Just looking to the future here for next spring. Mare will be 4 in May. I have come to the conclusion independently and have also been told by pretty much everyone else (trainer, farriers, vets) that she would benefit from front shoes, at least while she’s working and pull them for the winters. I have resisted thus far because she isn’t working and is also still a wee lass with growing hooves. I’ve read that putting a young horse in shoes before they’re approx 5yo can interrupt normal hoof development, so I want to hold out until she’s 5 if that’s the case. What does COTH think?
Proper trimming and shoeing won’t hurt a 4yo’s foot. Key being PROPER. This might mean a shoe a tiny bit larger than the foot, to allow for the hoof expansion that’s still going on until she’s around 5
What is the consensus on why she would benefit from shoes, especially if she’s not in work?
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Have you considered hoof boots? That might be a way to keep her comfortable when working but let her still live barefoot, and it could be a bridge until she’s older and you’re more comfortable shoeing her.
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No one is saying she needs shoes while she isn’t working. But shoes in the spring/summers/fall because she has slightly thin soles and doesn’t love walking on gravel. Her soles have likely improved because her new farrier is awesome, but the last time I took rads of them was August and the RF was 0.47 inches (don’t remember the LF). The vet said the minimum was 0.5 inches. So this may have changed or be in the process of improving.
Not that I am going to be walking her on gravel either, but I think the idea is that they would help her with shock absorption and give her a bit of padding. I haven’t discussed it much further than that with anyone because it isn’t on the table for another 5 to 6 months.
I have considered boots! She isn’t uncomfortable right now but it is something I will consider for the spring.
If you’re thinking about boots, there are several threads on this forum with opinions about the pros and cons of various brands. Also, keep in mind that a good trim and correct measurement of the hoof are crucial for a proper fit. You can put pads in boots if you need a little more shock absorption than the boot alone provides.
If you ever notice that your horse seems more ouchy on gravel in the spring and early summer than at other times of the year be very suspicious of low grade laminitis. Several years ago my horse had a laminitis attack, and the earliest indication that this was brewing was that he was more sensitive going on gravel.
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I appreciate the heads up. I specifically asked about laminitis (I was wondering about subclinical laminitis) during her initial lameness exam in August and the vet said there was zero indication that she had laminitis at any point 
thanks for the clarification, it wasn’t clear in your OP
It’s worth revisiting in the Spring then. If her feet aren’t healthy because of poor trimming, then improving the trim can really improve their health
shoes don’t provide shock absorption or padding (unless pads are added), though they do provide some extra ground clearance, That said, lots of horses who only live and work in “nice” footing - grass, arenas, sandy trails, etc, will be uncomfortable on gravel.
Boots are certainly option as long as you use those that are really aimed at riding, with a low profile and good breakover.
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Boots actually provide more sole protection than shoes, since they have a built in sole covering. And you can add pads. I really like my Scoots.
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I’d echo boots as the best option as well. I try to leave the babies barefoot as long as possible (some of them with good feet are barefoot forever!) and I have a farrier that mostly does barefoot horses so their balance is 🤌
I start thinking about shoes when 1) they’re sore or their movement changes when they are being worked (arena or trail footing is different than the field, so I focus on when they are actually working), 2) their feet start chipping/cracking (which is usually a nutrition issue anyway), 3) they are uncomfortable in turnout. If I suspect any of these things, I definitely try boots first to see if that alleviates the issue.
Lastly, when you do move to shoes, I highly recommend checking out the Easy Care line. They make a plastic/rubber shoe (I’m not sure the exact material but it’s not metal) and hoof boots. Their shoes come in nail on and glue on versions and the glue ons you can apply and remove yourself with training from your farrier. That means you can glue them on for a show or if you’re going to be doing a lot of jumping or trail riding and take them off a few days or a few weeks later.
Lastly, as a lifelong barefoot proponent, I’d say that you should be skeptical of people when they say your horse needs shoes or could benefit from shoes without giving an actual reason (not saying this happened here). Many vets and most farriers are happy to slap some shoes on instead of trimming the hoof correctly and those results are usually bad.
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I would rather have shoes on my horse than mess with boots but that is just my personal preference.
