# Barefoot Trail Riding



## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

My horse is 3 and has never been shod - and I'd like to keep it that way if at all possible. 

There really aren't a ton of people in my area who keep their horses barefoot...it's sort of frowned upon. I have had SO many people argue adamantly with me that I am basically an idiot for not wanting my horse shod.

Yesterday I took my horse out to a local state park with horse facilities and trails. It's the second time I've taken her anywhere new and ridden her, and the first time I've ever had her on a trail. We just sort of explored the campsite and looked around at everyone's horses, and then did some brief riding on the gravel link up trail around the campsite. I really just wanted to check out how she does alone (she did great ) and how she deals with distractions from other horses (great as well). I also wanted to check out how she walks on different surfaces.

It seems like she's not a fan of gravel (understandably). She definitely wasn't nasty about it, and she stayed on the trail, but she kept veering towards the woods and wanted to walk right _next _to the gravel trail. If I would have let her, she definitely would have done that. I should note that Annie (my horse) makes it VERY clear if she's in pain (refuses, stops listening, etc.) She didn't do any of that, just wanted to try to get on the side of the trail every 100 yards or so.

She actually did better on the pavement, which we rode on really briefly. Wasn't in love with it, but didn't dislike it as much as the gravel. I think she tried to leave the paved road maybe once or twice, but I think it may have been because she was really interested in a campsite with people and a dog (she's super curious).

While I was looking around, I made friends with some walker people who said they hate shoes and use boots. She is going to let me try some of hers next weekend if they fit.

I was just wondering if anyone else rides barefoot. Can horses ever trail ride barefoot, or do I need to always need boots on gravel and pavement? We didn't do anything above a walk yesterday, but at times I will want her to gait and even canter on the trail. What do you think?

I am Annie's second owner, and she has never had any known laminitis issues with myself or the previous owner, and she has non-cracked hooves.


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## cmrtoner (Feb 16, 2009)

my horse is barefoot, and i trail ride about 3 times a week; a couple of hours during the week and all day on the weekend. since i live in a suburban area, i have to walk down a street and down a 4 lane highway to get where i am going. and i have to walk down my barns pea gravel drive to get to the road. i think just as long as her feet are solid and it doesn't bother her it is fine. i would start slow though...just because she's comfortable on pavement for a few minutes i wouldn't start working on it for like hours haha the more you walk on it though eventually her feet with toughen up though. some horses just have weaker feet than others though and might need boots on rougher surfaces


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

our horses have allways been barefoot. Just take it easy on the rough stuff, like areas where the rocks are a bit large and if you dont HAVE to be on it then dont. Just keep her feet clean and well kept and she should do fine.


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## Lily of the Valley (Sep 27, 2009)

Depends on her hooves. Some horses can go their whole lives barefoot, while others could never go without shoes. Also, what you're doing with them makes a difference. If you're just walking, it shouldn't be a big deal. Do your best to stay where it's soft, because that will be much more comfortable for your horse.


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## xEquestrianx (Aug 30, 2009)

My horses are barefoot and we trail on really rough, rocky terrian. I personally think barefoot is better if your horse's feet can take it.


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

Thanks guys, that sounds encouraging. I just get such an attitude from the people around this area about barefoot horses...

LiLy, that's just the thing...I don't _always _want to walk on the trail. So I need to take that into account. It's not going to be anything intense within the year, however, because she's only 3. Nothing strenuous for more than 10 minutes or so at a time. But still, it's a possibility.

My farrier said Annie has good hooves and he doesn't recommend shoes for her at the time, but I wanted to get some more opinions.

How do you know if you're pushing your horse too hard (as in, when is it time to put on the boots)? She didn't pick up her feet oddly, but she did stumble a couple times on the gravel...not down to her knees or anything or I would have gotten off of her, just tripping. However, she trips over her feet out in the pasture. I tend to be a little paranoid about pushing her too hard, as you may have picked up on. 

