# Barefoot vs. Shoes



## BennysLace

I tried to have my mare barefoot for 18months, she would be lame even in her stall for 3weeks out of a month. I kept being told it would get better. I was finally tired of her being in pain had the vet out to be Xrayed the vet told me if I didn't want her in pain put shoes on her because barefoot wasn't going to work. The mare had early signs of navicular. 2days later the farrier came out put shoes on all 4(alluminum eventer shoes). My girl hasn't taken a lame step since it's been almost 2yrs. That being said it broke my heart to take the vets advice, I agonized over it but I had to get her out of pain. Not saying that with another horse I wouldn't try barefoot I wouldn't wait 18months to go back to shoes if horse was in pain longer then a reasonable transition time.


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## JaphyJaphy

I understand the practical applications of shoes, as well as the fact that horses can need corrective shoeing for a number of reasons, but I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.


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## Joe4d

Reminds me of the helmet no helmet threads.
Pretty much comes down to the horse, the terrain, the distance, speed, gait, and personal choice.
I use boots as a spare tire, but my horses are steel shod. Riding with boots doesnt work fo rme.


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## JustImagine

I've never used the boots, but my I've had my 13 year old Arab for 10 months now and have always kept him barefoot without a hitch. In fact, his previous owners had him for 4 years and they kept him barefoot the whole time, too. I mainly ride in an arena, though; I used to do hunter/jumpers with him but have switched to dressage. My mom bought a couple 6-year old Tennessee Walkers a couple years ago that had shoes; she had both of them get their shoes pulled and they've been barefoot ever since with no problems.


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## Sunny

My girl is shod on the front.

Before I started shoeing her I did a lot of research into boots and really wanted to try some. But, the more reading I did, the more I realized that none of them would fit her, likely. He feet are just a weird shape and the shoes can be molded to fit them, while boots can't.


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## phantomhorse13

JustImagine said:


> I've had my 13 year old Arab for 10 months now and have always kept him barefoot without a hitch. I mainly ride in an arena, though



My mare has never set foot in an arena. We ride places like this:



















Dream is steel shod all the way around.


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## JustImagine

phantomhorse13 said:


> My mare has never set foot in an arena. We ride places like this:
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> Dream is steel shod all the way around.


I can imagine she would be shod, yikes! I only take my Arab out on trail rides if it's on the grass; his feet get ouchy if I take him anywhere that's rocky. We do dressage, though, so we don't do a lot of trail riding so it just makes sense to not put shoes on him if I don't have to


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## hemms

There are so many factors that can make 'barefoot' a powerhouse of success and equally as many that can make it a rocket of disaster. I even put barefoot in an ambiguous formation here, because nailing down exactly what it is can be so difficult when working with uninformed people, especially the professionals who simply won't be told how to do their job. 

I am very fortunate to have found a farrier who will work with me to achieve what's best for my horses. I trimmed ours myself for two years until I found her and I'll never let her go! 

In my somewhat experienced opinion, more horses than not could very successfully thrive with proper batefoot trimming, as long as a condusive living environment is provided. I find more and more people allow their over-thinking, micro-managing busy brains sabatoge even their most honest efforts. I say all this with all riding terrian in my mind's eye (and we do ride it all). 

Some breeds, like the Arab, Mustang and the Fjord, naturally are better about it, but even my butter-footed QH mare and mealy-footed APHA gelding both toughened up within a year of conditioning and NO transitional pain. That's doing it properly. No shared lineage between the two, but a shared living and riding environment, definitely. Oh, and I never stopped riding either a day during their reconditioning. Both did wear hoof boots for the first year during regular riding, which later changed to harsh terrain rides only.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## 2SCHorses

Depends on your horse, their hoof, if you can even find a boot that really fits, and what kind of terrain you have access to condition on. For some, shoes are the best option, but for others, boots work wonderfully for competition and training. There are some rides that you would be remiss not to offer your horse some protection (Virginia Highlands comes to mind!).


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## Brighteyes

^^ Even with shoes on, my horse still got a bruised in Virginia! :lol: I hate rocky rides!


