves would have been taken out by natural selection, bred horses can pass along the genetics that create weak or badly shaped hooves.



If you start with a foal, start him off right by getting an opinion on his hoof conformation from your veterinarian and a farrier. Working horses need to be shod to protect their hooves; since hooves need trimming about every six weeks, finding a good farrier is vital to keeping your horse in good shape. You'll want to consult with an expert about when your horse should start wearing shoes and the type of shoes that will work best for the kind of activities your horse will take part in. Since proper traction is a factor in hoof and leg health, there are shoes made especially for equestrian sports like jumping, dressage or reining. Talk to your farrier about the way you plan to work with your horse, so he gets the right shoes for the job.



Hooves grow about a quarter inch each month, and need trimming to stay even and to prevent breakage. The farrier removes the shoes, trims the hooves and replaces the shoes. Shoes won't keep your horse's hooves from growing; if they aren't trimmed often enough or if they shoes stay on too long, your horse will go lame. Sometimes the shoes can be reused; your farrier will decide.



Shod hooves do pick up more debris than unshod ones, and the packed rocks, mud or even ice can cause your horse pain and injury. The added pressure makes walking uncomfortable and can create a bacterial infection in the sole of the foot. Pick out your horse's feet each day to remove foreign matter and prevent infection.



If your horse has tough, smooth hooves that aren't inclined to get too long in the toe or deform in other ways, and if your activities don't require special shoes for support, you horse may be able to get along fine barefoot. The hooves will still need trimming every six weeks: many horse owners learn to do this work themselves. The drawbacks to shoes include more difficulty in keeping the hooves picked clean, the fact that shoes sometimes catch on steps or rails and can cause injury, and that getting kicked with a hoof is a wee bit less dangerous than being kicked by a hoof shod in metal. Much depends on the conformation of your horse's feet and legs as well as the way you intend to work with your horse. Talk to your vet and speak with a farrier before deciding if your horse can go without shoes.



We've removed the horse from his wild environment, where his hooves basically took care of themselves. Now we must make sure he gets regular hoof care to keep him comfortable and sound.



There's LOADS of information out there, but here are a few links to articles to get you started:



http://www.bitlessbridle.com/ecom/sp?dbID=342



http://www.balancedhoofcare.com/barefoot.html

Answer 2

Barefoot all the time for my horses. I feel not only is it safer due to when out in the field, on the trail, other horses getting kicked and so on it's safer without. And best part is cost way, way cheaper with out. I ride on trails, did speed and action, road ride (dirt/pavement) and so on all natural, you just don't "beat feet" on the roads or hard surfaces weather shod or not. Once shoes are removed they take time to adjust just like we do goin barfoot in the spring, if we went barfoot all the time wouldn't have to worry.



Barefoot is the best, for me and my horses

Answer 3

I think whatever works for the horse. My shetlands are barefoot and its most natural for them and works great.



If you are doing tons of work on gravel or road, then its kinder to shod the front hooves. My old horse was barefoot but when we got him was very very footsore on the roads. As soon as we put shoes on him he was a different horse, soo much happier.



So barefoot is more natural, but not always the answer. The key is to find a great, kind farrier that gets to know what is best for your horse.

Answer 4

It depends a lot on the horse. I much prefer barefoot, it allows the frog to act as it should, it doesn't weaken the hoof by putting holes in it and they often have better grip, however barefoot does not mean no farier care, if anything you have to be more careful about trimming them and having them balenced regularily as they are more prone to wear irregularily.



Having said I prefer barefoot, 2 out of 4 of our horses have front shoes on. My thoroughbred gets very foot sore and gets very bruised soles in front if not shod so he gets shod. His backs are ok so he doesn't have rear shoes on. If he started doing lots of road work or rough ground he would need shoes on his hinds as well. When he is shod and standing with no shoes on he is very tentative, doesn't really want to put his foot down and once he has the new shoe on he kinda relaxs so he prefers having them on.

