From the article: The Pros and Cons of Barefoot versus Shod
Should horses be shod or go barefoot? Why leave a horse barefoot? What is the deciding factor for putting shoes on your horse? Which is healthier or which is harmful? What is your opinion? Share Your Opinions
To Shoe or Not?
- I believe that if a horse is competing at a high level, they should wear shoes. But for trail riding I think they should go barefoot. I had a horse once, and he would limp over gravel, so we couldn't ride him anywhere where there was gravel, and that was a pain, so I think that he should have been shod. It all depends on the horse, and what it's doing.
- —Guest Heidi
Shoes vs Barefoot
- Well i think if you have a horse that does BIG competitions and jumping blah blah blah you should shoe your horse but if you do just trail riding and just let them graze all day well then i say bare foot.Really it`s just a decision for people to think about .
- —Guest Sofia
Barefoot! and hoof boots for recovery.
- I work as a natural hoof care practitioner and have the opportunity to trim many breeds of horses who do all kinds of work. Jumping, Barrel racing, Endurance, pleasure showing, cattle work, trail riding, show driving, dressage and much more! And all except a few who are still recovering from sick hooves use boots for pasture recovery or just for riding. And once they have healthy hooves they will be barefoot 100% of the time as well. In my oppinion weather your horse can go barefoot or not depends on your willingness to change your ideas on healthy horse keeping. If you think stabling is healthy horse keeping then that is one problem that may keep your horse in a condition where it seems to need shoes. Do a little research and many ideas can be found on natural horse keeping. This is the formula for healthy hooves Natural diet, mixed terrain, adequate exercise, and trims that mimic that of a wild horse. I have not yet seen a horse that needs nailed on hoof wear.
- —Guest NatureNaturally
ambition
- My horse is barefoot and sound. He walks easily on gravel and can run on stones. He's extremely sure footed even in "extreme" terrain. He is an athlete and I would no more ask him to train running on steel than I would expect human athletes to run with steel tennis shoes. The horses competing at higher levels with shoes are experiencing far more concussion on their joints and bones than horses who are only leisurely ridden with shoes. If your horse is experiencing difficulty transitioning to barefoot, there are wonderful "boots" available. Some can even have studs put on them. It is morally and ethically wrong to subject your horse to a higher risk of long term injury so that you can feed your competitiveness.
- —Guest DAB
Shoes all the way
- My horse has been barefoot for 3 years and at first she seemed better. Now the last couple of months shes been going lame. First we thought it was just bad luck. Then we realized she needs shoes. We compete at high levels and plan to do eventing. I cant do that on alame horse. So i put shoes on and she can now stride out and lenghthen for dressage. I say SHOES!
- —Guest Taz
To shoe or not to shoe
- Well, i have a 7 year old who i barrel race on. she has never had shoes on before, but we wern't runnin that hard. Now we are starting to get more competitive and run harder. I am now getting shoes on her. i have seen lots of horses slip when barrel racing when they don't have shoes on. Of course with shoes on slip too, but the shoes do provide more traction for the horse. I think that people should stop thinking about what they like best and relize that they need to pay attention to ehat the horse needs. Not shoeing is ok for people who are trail riding or even competiting in some pleasure classes, but when you get into the high impact and fast sports (like barrel racing, jumping, reining, racing) you should put shoes on your horse to give them more traction.
- —Guest corri
Neigh!! to No Shoe.
- I go almost anywhere with my horse. And she is barefoot. Never in her life has she had to have a shoe on her feet. And unless something comes up out of the ordinary i shall never shoe her. I just believe it is hard on the horse. If they were ment to have steel nailed to ther feet then they would be born that way. Leave them natural.
- —Guest Jordan
barefoot
- i bought a pony who is unshod i plant to keep him hat way unless my kid wants to jump him then shies might be a good idea
- —Guest lisa
BAREFOOT BAREFOOT BAREFOOT
- What most people don't realize is when they take a horse barefoot, it takes time and a good natural hoof trimmer to get to an ideal barefoot hoof. Like you said, do we go outside without our shoes on? Most times not, but if we did everyday, our feet would toughen up, and we wouldn't think about it. Again though, do we sleep, shower and go swimming with our shoes on? Do we have our shoes on 24/7 for weeks at a time? LET ALONE NAILING them to our feet! No. We would get very, very sore. Just like a long day at work, or activities, we want to get home and take our shoes off. My point is, if you get a good natural hoof trimmer, there isn't anywhere you can't go with a barefoot horse. It takes TIME though, just like growing out damaged hair, or a bruised fingernail. It takes time to heal, but it's worth it. My horse and I go up and down hills filled with loose, sharp rocks, and he is MUCH more sure footed then he was when he had 'shoes' on. He doesn't slip & slide all over the place.
- —Guest Sbk
pitzertoo@charter.net
- i cannot even imagine ever again shoving nails into my horses hooves!!!! they have easy boots if they need extra protection but a horse shoe nail will never pierce their hooves again..ever.
- —Guest nettie pitzer
I say barefoot
- The reason I say barefoot is because if horses used to live on their own and they lived fine without any shoes on, so why should they now? If your horse has never had shoes on since they were born hard ground wouldnt bother them because their feet would have grown used to it. Its just like us if we were barefoot ever since birth and always walked around barefoot it wouldn't bother us anymore, because we've been like that 4ever.
- —Guest Baylie
Ms B
- I have had horses/ponys for over 50 years and have ridden many disciplines. I have always been told to shoe...and have always felt that a horse should "go natural". The only time I think shoes are a good idea is on a campaining jumper, for traction and wear protection. Proper nutrition, conditioning and common sense should be the deciding factor and govern the choice you make....for the horse.
- —Guest Billie Sumrell
Shoeing or Barefoot
- I believe that if you prefer shoeing or barefoot trimming, you really have to stop thinking about what you like and pay attention to whats best for your horse. I barrel race myself and my horses run perfectly sound and safe with shoes, I have heard many inccidents of horse falling and getting injured without shoes in those fast high powered sports. Even though I do shoe most of my horses, I believe that if you and your horse do something as minor as occasionally going on a trail ride and lightly riding around in an arena your horse will be fine barefoot. It is truely about your displine and your horses safety doing that displine in the style of trimmining you do and your horses individual bone structure and how well built there hooves are. So people should really stop only caring about there believes and being so stubborn on only one way of caring for their horses feet, and pay attention to what way their horses are more safe and more comfortable with.
- —Guest
as needed
- I can appreciate all these 'natural is best' responses, but then I doubt any of then is walking around without shoes on their own feet! Around here - northern BC - if you go into real back country you encounter steep, rocky trails. All the experienced riders insist on shooes for that type of riding. Patrures, fields, arenas are softer and I suppose bare is ok. My own horse has shoes on front, but that's more to correct a split hoof and tie it together while it grows out.
- —ron.brown100
to shoe or not to shoe
- i used to keep shoes on my horses in the summer then pull them in the winter but they would always chip and break when shoes are off. So we took them off all year and they're feet are healthier than ever. I barrel race and rodeo and I have no issues with traction or anything. My horses have developed pretty tough feet, sometimes right after a trim they're sore on gravel but it only lasts about a week. Then again like everyone else says, it all depends on the horse and discipline. Hope it helped :)
- —Guest kbrodeo
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