Can we talk about hoof traction?

[buck22]

This has been in the back of my mind for a long time.

What are the signs that tell you your driving horse would benefit from more traction, ie shoes or studs? And does anyone boot instead of shoe?

My boy and I are now exploring our new 4wheeler. The first couple drives were pretty exciting :lol: but we’re settling into it very nicely and I’m now ‘legging him up’ for his new vehicle and work load.

My boy is barefoot, has been all his life and has wonderful rock crushing hooves.

We’ve been schooling 3-4 miles 4x a week, mainly at a walk (about 1 hour of walking, 20 min of trotting interspersed). We walk a lot of long shallow grades, and up and over quite a few steep hills through tight twisty trails over small logs / large branches. He’s managing the weight of the carriage plus myself and sometimes a passenger very well, never balking at the load, but I wonder sometimes if his barefoot feet are enough over hill and dale? Would his life be easier if he had more traction?

I am really not interested in shoeing him. Not because I’m anti shoe but because it just won’t work well for our situation. I am however strongly considering a hoof boot designed for traction, http://www.easycareinc.com/our_boots/easyboot_grip/Easyboot_Grip.aspx (maybe not this exact one but along these lines).

My horse is not struggling, he is handling everything better than I would have ever expected in a million years. But, I also know that barefooted CDE horses are not common, and wondering if there is a real good reason for that.

thank you!

[49_er]

I kept my Connemara pony barefoot until she was maybe nine and in her second season of showing Prelim/Int. in CDE’s. When she started going so fast in hazards that she was slipping…that is when I started shoeing so that I could use studs for marathon.

I have another green horse that I am driving and trying to get more broke to show. My work is not always consistent on a day to day basis with her so I have a pair of Renegade boots for her fronts for when I do take her out on the limerock roads. They work well.

[Drive_NJ]

Our Cooper was barefoot because he wouldnt keep his shoes on
but then he threw a few abcesses so we have worked out the exact placement so he doesnt pull off the shoes - he wears a size 4 with the heels cut off shorter so he cant clip them

Alex, OTOH, has flat feet in front so needs shoes for support and protection from the gravel driveway etc. But he only wears fronts

Three signs that you need something more than barefoot are
If your horse is slipping
If hes getting sore
If hes wearing off too much foot between trims

We used easy boots on my old hackney when his (terrible) feet were too worn for a shoe but needed some protection to do any work at all

But that was before there were so many choices

IMO give yourself and your boy a while to see how he is handling the workload. If his feet are wearing - get him some boots
Id check the endurance forum to see what people are liking

[buck22]

Thank you both!!

[ZELLA]

I sometimes navigate for an advanced CDE driver who has competed a barefoot horse at that level. Not every horse would be able to handle that, though.

Like NJ Driver said, watch how your horse handles what you ask, and listen if he tells you he needs anything on his feet.

[goodhors]

Drive NJ pretty much covered it. Slipping can be an issue, especially on dried grasses, very hard ground. Wear from the miles on abrasive surfaces, can make a horse short-toed, tender footed. Depends on the animal and what surfaces he goes on.

Our kid ponies and horses were ridden daily for MILES, all barefooted, never needed shoes. When we kids trimmed their hooves, we did NOT cut the wall down to nothing. We left wall on to allow for wear on those harsh surfaces of the gravel roads. Soles were shaped a little for cupping to hold and release dirt, correct foot shape in our 4-H manuals! Soles were thick, just didn’t get ouchy unless the rocks were pretty big. Ouch quit when the bigger rocks we rode over were left behind. We rode at all gaits, raced down the gravel roads with no gimpy steps because horses had good feet, trimmed for the uses we put our equines to. We ALWAYS walked in the pastures, that grass was VERY slippery under bare feet, so you had to pay attention to prevent falling. No going crosswise down steep hills, you went straight down to keep the hind end under if horse did slip.

If your horse is not sore crossing gravel, rough stones with his bare feet, sounds like the Farrier is leaving enough sole to protect his “innards” of the hoof. If he stays happy and forward, then it sounds like you are giving him the right kind of works, not making him short with wear.

Boots with additional traction can work, IF your horse fits those boots. However many animals are not shaped in that perfect hoof boot shape, so boots may rub or come off more easily than on other horses. Some folks just never get a boot that works, other folks just try a different brand for good fit.

I am a shoe person, would rather have a horse shod than deal with boots. Their shoes are CUSTOM FIT, each time they get put on. Shoe is on hoof, ready for any use, will STAY ON thru those uses. My horses have no issues with being shod or bare, need no transition time as described by other folks. If I may need traction then horse is shod, put in the trailer to go have fun. If horse is not being used much, they go bare, have no problems with that either. We shoe most of the time so horses are ready for any use driving or riding, have the traction needed at all times. They may be asked to go over or thru some peculiar things! A horse confident in their footing, is confident in their forward when you ask them to go.

[buck22]

[QUOTE=goodhors;5703733]
A horse confident in their footing, is confident in their forward when you ask them to go.[/QUOTE]
you hit the heart of what was on my mind.

I guess I’m wondering at the value of being proactive, if there is any value at all. Do I wait until my horse needs traction to give it to him? or do I plan ahead so he never knows a situation without it?

He’s handling everything very well, we travel mostly on wooded trails, sandy trails, sand/turf mix. Not challenging like slippery rocks or grass slick with dew. Hmmm… going to have to give this more thought.

I really appreciate everyone’s comments. Thank you!

[twadwis]

There are some who say a horse has better traction barefoot because the hoof expands/spreads and gives rather than sliding like a rigid shod foot. I have seen barefoot horses do much better on pavement than shod ones…unless borium or studs are there.
I would think that it goes to individual horses and their particular hoof health and the skill of the farrier or trimmer.
The Amish here use borium and or clips/studs on their road horses which allows them to fly down the road…but they do still slip and fall. I think if they drove cars they would need chains year round to stay on the road. It’s pretty obvious the damage this type of shoeing does long term…the shoe grabs and the stress goes to the joint. There is a ‘you tube’ that show the difference in concussion in a shod and barefoot horse.
This all begs the question…if the horse can’t stay upright (without special foot treatment) perhaps we are pushing beyond what their body is capable of handling ?