My cob mare has just had her first set of fronts put on. She's 3 1/2 and we're starting to hack her out a little and although she has hard feet they aren't growing very well so she is having fronts on for a few months to get them to grow out and lets us start with good feet (I've not had her long and her feet were pretty worn when I got her).



Generally, I think it is better for a horse to be barefoot but this doesn't work for every horse and if you go - 'barefoot or shoes are the only way to go' - then you don't allow for flexibility where individuals are concerned - for example our other cob has very hard feet - he has been known to bend the nails! When he has been shod in the past, he sulks and won't work until you take them off. His feet are hard and grow ok so he doesn't need any shoes on and he prefers to be without so he is barefoot.

Answer 5

Our horses are barefoot in the winter and shod during the polo and show seasons in the spring, summer, and fall. Leaving horses' shoes off in the winter months helps their feet to absorb moisture from the ground, and no shoes means no ice or snowballs in their feet, which in turn makes riding much safer. The only horses I know which need shoes year round are those which are in heavy training or which have medical issues such as founder or navicular, and need support which shoes provide. Foals don't need shoes, and neither do yearlings or two year olds, unless they are being trained or ridden hard ( as young racehorses often are at that age) or have medical problems.



I will put shoes on my mare during the hottest, dryest part of the summer, to give her protection from the hard ground. Where I live, that period rarely lasts beyond the end of August- we generally get some rain during the autumn months, and that softens the ground .

Answer 6

All of my horses are barefoot. I've had fewer hoof related problems since I pulled their shoes. Barefoot is the most natural way to go. The hoof is designed to expand and contract upon contact with the ground. The metal shoe nailed to the hoof inhibits this natural process, thus possibly inhibiting full blood flow into and out of the sensitive laminae.



I do use protective hoof boots when riding, particularly on rough terrain. I also make sure I'm on top of the hoof trimming schedule so the hooves don't get too long. I have one horse that does better on a four week trim schedule, the other two can go 6 weeks.



Someone would have to have some really compelling argument for shoeing my horses for me to even consider it again. Most people do it because they don't know any different and are convinced that a horse must be shod to be healthy. Not true.



I purchased the hoof boots 2 years ago and they have paid for themselves many times over in farrier savings alone. Plus, I never miss a day of riding because my horse threw a shoe.

Answer 7

Personally it all depends. I ride competitively as a jumper (3'6-3'9) and because my horses are going on a full program they usually require shoes so I can cork them (if we are competing on grass) and to avoid and irregular wear on their feet (if we are riding on sand - and some sand footing isnt the best some places! Tends to be a bit hard). But through the winter when Iam training only and not really competing as much as the summer months, my horses do alright barefoot. My ferrier suggests this so my horses foot gets a good chance to breath, grow out and harden and toughen up. Unless my horse needs shoes though (and Ive had horses who require shoes year round due to growth issues or just simply soft, easy wearing-down feet) then they are barefoot for a few months through the winter and shod all spring/summer/fall. Shoes also leave me weary about ice and snow, they ball up and can cause to be very slippery without snow pads and corks. Those can get up there in price!



Either or - I guess it really depends on what you do with your horse. If your horse is in heavy 6 day a week work program I suggest putting on a shoe as a protective layer. It cant hurt. BUT then there are the people who beleive highly in barefoot and oh' naturale. This is totally fine too. There are GREAT supplements out there that can harden a foot and help keep a foot very very healthy and durable. But no matter what, I couldnt, no matter WHAT the supplement or how good oh'naturale was, ride my horse barefoot around a 3'9 course all summer. My horses foot would wear, fall apart and break down. Shoes can be a protective barrier too for shock etc!



After all, a horse without feet isnt a horse at all. So its important to analyze what you and your horses are doing and what your horses individual needs are. A good ferrier is something to always keep, they are hard to find so he's the best to consult with with regards to what might be best for your horse.



Anyways - just my two cents! :)



Good Question !!!!!



