Def what Heinz 57 said. I know not everyone can afford x-rays before making this decision (myself included) but you should have an idea of what condition your horse’s soles are in before deciding to pull shoes.
Even w/o the benefit of x-rays, I know that my horse has a thin TB sole - as evidenced by soreness over rocks and what multiple farriers have told me. That, coupled w/ negative palmar angles and low heels and his workload means my horse needs shoes.
Think back to when your horse had shoes, did he keep them on easily? How did your horse act if he threw a shoe? If his hoof chips like crazy, causing limping despite wrapping etc, maybe the horse isn’t the best candidate for barefoot. Many, many horses are, and I’ve seen plenty of high level horses exceed barefoot, but each case must be looked at on an individual basis.
