I’m really quite split on this topic. I feel each is justified in certain situations. Below is a great little article i came acroos giving arguments for both sides. Which do you prefer?
What the horse needs is best. I’ve had two that stayed barefoot for showing, but were ouchy on rocky trails. I wasn’t trail riding much so they stayed barefoot. Everything else went better with front shoes.
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You give the horse what it needs, when it needs it, and in appropriate quantity and quality.
The answer to your question: it depends.
G.
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What the horse needs for its hoof, lifestyle and environment. The expanded options in boots give more options to many horses who can be barefoot with boots as needed.
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No one shoes their horse for “no reason.” If they need shoes, then they should have shoes. If they don’t need them, why would anyone bother?
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Well lots of people just shoe because that’s what’s done.
At our barn the people who never leave the cushy arena invariably shoe and the people who trail ride a lot are barefoot and complain about the gravel incessantly.
I trail ride, got hoof boots, and recommend them to everyone. But I wouldn’t choose to jump in them and you can’t show dressage in them.
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There are plenty of people who are vehemently one way or the other- slap shoes on them the minute you start them or keep them barefoot at all costs. Personally, I do what ever the horse needs to best do it’s job and/or be comfortable.
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Anybody who tells you there’s an answer to that question is not a true horseman. As others have indicated - it depends completely and totally on the horse in front of you.
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Well, sure, there are stupid people everywhere. I used to board with people that were totally happy letting the BM make all the decisions about their horses. They didn’t want to understand or care to learn. They would actually say things like “Thank god for Susie, because otherwise my horse would starve! I don’t know the first thing about feeding my own horse.” :no:
So I guess I should rephrase - most educated horse people don’t shoe their horses for no reason. And I think “added protection can’t hurt” is a reason, if the alternative is that the horse turns up lame. (All things being equal, with a qualified farrier, of course.)
Most educated owners do not choose to spend $100-$300 for shoes, instead of $40-$80 for just a trim, not to mention the extra time to hold the horse, the potential inconvenience of pulled shoes, etc. if it’s not necessary.
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OP you do know you’re asking for a train wreck don’t you?? :winkgrin:
These discussions get as heated as ProLife/ProChoice discussions.
Seriously though. If I never wanted to ride past a walk, outside of his pasture, my boy would be barefoot. I’m not lucky enough for him to be comfortable barefoot. That would be awesome if I didn’t have to pay for shoes!
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I strongly prefer barefoot because I strongly prefer to save money. Luckily for me, my horses are retired with no heavy work so I can get away with that. But… if they were being ridden regularly at least some of them would need shoes and at least one would need shoes and pads. Also, the ability to remain barefoot would depend on the type of work and footing they were subjected to.
Mine are barefoot it works for my horses i boot them when needed,which is maybe 4 times a year. Barefoot is by far the healthiest way. But not all horses can be barefoot.
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Of course they do. Growing up my pony was at home and barefoot and did just fine. When I bought my first horse he was also barefoot until I moved him from my backyard to my first boarding barn. Shoeing is what you did and I never asked questions, but he did need shoes by then.
I rode him hard and on gravel roads every day. He would never have held up on that level barefoot.
The horses that followed and were again kept at home were at least shod on front as long as our farms were on gravel. This fit their need to be comfortable for what we were doing , protected their feet and I don’t want to mess with boots.
Current 2 horses have been barefoot for the last 7 years. The majority of our riding has been in farm fields with a little along the road stuff and they are fine with that. So why shoe?
What you put on your horses feet should be what is best for them 100%. When they are forced to go barefoot because it is what the owner wants ( not what they can comfortably do) then that is wrong.
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Well maybe you didn’t know the reason at the time but your farrier and/or barn manager did. I suspect that happens often; my vet and farrier think my TB mare needed shoes and I followed their advice.
I guess what I’m saying is that few people have horses with rock hard, perfect feet and say “what the heck, I feel like paying extra money for no reason.”
if a horse is shod, there is usually a reason.
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How do you define “educated horse people”?
Many trainers - who may well be very educated in the training of a horse - are absolutely adamant about “if you jump, you must put shoes on” and even “if you ride, you must put shoes on” without any other reason beyond that. No “If you’re jumping and the horse starts to become uncomfortable in his work or his feet start to not hold up, then it’s time to put shoes on”. Just “he’s starting to jump, time to put shoes on, end of story.” It’s how they were taught.
It’s only those who are educated enough in the right areas who don’t do anything for no good reason, whether it’s shoes, or using a particular bit, or changing saddles, or even changing saddle pads or girths or whatever else.
When many trainers are very poor saddle fitters, there will be many trainers who know nothing about feet, and therefore are capable of making sometimes poor decisions for no (good) reason.
To the OP - the answer is always “what’s best for the horse”, even if that entails many variables - genetics, injuries to the foot (past or present), terrain he’s working on is harsher than what he’s living on so can’t acclimate, footing requires more traction as a general rule for the work he’s doing, and more.
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Agreed. Although I think “prevention of injuries” is a reason; but I do agree that many trainers - especially those with kids jumping low at small, local shows - could consider trying a horse barefoot for longer. Maybe it helps that it’s not their own money their shelling out. But in general, “extra protection or consistent traction just in case” isn’t a terrible idea so long as the farrier is good.
Any horse professional worth their salt will tell you that barefoot is always “best” for the horse IF the horse can perform his job comfortably and safely while barefoot.
The “if” situations are where it gets murky. Not all horses are the same, not all jobs are the same, and horse professionals are definitely not all the same.
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Of course this was way back in the 1980’s and shoeing costs were pretty minimal. Seems like if you rode the horse than it was shod. I can’t say this was a bad thing. Better than getting on the barefoot bandwagon and forcing a horse to try and toughen up when what he should have is shoes.
Finances were what prompted me to let my horses try barefoot year round . I usually pulled shoes for the 8 weeks ( Dec-jan) I didn’t ride and they did fine, so I just had them trimmed and went from there. I knew they had a good foot to begin with.
Well, my horse is barefoot because she hates the act of having nails pounded in her feet. With each strike of the nail by the hammer, she acts like it goes straight to her brain. I worked with her for hours upon hours. I could get her to tolerate a hammer strike to her hoof but I wasn’t driving a nail and no in the short time she was shod, she never had a hot nail. She just seems extremely sensitive to that process. Now, that said, if she really needed shoes for a therapeutic reason, she would get the appropriate pharmacologic help (drugs:yes:) and be shod. She has a small foot and probably glue on with a couple nails for extra security would work great.
However, since she was last shod at 6 where I had to twitch her to finish until now at 15, she has done well BF with boots when needed. She hasn’t ever had a problem with a nice groomed show arena. Those far exceed the quality of the arena where I board and yes, I school her in the boots during the hot dry months.
So, I am with every one that says it depends. You do what the horse needs.
Susan
Answering the question as asked - I believe barefoot is best, no contest.
However, if you get into specific horses there are many who need shoes or boots to do the job required.
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