The way my season is looking, I'm going to have one rocky ride every 10-ish weeks. Which means shoes on all the time. All year. For a handful of rides. :? Not happening. I think I'm going for boots. My first rocky ride is going to be at Uwharrie Forest, which is a kicker. I'm a little scared. I desperately don't want to have a booting crisis up there!


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## 2SCHorses

Brighteyes said:


> ^^ Even with shoes on, my horse still got a bruised in Virginia! :lol: I hate rocky rides!
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> The way my season is looking, I'm going to have one rocky ride every 10-ish weeks. Which means shoes on all the time. All year. For a handful of rides. :? Not happening. I think I'm going for boots. My first rocky ride is going to be at Uwharrie Forest, which is a kicker. I'm a little scared. I desperately don't want to have a booting crisis up there!


Brighteyes, call the boot company you are interested in getting boots from and try very hard to find a professional fitter/dealer in your area. You will be very, VERY glad you did. I am setting up an appointment with a woman 4 hours away from me for my mare, so I know it stinks, but it's better than the rubbing, losing boots, and all the other crud that can and will go wrong. Make sure your barefoot trimmer is certified ... a pasture trim isn't the same and won't fit a boot like a Renegade properly. 

But if this doesn't work for me, I am going back to shoes and not looking back. Not against either one. My mare has issues and is probably better off barefoot, but in terms of where we ride, she needs something, and if the something is shoes, fine.


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## Brighteyes

I'm leaning towards Renagades, because I've ridden horses that use easy boots. Those things are a royal pain in the butt to get on and off. :lol: You also have to rasp between trims to keep them fitting, which I don't trust myself to do. 

I just started using a certified barefoot trimmer. In fact, today was my mare's second trimming with him. I'm already seeing an improvement. No more cracking, she moves better, and she's already walking on hard surfaces without pain.

I guess I need to find a Renagade fitter. I'm in central Georgia, the land of nothing at all. Hopefully they have a listing on their site...


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## nikelodeon79

For horses that are slightly tender on rides, I prefer boots.

If horses are tender in the pasture even with proper trimming, I would shoe.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Joe4d

thats why I feel it is important to use a foot care farrier with a full tool box, that isnt caught up in one technique, shoe type or boot type. That way you can get decent objective advice on what is best for your horse and situation. My farrier will just as quickly come help you measure and put on boots, as he will Keg shod, NB shoe, or tell you to stay barefoot. BASED on the horse and its use, not on any bias or prejudice.


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## hemms

Renegades fit like a glove. They do need a freshly rasped foot or at least a highly maintained one. LOVE the product, though - best of all boots I've tried. A looser fit could be found in the G1 Old Macs. The G2s came out and were completely the wrong shape for a healthy bare foot, imo. Maybe some horses always have that high, contracted-herl block o wood look, but none of mine ever did. ^shrug^

Good luck!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LeynaProof

I have used all kinds of boots and nothing works better than my horses being shod. With shoes i do not have to worry about my horses getting a rub or losing a boot. Sure you can still lose shoes, but not as often as i have lost a boot. And i think if your farrier knows what they are doing then shoes are not bad for a horse. But that is just my opinion and i know there is a lot of people out there with their own opinion.


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## Brighteyes

hemms said:


> Renegades fit like a glove. They do need a freshly rasped foot or at least a highly maintained one. LOVE the product, though - best of all boots I've tried. A looser fit could be found in the G1 Old Macs. The G2s came out and were completely the wrong shape for a healthy bare foot, imo. Maybe some horses always have that high, contracted-herl block o wood look, but none of mine ever did. ^shrug^
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> Good luck!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks! 

That's not what I've heard! Everyone I know with Renegades has their horses on a four week trim cycle (like I do), never have to rasp in between, and actually say they would rather the boot be a little loose than tight. The heel captivator is what keeps in on. So I've been told. :wink: 

And apparently, they aren't any reps in Georgia. :-( I might have to go it alone. I can send pictures, but that will only do so much for the right fit.


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## prairiewindlady

I was glad to see this thread! I have been on the fence, trying to decide whether to try boots or shoes the past few weeks. At this point I am leaning towards getting my boy shod. The best place we have to condition around here are gravel roads. I also feel like he would be a nightmare to fit as far as boots go. Since he is a pony he has small feet but they are quite round (almost like draft feet) 

Phantomhorse13 - wow that is crazy terrain! Does Dream have pads too?