Also, how long would you suggest riding on pavement/gravel/rocky surfaces at a time to start out? Like I said, she has been barefoot her whole life, but has only had light riding in grass/dirt.


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

My horses go barefoot and handle gravel, rocks, pavement, etc. However, if they ever did need extra protection I would opt for boots instead of shoes.


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. I've never done boots. Anybody recommend a good/easy to fit brand? I haven't measured Annie's hooves yet...


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

I've heard good things about Old Macs. However, I have not used boots personally - so mine is all 2nd hand knowledge.


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

LoL, every little bit helps, Cat.  I'll look them up right now...


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

Oh, and...

Are they just needed on the front hooves or do you all recommend the back ones as well?


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## Lenuccia (Oct 3, 2009)

My horses are barefoot, too. And yes, some people think that it is wrong or strange. But the horses are fine, they go on gravel too. They are not soooo happy about it but it's not a problem. 

If your horse doesn't like the gravel or if the hooves are worn too fast, I would recommend the boots. From what I've heard (never tried them myself), they work really well as long as they are the right size for your horse. Some good boots are Easy Boots and Cavallo Simple Boots (at least they are two brands very much used in Europe) And I believe that the horse is much happier with the boots occasionally than the iron shoes 24/7. Also, if your horse is only 3 years old, it would be a bit early to put on shoes, as the feet keep growing and changing until the horse is 5.


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

Lenuccia said:


> My horses are barefoot, too. And yes, some people think that it is wrong or strange. But the horses are fine, they go on gravel too. They are not soooo happy about it but it's not a problem.
> 
> If your horse doesn't like the gravel or if the hooves are worn too fast, I would recommend the boots. From what I've heard (never tried them myself), they work really well as long as they are the right size for your horse. Some good boots are Easy Boots and Cavallo Simple Boots (at least they are two brands very much used in Europe) And I believe that the horse is much happier with the boots occasionally than the iron shoes 24/7. Also, if your horse is only 3 years old, it would be a bit early to put on shoes, as the feet keep growing and changing until the horse is 5.


Thanks Lenuccia. I'm sort of leaning towards trying out the Easy boots...

Oh, and...lol, don't worry, I won't be putting shoes on her anytime soon...as in, _ever.  _Well, unless I have to for some reason (knock on wood).


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

It all depends on the horse. My first horse had bad thoroughbred-ish feet, so he pretty much needed his shoes. My current horse has great feet and has been barefoot all his life, and I am not planning on putting shoes on him. Being barefoot is excellent for the horse, because when they land on their hooves, they flex the hooves ever so slightly and there is blood circulation. This helps to absorb shock. When a horse is shod, they lose that small shock absorption and the impact goes more into the leg. All you need to do is make sure that their hooves are not wearing faster than they are growing or getting tender and they should be fine.


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

The people who I have seen use them have only used them on the fronts.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Lori, I know how you feel...I get "attitude" from some people about my horse being barefoot as well! :-( It sucks to hear it from people, because it makes you feel like you're not taking care of your horse properly (which is crap by the way!) I've found several good articles on riding barefoot...here are some of the best I've found...

United Horsemanship - Barefoot Event Horses: They don't just do it, they do it better! 
Barefoot Horses In Action
Healthy Hoof - Solutions for Barefoot Performance


Bottom line - it all depends on the horse. As some others have said on here, some horses could never go barefoot, they just don't have the feet for it. Others will never need shoes and can do anything without them. Mine's been the latter so far and I'm hoping it stays that way! But if it doesn't, oh well, I'll slap some shoes on her, but ONLY if she NEEDS them! So many people seem to think that ALL horses need shoes, so they think that if yours doesn't have them, you're a bad owner or something...ugh... 