If your farrier is a skilled one, having shoes on will not do anything to hurt an already good foot. 2 of mine are in front shoes and they have excellent feet. We just have very hard ground to ride on and I prefer they be protected.
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Throwing on two Scoot Boots takes like 30 seconds. I’d just pop them on in the course of picking hooves. When I see fellow boarders who can’t ride because their horse threw a shoe and the farrier can’t come out for a week, I feel that is a much bigger hassle. The boots aren’t even needed every ride in summer.
OP, composite glue-ons could be another option to consider. I’m waiting for EasyCare to come out with their thinner glue-on in warmblood sizes. A vet I work with did say she admired my mare’s big, wide, never-shod feet, as she sees lots of contraction people are unaware of on warmbloods that have been shod since age 3.
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They are a heck of a lot cheaper than shoes too; my first set lasted me two years with pretty regular use. I save even more trimming myself but even without that, they don’t need to be replaced as frequently as shoes. Scoots are SUPER easy on and off, summer or winter.
We bebop around barefoot in the indoor and the outdoor, I use the boots when we go out trail riding.
There is also a good used boot group on Facebook that you can get darn near new boots for a bit of a break.
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Add biotin to her diet. My gelding had decent feet, but needed a 2-degree pad with front shoes. He got an almost invisible 1/4" dent halfway up the left rear hoof that didn’t want to grow out. It turned into an almost invisible crack you could only see when he was rasped. I gave him Bioflax20 from HorseTech.com. Hooves take upwards of a year to completely grow out. The farrier said his soles were thicker and hoof walls improved. I kept him on it.
human biotin can be had cheaply, it typically comes in 5000mcg sizes, so 5 of those would suffice for most horses.
bulksupplements.com has biotin really cheap as well, if you can measure down to (if my memory is right) the 1/8 tsp or something like that. Maybe 1/4tsp. There’s a thread in here somewhere on that. at close to $1/day, BioFlax is a REALLY expensive biotin supplement
Diet has an impact on overall hoof growth. I’d be adding biotin, methionine, copper and zinc to help grow more sole along with making sure your farrier is trimming and balancing the hoof properly. Using pea gravel or birds eye in her paddock will also help stimulate hoof growth while also providing support to the hoof.
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She has been on California trace plus for the entire year I have owned her and her growth is great. Her feet look great as confirmed by the vet literally yesterday and her farrier. I was just asking for shoeing advice. Not nutrition advice.
Are you planning to work her on footing that’s different from her turnout? IIRC your trails are pretty rocky in spots?
Boots are great for this, but finicky until you find a good fit. You can also boot the hinds if you’re at a place where hind shoes aren’t allowed. If you’re concerned about hoof development and she’s sound in turnout, boots are great.
Honestly though, a good farrier and the right pad setup can make shoeing the easier choice for the owner. I’ve got one in leather pads and equipak at the moment because the mud just doesn’t work with boots and they don’t come inside unless it’s actively gross. If you plan to have shoes pulled for winter, having a set of boots on hand can help the transition, so they are a good investment even if you end up going to shoes later. YMMV of course, but shoes aren’t evil - especially if you get a good pad setup or wide webbed shoe.
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I realize you’re on the newer side here, but hoof quality/comfort/health discussions really need a side discussion of nutrition as well. Nobody knows what you’re feeding, and Horsecrazy was right to ask about that. You can’t trim or move your way out of a diet that needs boosting, just like you can’t feed your way out of poor trimming or movement. This is twice you’ve gotten a little upset at someone who’s trying to help.
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I say to shoe when the horse needs it. There is the ideal and then there is reality. I think my filly started with shoes at 2y.o. even though she was just cruising in pasture. She had brittle walls that broke off very easily even with mineral supplementation. She also had thin soles and was developing wall separation. I tried glue-one which helped her grow enough wall for shoes.
Just because they appear to manage in pasture/stall/arena doesn’t necessarily mean they’re fine. If you and your team think that she would move better, feel better with fronts then go for it. Obviously, you’re seeing something that’s bothering you. Shoes right now will not ruin her feet. There are also a lot of options for sole and frog health as well. Good luck!
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