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## Speed Racer

I've had horses almost 35 years. In all that time, I've only had one who needed shoes. He has them.

Why is this always such a rabid debate? You do what's best for the HORSE. Period. All the rest is just hyperbole, opinion, and trying to shove personal ideologies down each others' throats.


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## phantomhorse13

prairiewindlady said:


> Phantomhorse13 - wow that is crazy terrain! Does Dream have pads too?


Dream isn't padded all the time, but she gets pour-in pads before especially bad rides. I like those because I feel they conform to the sole the best and they are fairly easy to remove when no longer needed (but before farrier comes out again).


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## hemms

Re the renegades, I did the photo consult and the owner/designer told me all this. What he sent me was a TIGHT fit. Perhaps I could have gone up one size and spared myself a little work, lol!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Wolfetrap

I've never understood why people can be so against shoeing. What is done with the horse's feet should be what's best for the horse. I've seen horrible jobs with both. Every horse, just like every person, is different. A person could run a marathon with a barefoot sneaker/ shoe and finish strong. Another person could run a marathon with a barefoot sneaker/ shoe and not be able to walk after because based on their body then need support in a sneaker. Put that second person in a sneaker that supports them in the proper way for their body and they will finish a marathon strong.


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## GamingGrrl

I keep my mustang barefoot because he has really amazing rock hard hooves and my QH wears shoes but I might explore other options with him (fronts only, barefoot). My horses are ridden on grass or in arenas, so they are at low risk of damaging their hooves. I agree that it's really up to the individual horse.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## appygirl02

*unsuccesfull with boots*

I tried riding with the boots but they were more hassle than what they were worth. When it's cold weather I do not want to spend all the extra time required to clean the feet and fit and fasted the boots on, only to have them become askew or come off during my ride. My horse is tall so it is hard for me to dismount and mount while riding on the trail. (Can't always find a stump, lol) Plus I was always worrying about them. I go out to ride to relax, not to worry! Plus my horse is more comfortable in steel shoes, he walks out much more sure footed.


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## Wolfetrap

I've never had horses that could go barefoot (based on their feet and farrier recommendation), so could someone explain to me if your horse is able to go barefoot (based on the quality of their feet) why would they need boots to protect their feet? If they are barefoot shouldn't their feet be hard/durable enough to go on the surface they're being ridden on?


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## phantomhorse13

Wolfetrap said:


> I've never had horses that could go barefoot (based on their feet and farrier recommendation), so could someone explain to me if your horse is able to go barefoot (based on the quality of their feet) why would they need boots to protect their feet? If they are barefoot shouldn't their feet be hard/durable enough to go on the surface they're being ridden on?



One of the big potential problems is when the foot is being worn off faster than it can grow due to heavy use. A horse might be perfectly sound to ride on abrasive sand for 20 miles in a day.. but if you do that day after day, the hoof/sole is going to be worn away much faster than the horse can produce new, so is going to become sore.


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## jillybean19

I go barefoot because I believe it's healthier for their feet. I agree that you should do "what's best for the horse", but also believe that a lot of people are uneducated about the benefits of going barefoot and are very set in their ways with shoes. Very few horses actually "need" shoes - those would be the horses that really cannot carry a boot, are covering terrain too rough for a boot, or have hoof issues that require a boot (though my farrier did an incredible job correcting my horse's feet with great barefoot trims when a "traditional" farrier said he would need shoes).

Hoof protection is generally necessary in certain terrain. As many people have pointed out, horses have been shod for centuries in an effort to protect their feet from the terrain that we've asked them to travel on. Between domestication and the tasks we as of our horses, they will need this protection every now and then. Because my horse does not need protection except on endurance rides, when I'm asking him to travel over sometimes rocky terrain and do so quickly, I prefer to keep his feet barefoot and healthy.

Far fewer horses "need" shoes than people believe - and barefoot advocates often find themselves in the minority when it comes to hoof care.

My farrier had excellent training and first began as your typical farrier. However, when she completed her training in barefoot trimming, she more or less became a barefoot-only trimmer because of how much it really does support a strong, healthy hoof. She still has her anvil *just in case*, but hasn't touched it in years. In fact, though rare, not being able to go barefoot would be a deal-breaker for her when buying a horse because that would only be because the horse has major hoof issues.