Here a couple links about Natural Hoofcare and Shoeing:



http://www.texasnaturalhoofmanship.com/natural_hoofcare.htm#Normal_vs._Natural_Hoof_Care



http://www.synergistsaddles.com/horse_tack_articles/hoof_care.htm



I like this one ALOT.

http://www.balancedhoofcare.com/barefoot.html



http://www.naturalsolutions.org/hoofcare.html



http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/shoe.html

Answer 8

Well, for me, it depends on what I do with the horse, and the horse's natural kind of feet.



If I have a trail horse, and he naturally has good/hard hooves, then I allow him to go barefoot. I don't feel that horse always needs to be shoed.



However, if I have a horse whom I jump, I normally shoe all four hooves, or at least the front. Especially if jumped higher. And when higher jumping occurs, I always shoe no matter how good the horse's hooves are naturally.



If I just use a horse for beginners, or just jumping crossrails and verticals that are barely over two foot, I normally don't shoe, unless his feet are bad.



So for me, it depends on the horse and discipline.



Here are some links you asked for-



http://www.balancedhoofcare.com/barefoot.html



http://www.bitlessbridle.com/ecom/sp?dbID=342



http://www.equipodiatry.com/article_barefoot_v_shod.htm

Answer 9

Both my horse, and my friend's horse are barefoot. The terrain around where we live is sand or packed dirt, with few rocks. My horse has never been shod, and my friends horse hasn't been since she moved here. In our area they cold shoe horses, so none of the shoes fit properly anyway. One of my neighbors who is a retired farrier says it's healthier and easier on horses' hooves to leave them barefoot. Currently we have a farrier come out every 3-4 months to trim and file the hooves, and he's a super nice guy that really knows his stuff. He trains horses too, so he gives them a refresher course whenever he comes out.

Answer 10

Shod or barefoot depends upon several things.



1.) How often do you ride your horse. The more you ride, the more the horse should be shod. Depending upon the following two conditions.



2.) The type of hoof your horse has (Dark, hard feet can go without shoes easier than light feet which are brittle and have a tendency to break up.



3.) The terrain where you are riding. Soft sandy surfaces don't wear a hoof down like gravel, pavement and rocky surfaces.

Answer 11

I really like the philosophy behind barefoot, but unfortunately I found after months of trying it that shod (on fronts only for my boys) are better for my horses. I have two and they both reacted differently to being barefoot.

The first is a heavier quarter horse with a slight club foot in front. All his feet did okay barefoot except for the club foot. Due to the angle and less surface area, his hoof walls would just crumble up, causing him extreme sensitivity. I tried it for a few months with no improvement, so he's back to shoes on the front and happier.

The second, a little arab did fine barefoot, but was still a bit sensitive even after a few months.



However, the area I ride in is like climbing the rocky mountains. Rocks and stones everywhere, so I found shod works best here. I used to live in the desert where there are much less rocks, and most are horses were fine barefoot.

Answer 12

I prefer barefoot. My 26 yr old gelding has arthritis (he is a retired barrel racer and dressage horse) he was shod with corrective shoes. We took shoes off of him last spring and haven't put them back on and don't plan to. He seems just as comfortable barefoot and he doesn't mess up his hoof wall by ripping off shoes.



I barrel race and my barrel horses are barefoot also. There is no reason why you need to shoe a barrel horse. They run just as well as shod barrel horses and I don't have to worry about calling for a farrier when Im at a rodeo and my horse pulls a shoe.



Shod horses seem to be more tender footed than barefoot horses.



The only time I would put shoes on a horse is if there is no way they can go barefoot or if the hose is a reigning horse-sliders on back hooves.

Answer 13

I prefer barefoot, but if you are showing or doing barrels etc (dont ride English sorry if you do I dont know much about it), I would suggest getting your horse shod on his/her front feet.



I prefer barefoot for my mare because her hooves are nice and strong and I do not show her or compete or anything yet so there is really no need for it. Besides, if you dont need it why would you want to pay for it? Where I live it is 3X as expensive as just getting your horses' hooves trimmed every 2 months.



I get my mare's hooves trimmed every 2 months exactly as of right now. She is only 4 so I have no need for shoes yet.



