Only hind shoes

[QM2]

Hi all, wanted to get your thoughts on this.
My young horse needs hind shoes because he has white hind feet and they do tend to bruise easily. Whether it’s Correlation or causation we don’t know but hind shoes solve the situation and he does not need fronts.

He’s young and will start to go to locals shows to hang out and learn about life and eventually start to show in baby divisions.

I’m thinking of just leaving him barefoot up front. I’d rather have him barefoot all around but he does need them behind.

I do and I don’t care about what people think at the shows and I know barefoot up front and shod behind is unusual. Usually they are shod upfront and barefoot behind at this stage.

1. The cost savings would help for sure.
2. If he doesn’t need fronts yet, why do it.

Thoughts?

[trubandloki]

@QM2

Hi all, wanted to get your thoughts on this.
My young horse needs hind shoes because he has white hind feet and they do tend to bruise easily. Whether it’s Correlation or causation we don’t know but hind shoes solve the situation and he does not need fronts.

He’s young and will start to go to locals shows to hang out and learn about life and eventually start to show in baby divisions.

I’m thinking of just leaving him barefoot up front. I’d rather have him barefoot all around but he does need them behind.

I do and I don’t care about what people think at the shows and I know barefoot up front and shod behind is unusual. Usually they are shod upfront and barefoot behind at this stage.

1. The cost savings would help for sure.
2. If he doesn’t need fronts yet, why do it.

Thoughts?

I know more than one horse that is typically bare up front and shod behind.
I would not find it to be weird.

Do what is best for your horse, do not worry about what other people think is best.

I do wonder how people at a show would even notice or know what your horse has on the bottom of its feet?

[QM2]

Thanks. Yeah that’s how I feel. Although, I do notice things like this. lol

[fivestrideline]

People pull shoes for the hacks all the time. I don’t think anyone will care.

[Montanas_Girl]

My old Adult Amateur hunter went in hind shoes with trailers and was barefoot in front. He had excellent feet but was more comfortable behind in shoes.

These days I mostly do ranch horse/working western events. It’s very common in these disciplines for horses to be barefoot in front and wear shoes behind, especially the reiners.

[beowulf]

How old is this horse? Do you have photos of his feet?

I would do what works for him. In my own program I am hesitant to put shoes on anything younger than 4, as their feet are not fully mature either, and it can permanently change how their feet grow. I’d investigate the trim on this horse. It is a myth that white hooves are structurally weaker because of their color.

[HiJumpGrrl]

Absolutely have done this.

[endlessclimb]

Same. My Old Man went this way for many years.

[JB]

@QM2

My young horse needs hind shoes because he has white hind feet and they do tend to bruise easily.

you’re just seeing the bruising on whites, that you can’t see on dark colors. The question is - what’s causing the bruising. If he’s just hitting his feet here and there, shoes aren’t going to solve the problem. If unbalance trimming is jamming things and causing bruising, shoes aren’t going to solve that problem.

Can you grab a pic? Bruising on the inside, outside, or both?

[fivestrideline]

@JB

you’re just seeing the bruising on whites, that you can’t see on dark colors.

Yeah IME if there’s bruising on multiple white feet, it’s likely that ALL feet are bruised.

Has he gone in shoes all around? Are you, OP, basing the “only needs hinds” just on visible bruising?

Again, only shoeing behind is normal, if needed. I have one in shoes behind and boots up front.

[QM2]

@Montanas_Girl

My old Adult Amateur hunter went in hind shoes with trailers and was barefoot in front. He had excellent feet but was more comfortable behind in shoes.

These days I mostly do ranch horse/working western events. It’s very common in these disciplines for horses to be barefoot in front and wear shoes behind, especially the reiners.

Thanks! That’s what I was wanting to hear. 🩷

[QM2]

@beowulf

How old is this horse? Do you have photos of his feet?

I would do what works for him. In my own program I am hesitant to put shoes on anything younger than 4, as their feet are not fully mature either, and it can permanently change how their feet grow. I’d investigate the trim on this horse. It is a myth that white hooves are structurally weaker because of their color.

He’s 4 and yes I know the controversy around white feet that why I said correlation v causation.
It’s not that I’m seeing more bruising, he’s actually getting stone bruises and occasional abscess in hinds only. Very good foot conformation.

[QM2]

@fivestrideline

@JB

you’re just seeing the bruising on whites, that you can’t see on dark colors.

Yeah IME if there’s bruising on multiple white feet, it’s likely that ALL feet are bruised.

Has he gone in shoes all around? Are you, OP, basing the “only needs hinds” just on visible bruising?

Again, only shoeing behind is normal, if needed. I have one in shoes behind and boots up front.

Fronts are fine. He’s getting stone bruises and occasional abscess from them.
Foot conformation is good.

[JB]

Oh, so you’re talking about bruising on the sole. So still, 100% unrelated to his feet being white

It’s pretty uncommon for hind feet to be the only ones with sensitivity issues like this. By their nature, hind feet tend to be more concave than fronts, and USUALLY, it seems, IME, even farriers who don’t trim fronts all that well, tend to do a better job on hinds, for some reason.

Pictures would help a lot
Good Hoof Photos - How to take Good Hoof Photos

Putting shoes on a trim problem is just going to come back to bite you sooner or later, with sore hocks, stifles, SI, back, etc

[TatteredDaydreamer]

I know plenty of horses that are only shod behind because they need more support there for whatever reason. Wouldn’t think that it was odd at all.

[QM2]

@JB

Oh, so you’re talking about bruising on the sole. So still, 100% unrelated to his feet being white

It’s pretty uncommon for hind feet to be the only ones with sensitivity issues like this. By their nature, hind feet tend to be more concave than fronts, and USUALLY, it seems, IME, even farriers who don’t trim fronts all that well, tend to do a better job on hinds, for some reason.

Pictures would help a lot
Good Hoof Photos - How to take Good Hoof Photos

Putting shoes on a trim problem is just going to come back to bite you sooner or later, with sore hocks, stifles, SI, back, etc

He has good foot comformation and is trimmed well.

[ATXmom]

I used to do this for our ponies…

[JB]

I don’t mean this to sound…snarky? But I’ve seen a lot of feet whose owners, and even vets say, are trimmed well that really are not

Maybe these really are. It’s just so unusual for healthy hind feet to have a footing sensitivity issue, and the front feet not

[QM2]

@JB

I don’t mean this to sound…snarky? But I’ve seen a lot of feet whose owners, and even vets say, are trimmed well that really are not

Maybe these really are. It’s just so unusual for healthy hind feet to have a footing sensitivity issue, and the front feet not

Then you’ll just have to take my word for it.
Or don’t.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[LazyA1]

So true. I have a horse with a crooked front leg and is barefoot. My vet would say to trim for boney column alignment. My farrier says to trim to the line of gravity and he does.