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## hemms

Another reason for boots is transitioning. If a horse has had shoes and shoe trims for any amount of time, they're going to require time to rebuild natural protection and resilience. My thin-soled QH mare needed boots for almost a year before I could trot her barefoot down the gravel road. I didn't have to stop riding during her rehab.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## hemms

I too, would not purchase a recreational horse that could not go barefoot.
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## Wolfetrap

Hemms...Why?

Ok so if you have a horse that has conformation that needs support or a horse who has bad angles how would you go about correcting it as a barefoot trimmer?


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## dashygirl

JustImagine said:


> I can imagine she would be shod, yikes!


Even on rocky terrain, metal shoes aren't necessary in my experience. My girls are in the middle of the desert in AZ - lots of rocks, sand, etc. I use Old Macs, just on the fronts of my girls' feet. One of my mares really doesn't need boots at all, but the other tends to get ouchy if she doesn't wear them every so often. I've never had issues with their back feet being barefoot all the time in harsh terrains like these: 






And here we are running in terrain similar to what you see in the video above, with just Old Macs on the fronts. We do this frequently, without issue.






But like a lot of people already said, it's all dependent on what the horse needs. Just because one horse can be barefoot doesn't mean the next can, too. You've got to work out through process of elimination what is best for your horse.


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## jillybean19

When I say rocky terrain that requires boots, I mean SERIOUS backcountry terrain, much like what phatomhorse posted. For example, one of my favorite rides involves going across a rock slide with huge rocks and a "path" somehow wound between and around them. These are things that, in addition to likely wearing out the boots faster than I'd like, would likely rip boots off as well. In these circumstances, I would shoe. However 99% of my lifetime riding is over terrain that I could boot, and so that's what I do. I don't see me going on a ride requiring shoes anytime soon.


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## dashygirl

Wolfetrap said:


> Ok so if you have a horse that has conformation that needs support or a horse who has bad angles how would you go about correcting it as a barefoot trimmer?


Here's a website you might find helpful about "natural" or barefoot correctional trimming. Afterall, it's not the shoes that fixes the conformation, it's the trim that occurs before the shoes are put on. You can "train" a horse's hoof to grow a certian way if it's consistently trimmed properly.


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## jillybean19

Wolfetrap said:


> Hemms...Why?
> 
> Ok so if you have a horse that has conformation that needs support or a horse who has bad angles how would you go about correcting it as a barefoot trimmer?


My horse's foot used to look like this from the front: / /

In other words, he wasn't even standing on the hoof! It was all skewed over to the side. In April/May, we'll almost be coming up on a year (how long it takes to grow a hoof) of excellent barefoot trimming and he's just about straight. You can clearly see where the new hoof is aligned the way it should be, while the bottom area is all wonky like it used to be. With trims that put him back on a naturally balanced foot, his foot took care of the rest.

I can't tell you exactly what she did, but the key was to do a little at a time and let the hoof correct itself. He's never been lame for a single day - but that's because we took it bit by bit at a time so that he could be balanced and grow back correctly. That's very important with barefoot trimming: you MUST let the hoof tell you what needs to be done!

Oh, and one last thing - the hooves don't always LOOK even. Rather, they are balanced as an individual hoof. Some farriers will trim two feet to look the same, but just as each horse has individual needs in its feet, each foot has individual needs as well that won't always come out "looking" the same.


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## gypsygirl

my horses both wear front shoes and i feel no need to apologize for it. my older guy has navicular, he will never go with out front shoes.


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## dashygirl

jillybean19 said:


> I can't tell you exactly what she did, but the key was to do a little at a time and let the hoof correct itself. He's never been lame for a single day - but that's because we took it bit by bit at a time so that he could be balanced and grow back correctly. That's very important with barefoot trimming: you MUST let the hoof tell you what needs to be done!