I actually asked my farrier once about riding on rocks. My mare is the same as yours, she'll always tell me when something isn't right. And she avoids rocky terrain as well, or steps a little lightly on it...nothing too noticeable but she definitely prefers grass. My farrier said that 99% of horses will do that, shoes or no shoes. He said that if she were REALLY foot sore from being barefoot, she'd flat out REFUSE to walk forward on it at ALL. I told him my mare is pretty willing and he said "no trust me, if she was foot sore from it, she'd refuse...it would be VERY obvious and you'd know!"

So I wouldn't fret too much about it honestly...if you're worried, get some boots (I know you already saw my other thread!) or just make sure your rocky terrain time is limited to avoid issues. Also keep in mind that the more you ride on rocky terrain, the more you risk something like an abscess (which I'm going through now with mine!)...but that really goes for shod and barefoot alike!  Good luck!


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

My horses have been barefoot 3 going on 4 years. My 6 year old gelding and my 5 yo mare have never been shod. I can ride them ANYWHERE. But they just don't perform the same as if they had shoes. 

I have spent $1500 on easyboots over the last 3 years. I tear the gaiters, rip buckles off, loose boots. Yes my horses do well with boots on. But I just can't afford to keep replacing the boots and parts.

This fall I gave up on the barefoot fade and put shoes on my geldings. I'm only going to leave them on for 6 weeks for the hunting season. As this is the time of year I work my horses the hardest. I'll pull the shoes at Halloween and leave them barefoot until next summer. I still think it's good for the horses to be barefoot as much as possible.

That said, it took my geldings about two rides to learn they didn't have to ride up the edge of the trails. They are "Digging In" much more powerfully when I'm climbing steep mountains. They move much stronger and quicker down any of the trails I ride. I'm amazed at how much of a positive impact it has had on their performance.

My two mares I've left barefoot. My kids usualy ride them and the lighter weight of the kids seems to help them. Also they don't get worked as often as my gledings. during hunting season I will boot or apply Soleguard to the mares feet.

If you just ask your horses to walk for a trail ride, occassionally trot /canter on parts of the trail with good footing, a barefoot horse will do fine. Especially if they have days off in between rides. Of course I see no need to put shoes or boots on for arena work or very short rides. But they will benefit from shoes/boots if you really work them day in and day out. 

I'm just fed up with the problems/expenses I've had with boots and I have learned that my horses need some kind of protection for the type of riding that I do .


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

roro said:


> Being barefoot is excellent for the horse, because when they land on their hooves, they flex the hooves ever so slightly and there is blood circulation. This helps to absorb shock. When a horse is shod, they lose that small shock absorption and the impact goes more into the leg. All you need to do is make sure that their hooves are not wearing faster than they are growing or getting tender and they should be fine.


Cool, roro. I didn't know that!



Cat said:


> The people who I have seen use them have only used them on the fronts.


Thanks Cat. That's what I was thinking, so I'll try it that way at first.



Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> I actually asked my farrier once about riding on rocks. My mare is the same as yours, she'll always tell me when something isn't right. And she avoids rocky terrain as well, or steps a little lightly on it...nothing too noticeable but she definitely prefers grass. My farrier said that 99% of horses will do that, shoes or no shoes. He said that if she were REALLY foot sore from being barefoot, she'd flat out REFUSE to walk forward on it at ALL. I told him my mare is pretty willing and he said "no trust me, if she was foot sore from it, she'd refuse...it would be VERY obvious and you'd know!"


Ha ha, that is so funny! Sounds like your mare is like mine; polite, but she's going to speak up for herself. And thanks...I'm already paranoid about staying barefoot as it is...because people, like you said, DO sometimes act like you're just being cheap or something if you prefer not to shoe. So it's a relief to know that I'm not "abusing" my horse by not having her shod.



Painted Horse said:


> If you just ask your horses to walk for a trail ride, occassionally trot /canter on parts of the trail with good footing, a barefoot horse will do fine. Especially if they have days off in between rides. Of course I see no need to put shoes or boots on for arena work or very short rides. But they will benefit from shoes/boots if you really work them day in and day out.
> 
> I'm just fed up with the problems/expenses I've had with boots and I have learned that my horses need some kind of protection for the type of riding that I do .