Once I begin showing her and competing in local jackpots etc I plan to get her front 2 feet shod becase of the arena sand it gives them better grip and balance. Right now I am just breaking her and we ride mostly trails and just basic training in the arena.



Hope this helps.

Answer 14

It all depends on the kind of work that the horse is doing. If they are unnessary for the horse then they are pointless and a waste of money. Otherwise if needed then they must be shod.



I don't have my own horse though so cannot give you a plan of how I would shoe my horse but most ponies who only work in schools are not shod. Infact out of the riding school poines up at the stables I go to I only know of one who has shoes. However once again it depends on the kind of work they are doing.

Answer 15

It really depends on the horse, I have a thoroughbred with almost no front heels so he needs thick wedges for comfort. He also has back shoes and they work for him.

But some horses can go barefoot and I prefer that if the horse is able



Here's a story about this sweet mare, true story

I went down to the pastures one day to say Hi to an older lesson horse I used to love. On the way down to his pasture, at the end, I saw this mare that I knew had problems with her back legs due to breaking them. Now this is a famous horse with a very famous former owner. She looked old, and no offense to poor girly, very ugly, a long-shot away from the former show hunter who could maneuver a course like a pro. I asked to brush her which would require me taking her up a few hills. I go down to put the halter on her, she was in the same spot, didn't move an inch since the last time I saw her, didn't move an inch when I got the halter on. I preceded to walk her, looking at the sad look in her eyes, like a mother seeing her dead child. Before she took her first few steps she fell. I knew something was much more wrong than could have been thought. I told people about it then brought everything to groom her all the way down. The head grooms had to hold her up to to pick her feet. She was clearly in agonizing pain. She was lame on one foot. It rained the next day and the pasture is not a place for a horse who can't move. I couldn't stop thinking about this mare. I arrived the next day to see she had a huge barn stall with nice shavings which would be wonderful until the pastures were better. A few weeks later I saw her, in a different stall just staring into space with the same look. Her legs were so stocked up it was horrible, I found out she hadn't been out of her stall in a week or two. The stable was keeping an eye over her though, they wanted her to get better and were doing a lot to get there. I walked her and to my surprise she could walk! To my surprise she trotted! She was dirty so I spent a while grooming her wondering what could have changed. Turns out the got the farrier down on an emergency call, along with the vet.. and her shoes were pulled. That's it... shoes pulled and went barefoot. The old girl can walk and is starting to trot. She will never be able to be ridden again but the look in her eyes now just brightens my day.

Answer 16

My jumper and dressage horse is barefoot. He's barefoot because he is perfectly sound without shoes.



I prefer barefoot in most causes unless the horse absolutely needs shoes. I prefer it as shoeing a horse that doesn't need shoes always seems to cause more bad than good. (It's also cheaper! LOL)



And check these videos out of a barefoot horse trotting and a shod horse trotting- (note the difference in shock absorption)



Shod- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z5OjjoBQNo&feature=channel_page



Barefoot- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si7QUK4OY0o&feature=channel_page

Answer 17

WOW

talk about response

if you are a avid rider you need shoes if your not riding bare foot with a trim is fine unless your horse has thin hoof walls there are two main reasons for shoes getting a natural angle most of the time is not possible with a trim as you need to take the heal down far enough to have solid foot so the foot dose not break off and cause lameness and this angle is generally is three to four degrees lower than a natural angle (a natural angle is visible from the side of the horse the hoof angle matches the angle of the pastern when his feet are square and his or her weight is distributed evenly).

this is the proven most comfortable angle for all performance horses and is different on all horses



2 the other reason is to protect the foot from damage under heavy use and different shoes are used for different performances and give you the competitive edge

there are hundreds of different types and styles of shoes and each have different jobs well i could go on and on i think this should help most people that do Natural balance are not seasoned professionals and over the coarse will change their prospective



A few different and beneficial shoes for avid riders

racing plate for racing,

sliders for reining

shoes with toe grab and heel caulks for trail

eventers for eventing

rim shoe

plantation

light shod



just to name a few.



