Id pull the shoes too
I would pull the shoes and if he seems extra sore, pack his feet or buy him some hoof boots to get over the initial period. I’m not one to leave shoes on if they aren’t in work.
I would not pull them now in case there is another frost that hardens the ground. Maybe F would be fine with the fronts pulled, but maybe they are adding support right now and even if they aren’t, I’d wait until bona-fide spring before I pulled them. He’s had them on his whole life - going barefoot up front might be something he has to adjust to, which could cloud the recovery. Unless he seems really unhappy (your post sounds like he’s pretty happy and comfy with turnout), I’d at least wait until the frost danger has passed before changing things up. Past that, I’m hesitant to think that shoes, that he’s always worn, would interfere with soft tissue recovery. I would perhaps try boots to cushion the hooves while he transitions to barefoot with an obviously injured something. They would allow for “new” flexibility in the foot while protecting the wall and sole. Unless you have cushy turnout areas. Good luck! Report back what you decide to do/how it goes.
Once the ground is soft and likely to stay that way, I would likely try him barefoot. It might be instructive to see how he wears those front feet too. However, I wouldn’t let him go very long at all if he seemed uncomfortable. Im not a fan of waiting out a long adjustment period in hopes he will adjust in this situation. If he seems considerably worse or doesn’t get back to his current level in 2-3 weeks, I would have his shoes put back on. Seems simpler and more comfortable than trying packing and boots to try to make it work.
My old guy needed orthopedic horseshoes up front throughout his retirement.
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