Thank you for the input, Painted, I will certainly keep it in mind.


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## SavvyHearts (Sep 29, 2009)

All my horses are barefoot as it's coming into the winter. My mare has shoes on because she always cracks...but my trail horse has always gone barefoot with no problems at all. I ride on all terrain with him and he'll walk on gravel,rocks, and so on and hasn't been ouchie afterwards


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Lori1983 said:


> And thanks...I'm already paranoid about staying barefoot as it is...because people, like you said, DO sometimes act like you're just being cheap or something if you prefer not to shoe. So it's a relief to know that I'm not "abusing" my horse by not having her shod.


I hate that, and I've had it happen to me (recently actually) as well :evil: I actually had someone ask me "Why are you so afraid of shoes?!" I had to explain that I am NOT afraid of them and I don't care that they cost more, I care about drilling holes in my horse's feet when I don't need to! It is a HUGE pet peeve of mine when people shove their opinions down your throat like that. Now, again, if Sandie ever became foot sore or repeatedly got abscesses or had any other issues that shoes could correct, I would absolutely get them. But I'm relying on myself and my farrier for that choice, not others who have different horses with different situations.

Just like I don't go around telling everyone that they NEED to put sport boots on their horse's legs for tendon/ligament support, they shouldn't be telling me that I NEED shoes either. I always put sport boots on her when we're jumping, but I see a TON of people who only use splint boots or other boots that provide no support. That's fine, I'm sure they know what they're doing and know their own horse, so I don't say anything because it's not my place. But shoes are the SAME situation...it's not their place to shove their opinions down your throat and make you feel like you're not taking care of your horse.


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## Cougar (Jun 11, 2009)

Cougar and Greylite have had nekkid feet for years and have never pulled up lame. Why change a perfectly good thing?


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## masatisan (Jan 12, 2009)

If you're thinking of getting Easy Boots you have to make sure they fit your horse as close to perfect as possible. I know someone who bought Easy Boot Epics for her Quarter horse. We rode trails for around two hours through mud, rocks, water, you name it. Everything went fine until we decided to Gallop (well, most were galloping Caleb picked up a slow canter because he'd just had his feet trimmed) along the packed-stonedust road the farm is on. Her horse picked up a full gallop and after about ten seconds the boots were gone. Caleb and I picked one up and a man on a green mare got the other. Her horse was lame for a week afterwards.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Hi Lori1983, my name is Steph and I am in NZ. Here where I ride all of my friends horses are barefoot. Actually that is not quite true, a good friend of mine shoes her horse because she competes in endurance. Another gf of mine enjoys doing three to five day treks and will get her horse shod only for a particularly big ride. Other than that we are all barefoot on all types of terrain. 

I would be really interested to hear how you get on with boots. I will eventually be doing some hardcore horse rides with my girl however she has too nicer feet to ruin with shoes and would love to hear whether boots are a good option.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Shoe won't ruin a horses feet. Improper shoeing MIGHT cause some problems but if you get a good shoer then there is no reason to cause your horse the pain of going barefoot. people like to talk about how mustangs are never shod and they do fine in the wild over all kinds of terrain. However, nobody is there to see if they are lame most of the time and I can tell you that when they round them up with a helicopter there are a lot of horses limping from sore feet. The horses for the Queens Guard in London spend most of thier life on brick or pavement and they work hard but they have good hoof care and they are sound well into thier 20's.


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

My horses are barefoot, have been for going on 10 years now. Horses absolutely do no need shoes, however, if you are riding hard on hard surfaces often you will wear your horse's feet down to an uncomfortable level.