One of my mares has an old pastern injury that causes her hoof to grow with a deformity (down to the sole) due to scarring, which can split slightly in the wet season. The lady I bought her from swore up and down that I'd have to keep shoes on her forever, because without them her hoof wouldn't grow properly (*eye roll*) and she would be sore/lame. I haven't had shoes on her since the day I got her. I've got a great natural trimmer who keeps an eye on the scarring and trims it appropriately so it grows properly and doesn't split, and we've never had an issue. :wink:


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## dashygirl

gypsygirl said:


> my older guy has navicular, he will never go with out front shoes.


Can horses with navicular go barefoot?


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## gypsygirl

some might be able to eventually, mine cannot. i have a great farrier and vet whom i trust immensely. part of my horses problem is that his bone is too dense, he gets incredibly sore, like crippled in NB shoes or barefoot. its terrible, he cannot even walk.


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## BlueSpark

> Reminds me of the helmet no helmet threads.
> Pretty much comes down to the horse, the terrain, the distance, speed, gait, and personal choice.
> I use boots as a spare tire, but my horses are steel shod. Riding with boots doesnt work fo rme.


just this. every horse on the farm is barefoot, Even the racers that run at the track(and win) all summer get their shoes pulled and trail ride all winter barefoot. My mare has the best feet on the farm. in the summer we ride on gravel, rocks, sand and through mud and grass. The first 6 weeks of riding are fine, but as we pick up the distance and pace, I can wear her feet off far quicker than she grows them. when we get close to level with her sole(usually by june) she gets shoes, or I would have a lame horse. We can wear through a set of steel shoes in 4 weeks, so thin the farrier folds them in half.

the 'recreational' horses are barefoot all year round, they only go 5-10 miles 2-3 times a week.

one horse on the farm has bad feet, brittle walls and a permanent crack. To stay sound for regular riding he needs to be shod. This is genetic, and the crack the result of an accident. no suplements will fix this, he just NEEDS shoes.

I've never had a good time with boots, but if they work for you, great


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## gottatrot

Wolfetrap said:


> Hemms...Why?
> 
> Ok so if you have a horse that has conformation that needs support or a horse who has bad angles how would you go about correcting it as a barefoot trimmer?


Imagine your horse without flesh, just bones. At the bottom of his leg, there are the bones that go inside of his hoof capsule. These have only very slight differences from horse to horse, just as their other bones do. 

The hoof is supposed to grow down based on the angles of these bones, in particular, the coffin bone. A good corrective trimmer will remove the forces that deform the hoof capsule so the hoof can grow down in its proper shape. The problems in our hooves are due to trimmers and farriers not understanding hoof anatomy and how hooves grow and are deformed. Because of this, they attempt to fix problems by applying shims and cutting things off here and there instead of attempting to grow a hoof capsule all the way down from the coronary band that fits tightly over the inner foot.


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## hemms

Regarding wearing out boots... In my experience, metal shoes have worn out far faster for me than my Old Macs. Conservative calculations has over 3000 trail miles logged on my G1 Old Macs before some relatively minor fraying of the soft parts occured. The trail horses I used to work on snapped shoes right across the fronts on a regular basis, before their feet could grow out of a 4 week trim.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## toosexy4myspotz

phantomhorse13 said:


> My mare has never set foot in an arena. We ride places like this:
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That is what it looks like here and worse. Most of the places we ride everybody is steel shod. you might come across a person here or there that uses boots but steel shoes are definitely more popular. I am going to have to look into the pour in pads you mentioned earlier cause those would definitely be helpful in some situations.


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## toosexy4myspotz

hemms said:


> Regarding wearing out boots... In my experience, metal shoes have worn out far faster for me than my Old Macs. Conservative calculations has over 3000 trail miles logged on my G1 Old Macs before some relatively minor fraying of the soft parts occured. The trail horses I used to work on snapped shoes right across the fronts on a regular basis, before their feet could grow out of a 4 week trim.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 
On a good weekend we can wear the nail heads right off our shoes and have to turn around and reshoe. My farrier fusses, ALOT. He came out two weekends before christmas and we headed to cataloochee and we we came back he had to come back out and reshoe both our horses because my mare only had two nails holding her shoe on on the right front and barely three nails in the other shoe. All the other ones the nails heads where completely stripped off. The boots can get more miles without being destroyed.