Jeff Curry

Answer 18

Horses that are used for performance, heavy riding, athletic events, your heavy duty trail riding up and down mountains, horses that need some corrective work done to fix angles that are off, show horses especially depending on the discipline, on and on. These all need shoes to protect and support their hooves even if they have great feet.



Different breeds have been bred over time to create the ideal hoof for the different job they were bred to do. So not every horse is comparable to the wild mustang for example, they all have different needs and you have to take the horse you are working with and address his needs and take action accordingly.



If you are using your horse alot with heavy riding then they are necessary.



If they are ridden lightly, in the pasture alot, and just for pleasure it is not always necessary, barefoot is usually just fine.



It really does depend on what you are doing with your horse and there specific needs.



Jenny

Answer 19

it depends what kind of work and conditions your horse does and is in. i don't mind either; if my horse were to work on jumping and train every day, i would want him to have shoes. if he is just a backyard pony, he probably wouldn't need shoes because he doesn't have to go through rigorous exercise. if your horse does a sport (show jumping, barrel racing, etc.) he should probably get shoes. good things are that they keep the hooves from wearing down after time, but sometimes a horse takes a while to get used to them because it is extra weight on his feet. my horse doesn't have shoes right now, and probably won't need them until we start showing. he jumps, but it is on soft, dirt ground that won't wear his hooves the same as grass ground or walking on gravel.

hope i helped!

Answer 20

i live out in texas and we let our horses go unshod mainly cause of the fact that there are so many rocks in the region where we live that helps keep our horses hooves down to where it is comfortable for them. But i really just think that it matters on the weather conditions and if you do any kind of showing with your horse or not.

Answer 21

My horse has shoes. Why? because its easier and if you go barefoot you need to get them special boots, you have to ride on certain surfaces. Also if you go barefoot your horses diet has to be kept strict to keep them healthy and thats a problem for my cob as he gets overweight during spring and because he lives out 24/7 I cant controll his grazing. Going barefoot is harder than getting your horse shod.

Answer 22

well, both of my horse's are shod in the summer time (all 4 feet) mostly because they have sensitive feet. my mare needs special shoes on all 4 feet year round, due to poor leg anatomy. (you take her shoes off and she's dead lame for months) my gelding on the other hand has all 4 shoes only in the summer. during the winter we take his back shoes off to give his feet some time to heal, but his front stay on year round. they both get trimmed & re shod every 4-6 weeks.



as for an opinion, it depends more on the horse. if he's only in light work on soft ground, gets regular trims, and has healthy feet then i see no problem with him going barefoot. but seeing as both of my horses are in heavy duty, full time work, they require shoes most of the time.



links:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44835.asp

http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/horses/barefootvsshod.pdf

http://www.barefoothorse.com/barefoot_Horseshoes.html





hope this helps & good luck!



edit-

my mare's shoes look like this:

http://www.thehorse.com/images/content/ready-made_heart_bar0898.jpg

and my gelding's look like this:

http://www.hoofnail.com/images/shoes/01_standard_plain_200.jpg

Answer 23

I prefer shod, but barefoot is more economical. If you have a heavy weight horse with hardy feet then, in my opinion, unless you're out doing massive amounts of hacking on the roads, they wont need shoes. I had a TB x ID, and I took his shoes off and just had his feet filed, and he went down lame because the ground was to hard and it was ruined so it bruised his feet.

Shods better because a. I like the sound lmao b. I know my horses has got the best for its feet.

I don't know, I just feel more at ease if my horse has shoes on.

xxxx

Answer 24

my horses are barefoot in the winter and shoed in the summer depending on if we are doing alot of trail. riding i live in colorado so it is pretty rocky. i prefere barefoot it's natural but sometimes it's not a option.

Answer 25

I believe that shoes are very important for all horses. We have had ours for 14 years and would never let them go with out them. It's better for their legs and hoof protection.

Answer 26

Barefoot. Why? Its simple. Its NATURAL. Anything natural is better for you. For humans, and animals. Shoes kill the blood circulation in the horses feet. Barefoot horses feet learn to get strong. In the wild they dont wear shoes, so why should they know?