I have these bad boys, they're fabulous: Renegade® Hoof Boots, The Real Leader in Hoof Boot Technology! Horse Boots 

No, you don't need boots on all 4 feet, unless you're doing endurance kind of stuff. However, I'll use these boots when I go out on long trails or over hard surfaces. Where I ride it's mostly rock/gravel:










So riding on this everyday will get cumbersome, but my girls can handle it barefoot just fine.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

kevinshorses said:


> if you get a good shoer then there is no reason to cause your horse the pain of going barefoot.


I agree with you that shoes don't always cause issues and some horses do need them. I disagree, however, with your statement above. Going barefoot does not cause them pain unless as some others have mentioned you're riding a lot on tough or rocky terrain or if the horse doesn't have strong feet/wears them down too quickly. 

My horse has been barefoot her whole life, and we event. She's never had a lameness issue. So to say that I shouldn't "cause her the pain" of going barefoot is a little inaccurate IMO. She isn't in any pain from being barefoot, or I'd do something about it right away.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I have to agree with Kevin. 
Horses ( including mustangs) can walk across almost any terrain barefoot. But when you start asking them to "Do it my way" They do get sore.

My gelding is 6 and never had shoes until this fall. I rode him across all kinds of terrain. He would go where I pointed him, but he was always watching his feet, He would brush me on trees and rocks, in order for him to get to the softer material on the side of a trail. He would walk and trot, but didn't like to canter or run down trails. Since I've put shoes on him, he has become much more confident and powerful in going down the trail. He stays in the trail vs trying to walk the edge. I'm not getting brushed off as much. Maybe because he is carrying my extra 200lbs, maybe because we ride really rough country. Maybe because as my wife says, A short ride to me is a an all day adventure of 20-30 miles, a good ride to me is a 50 mile endurance ride or a 100 miles over 3 days.

I don't ride in arenas or man made trails. We go out and ride in the real world. My horses don't get the luxury of taking a differnt way home if they don't like the trail. They have to go the way I choose to take. Regardless of the footing. 
My 6 year old gelding with boots on during a summer ride.








One of the trails we ride. It's easy for a boot to get caught between rocks. And when they get pulled off they tear.








Al the horses in these pictures are barefoot. And very capable to walking down some very rough trails for a day maybe two of work.

































I have have found that I either have to put boots on or put shoes on to make them comfortable. And I'm fed up with boots. I've tried the Std Easyboot,, the EPICs, The BARES, and now the Gloves. They are great for walks and trots. But they don't hold up to cantering, They don't stay on when the horse is cutting has to change direction radicaly, such as in a spook or chasing a cow. Boots don't do well when a horse is having to pick his way through blow down timbers or big rocks where the boot gets wedged between rocks or catches on branches of a log. My boots have been fit by an authorized Easycare professional. so I'm sure they fit properly










If you are only going out and walking down a trail. Maybe trotting or cantering in places of good footing, if your horse is carrying a lighter load, Bare foot will work fine. Especiall if the horses have a day or two off beetween rides. But if you ride 3-4-5 days in a row over difficult terrain, carries a heavier load, is asked to move out with burst of speed, regardless of the footing ( such as chasing a cow on the open range, or mustangs running scared from a helocopter), thye needs some kind of protection or they will get sore.

My horses will stay barefoot 10 months of the year. I do believe it's healthier for their feet. I will use boots on the rougher rides. But come fall when I go hunting and my horses will spend at least 15 days of October Maybe 20 having to work hard in the mountains, riding across rocks, ice, snow and mud. Packing full sized men, layered in heavy clothing and carrying rifles and extra equipment. I think for now on, I will shoe them.









Kevin, lets trade some rides, I'll come ride up Logan canyon with you, and you come join me in Ogden Valley or on Antelope Island this winter.


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> Going barefoot does not cause them pain unless as some others have mentioned you're riding a lot on tough or rocky terrain or if the horse doesn't have strong feet/wears them down too quickly.