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## Faustinblack

My mustang has never been shod, and I don't plan on it ever. The same for the other two horses in my care.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dashygirl

I wouldn't expect a mustang that came from the wild to ever require shoes of any sort, unless there was a severe injury or some other sort of hoof damage.


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## Reckyroo

My mare is an ex-racehorse that was once shod.
When we got her, her feet were in a terrible condition - the previous owner had done the hoof trimming himself - she had about 6 months of cracked hooves and continual abcesses until we found our current farrier and he's worked a miracle.
No shoes, nice hooves (he said for what we will be doing with her - 10-15 miles soft riding a week) we've no need for shoes and unless it was a medical requirement, I wouldn't have them.
At the moment, she's in foal and he's left her feet a little flatter that usual to distribut the weight as she's not a big frame usually and seems to be carrying an elephant! But on his next trip (when baby should have arrived), he;ll start to reshape her hooves again. But none of her feet look the same - but that's just her - and he shapes her hooves to fit her, not to look the same.........
But we have NO TERRAIN like the ones shown above - just green fields and tarmacked roads and the off bridle path which is just gavelly mud! I;d love to be able to ride in the landscapes like you are 

:mrgreen: (jealous much - who me?)


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## Faustinblack

Bleu isn't from the wild. He was born on a ranch.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## prairiewindlady

dashygirl said:


> I wouldn't expect a mustang that came from the wild to ever require shoes of any sort, unless there was a severe injury or some other sort of hoof damage.


That's what people think but I have owned 5 mustangs (all born in the wild) .... 2 had great feet, one was pretty good, one was just ok and the last one actually has pretty bad hooves imo. In the wild their lifestyle promotes healthy hooves, but once they are in captivity and confined to a corral/pasture they are pretty much like any other horse.


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## dashygirl

prairiewindlady said:


> That's what people think but I have owned 5 mustangs (all born in the wild) .... 2 had great feet, one was pretty good, one was just ok and the last one actually has pretty bad hooves imo. In the wild their lifestyle promotes healthy hooves, but once they are in captivity and confined to a corral/pasture they are pretty much like any other horse.


So did you have to put shoes on one of your mustangs? I would never expect a mustang in captivity to not ever need a trim or anything like that, but I would think that if you kept up with a natural trim that the hoof would more or less be maintained at it's natural state.


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## Faustinblack

Got my renegades today and put them on my boy and he went for a ground churning gallop around the pasture. Stayed on and seemed to give him more traction
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaydee

It really is down to the individual horse. In the US I can get away with barefoot for most of the year but as soon as work picks up in the summer and they begin to look sore then they get shod
I have tried loads of different boots and never really got on with any of them either because they dont fit well, rub the horse or make them feel 'clompy' to ride, we go up and down some pretty steep slopes with rocks and sharp loose stones so I need to at least feel that my horses are surefooted and I dont seem to get that with boots
In the UK our hunters would do 2 to 3 hours of road work a day as part of their fitness programme, lots of trotting and I never had a horse go lame or get leg problems from being shod.
I certainly wouldnt argue with anyone who was happy riding in boots, barefoot or shod - none of my business what they do.


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## KigerQueen

My mare was bare foot for 6 years on the back and at least 3 on the front. after riding her in a SLIGHTLY rocky area her soals started to look a lil bloody (yeah that freaked me out) so she got front shoes, but it took forever to find someone who would be able to her back for this reason





































^ this is how her foot looked for years. she was sould but i had no idea she was in any typo of pain untill i put shoes on her


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## phantomhorse13

Holy cow, what the heck happened to that leg? Bet it must have been one hell of a thing to see when it was fresh and as it healed!! :shock:

Awesome job rehabbing her.


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## Viranh

I have to say, I am in the Ozarks and regularly ride over very rough and rocky terrain using Easyboot gloves. I was told that my QH would always need shoes, but that just hasn't been true. We've been barefoot since September, and her feet have improved tremendously. My trainer even commented on what good feet she had at our lesson last week. We have almost worn a set of boots out, though. It's that rocky where we ride. I think it's a matter of correct barefoot trimming and a good boot fit to have it work well, but we've been lucky in that. I am very happy not to have to shoe. A $100 pair of boots has lasted me 9 months, which is cheaper and easier for me, and my horse is comfortable.


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