That is exactly what I meant. Sorry if there was confusion.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Painted Horse said:


> All the horses in these pictures are barefoot. And very capable to walking down some very rough trails for a day maybe two of work.


One thing I wonder about, in country like that, is how secure a footing does the horse have with shoes vs hooves? Seems like iron on rock (not small rocks, but a flat rock surface) would be pretty slippery...


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

All of my horses are barefoot. If and when they need protection I use boots. Right now I am using Boa Boots and they are working well for us.


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

LOL - Painted, I think those photos fall squarely into the "Rocky or hard" description some have used. Yup - I could see why your horses need some extra protection! It looks like some fun riding though. Can I come for a visit?


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Jamesqf, It really depends ont he type of stone/rock you are riding on. Granite for example is very slick with steel shoes. Like riding on sheets of ice. But aluminum shoes sticks to the granite like glue. Barefoot does very well on granite. The softer hoof wall grabs onto the granular surface of granite. But the hooves wear very fast.

Slick rock, compressed sand stone or compressed shale like we have in the red rock canyon country. Steel shoes are great. They dig in and grab hold. Barefoot horses slip and slide on the slick rock. The hill in the picture below is one that I've had to wait for my friends to ride up and back, because my horse was slipping too much barefoot and they had shoes and walked right up it.









This is my gelding feet after riding 13-14 miles on friday afternoon and 22 miles on sandstone on Saturday. The rock just wears the hoof wall right down.


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

LoL, wow, I didn't realize so many people had posted...thanks you guys for the input. Keep it coming if you have more...

I suppose I should have specified that I live and ride in Indiana...I have just started trail riding with my horse. We ride once a week. While I think it's awesome that some of you get to ride so frequently (and yay for how fit your horses must be! ), I don't think the need for shoes would apply to me, at least not at the time. Ice and snow also aren't really an issue here for more than one week out of the year. :lol: On the trail, we will be riding 10 miles or under, mainly at a walk, on dirt...with some trotting (lol, well, NOT trotting...my horse doesn't trot) and light cantering. Sorry I wasn't more specific. Those of you really working your horses and riding in canyons/on rock...shoe it up. I encourage you to! 

So...that being said, regarding shoeing my horse; "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." My farrier has advised against it at the time, and I trust him. I don't buy for one minute that my horse is "in pain," because she is a dramatic diva at the slightest bit of pain. I _promise _she lets me know. I _do _suspect gravel makes her uncomfortable right now, because she has been in soft pasture her whole life. Hence the boot question.

Regarding finding the right size in boots, do you all find that you have to go through several pairs before finding the right fit?


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

dashygirl said:


> My horses are barefoot, have been for going on 10 years now. Horses absolutely do no need shoes, however, if you are riding hard on hard surfaces often you will wear your horse's feet down to an uncomfortable level.
> 
> .


 
Hence the need for shoes. There are very few absolutes in ddealing with horses. A conclusion is not a destination it's just a convenient place to stop thinking.


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

^LoL, Kevin, I think we're all getting to the same idea here through different routes. As you said, there are no absolutes...I think dashy just used improper wording there, but I got the idea of what she was getting at.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

I agree with many of the above, the only way you really need shoes is if you are riding in rougher terrain and your horse has less hard feet. We had one pony whose hoofs would crack bad if you put shoes on him, but he wouldn't get the least bit sore or worn too bad barefoot. On the other hand my mother had a gelding who would walk like he was on needles if you put him across gravel at all. It all depends on your horse. I've had some from all of the different in-betweens. Right now we have some with awesome feet that only need boots or barefoot, but it all depends on the horse


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

*SmoothTrails* you are 100% accurate! Whether your horse needs shoes or not depends on the INDIVIDUAL horse! I wish more people would think like you! :wink:

And *Lori,* I am with you...I live in Ohio and only trail ride once in awhile (maybe once a week at most) and the trails are all dirt (see pics below). My farrier has also told me she doesn't need shoes and I trust him -- he's the expert (even though some others in my barn would like to believe THEY are!) :smile:


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## nate1 (Jul 4, 2009)

Lori you can look at it like this horses in the wild dont wear shoes or boots do they? my ferrier told me it depends how they do. is there alot of rocks where you live? does the horse limp when it steps on the rocks? you just have to see how sensative the horse is to the different types of terrain


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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

It never ceased to amaze me how many people seem to know _everything_ about horses and feel compelled to force this "knowledge" on others. (Not here, where the opinions were asked for, but on the trail where they were not solicited).

As has already been pointed out here, the barefoot vs. shoes question depends on several factors - the horse, the terrain, and the type/amount of riding.

I have one horse that can go over any terrain barefoot. We would trail ride about 5-10 miles per day, every day over various terrain without any trouble. Because I recently started using him in competition, I put shoes on him and it has helped his performance. 

I have another horse who is shod in the front. We tried barefoot for a while and he was fairly conditioned to it. We are involved in competitions and his performance improved tremendously when we shod him in front. 

I do believe it is better for a horse to be barefoot, but only in a general sense. If you are doing certain activities, your horse may be better off with shoes. "Rockport" shoes may be good for your feet, but when you want to run a marathon, you wear running shoes. Right tool for the right job.

For simple trail riding, you need to evaluate the terrain and your horse. There is a difference between wanting to walk on the side of the trail (my horses often do that whether shod or barefoot) and having actual discomfort. 

I have tried various boots. They may work for some, but never worked for me. Even in a grassy field I always lost boots (tore right off the horse) at a good run. These were boots that were professionally fitted. Replacing the damaged ones got expensive real quick. I really wanted the boots to work, but in the end I have to say they are a waste (for me). They obviously work for some people, so your experience may be positive.

If you want to keep your horse barefoot, you probably can. Most recreational riders will never wear the hoof down fast enough to really need shoes for that purpose. If you are frequently running long distance rides or competing in particular events, you may need shoes.

Work with a competent farrier to determine if your horse really needs shoes. Some horses do. (Actually, you CAN argue that all horses can go barefoot. Once you factor in a rider and different types of riding however, you can no longer say "all horses." If your horse has been ridden regularly and has never been shod, odds are you can make things work barefoot.

Most importantly, you need to ignore people that know everything and insist your horse must be shod (same for people that insist every horse must be barefoot).


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I have only shod ONE horse in all my years of owning, showing, and training horses. And the only reason he got shod, was because he needed some corrective shoeing for a while. After that, he went back barefoot. 

My new girl came to me with pretty rough looking feet, and after a good trim and lots of filing, she looks and feels much better. She is getting tough feet now, and is handling our rocky driveways really well now, compared to when she first came here, and stumbled and wanted to get off the footing. 

So with proper barefoot trimming I think just about any horse can go barefoot, and to me, they are better for it. I have ridden in alot of various terrain, and none have worn too much, and the horses haven't been uncomfortable. Now there will be horses that may need some kind of protection, but many horses can go barefoot over alot of different terrain with out problems. 

So, don't let everyone tell you your horse "needs" to be shod to do trail riding, because that is bs...let your farrier help you make that decision, not other people who don't know your horse.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

What do you do with 4 months of ice??? Barefoot horses can hardly make the field let alone run roads on footing as slick as any skating rink. I won't let winter stop me from enjoying my outings and shoes and studs are the only option. That or stall rest for 4 or 5 months.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Tazmanian Devil said:


> It never ceased to amaze me how many people seem to know _everything_ about horses and feel compelled to force this "knowledge" on others. (Not here, where the opinions were asked for, but on the trail where they were not solicited).
> 
> As has already been pointed out here, the barefoot vs. shoes question depends on several factors - the horse, the terrain, and the type/amount of riding.
> 
> ...


GREAT post! This is 100% true.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

RiosDad said:


> What do you do with 4 months of ice??? Barefoot horses can hardly make the field let alone run roads on footing as slick as any skating rink. I won't let winter stop me from enjoying my outings and shoes and studs are the only option. That or stall rest for 4 or 5 months.


My horse has always been barefoot and in Ohio we definitely have snow and ice...she's actually always been better off than her shod friends, who get huge ice balls stuck under their hooves that they're then standing on! Talk about slippery!!!  Now, studs like you're mentioning would certainly help on snowy terrain, but I still would rather stay off the ice personally, it's slippery no matter WHAT is on their hooves! 

But you know, just like many others have said on this forum, that's just my own personal experience and opinion, which isn't going to work for everyone. I'm sure that putting studs on your horses and riding in your terrain works fine for you, or I would hope you wouldn't be doing it.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> Now, studs like you're mentioning would certainly help on snowy terrain, but I still would rather stay off the ice personally, it's slippery no matter WHAT is on their hooves!


Some of the best riding I know is running snowmobile trails. They are groomed and go on for ever. They are hard packed from the sleds, a grater runs over them filling in the hollows and with a thaw/freeze they turn to ice . With proper shoing, snowpads and studs you can lope easily across this surface in complete saftey. No fences, no bugs, cool temperatures to keep the sweat down and unlimited mileage how do you turn a blind eye to them??
Also running the sides of roads in the winter or back roads are fun but only if you have the proper foot gear.
No barefoot horse can run this type of footing but simple borium, drill tec or press in studs make this foot safe. I also run rim pads to prevent snowballing.


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## Lori1983 (Jan 9, 2009)

As long as it's normal for a horse to prefer to walk on grass to gravel (makes sense to me...I do too), I think Annie's fine for now. She has also not really gotten a chance to let her hooves "harden up."

But like I said, I ride once a week, on mainly dirt (sometimes, for a brief period, gravel) trails. Hoofprints, our trails here look almost identical to the pictures you posted. This is a just for fun situation, too...not endurance or anything. LoL, I am a big baby about bad weather.

I definitely saw NO limping the other day...if Annie limped, my butt would be off her in about half a second. 

I think you're all completely correct in that it depends on the horse. I will keep my mind open to all options and communicate well with my farrier. I really appreciate all the input. 




RiosDad said:


> What do you do with 4 months of ice??? Barefoot horses can hardly make the field let alone run roads on footing as slick as any skating rink. I won't let winter stop me from enjoying my outings and shoes and studs are the only option. That or stall rest for 4 or 5 months.


LoL, good Lord, what DO you do? I HATE winter. We get snow once, if that, for a week. And by the end of the week I'm over it. :lol: But seriously, I think it's awesome that everyone keeps riding through the elements. I feel lucky to live where the ground is soft for the most part, and the weather is mild. :wink:


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

Lori1983 said:


> LoL, good Lord, what DO you do? I HATE winter. We get snow once, if that, for a week. And by the end of the week I'm over it. :lol: But seriously, I think it's awesome that everyone keeps riding through the elements. I feel lucky to live where the ground is soft for the most part, and the weather is mild. :wink:


You are missing something. Winter can be one of the most beautiful time of year. It can be close to zero degrees F or -18C, the world is so bright you need sunglasses, everything is clean and white, the trees are painted white with frost and the sun feels like it will burn right through your head it feels so strong. With a good horse working at a easy lope, the trails stretching out before you for hundreds of miles, no fences, no farmers keeping you off their crops you just cruise along. With proper gear on both the horse and you it is a magical world.
I usually lope north for 1 1/2 hours and then turn him around and lope back home in about 1 1/4 hours. Honestly it feels fantastic , the cold, the bright, bright sunshine, the warm pockets you ride through and a good horse between your knees. Sweating is at a minimum because of the cold and I never worry about breathing.
No holes, sometimes the trail crosses wind swept ponds but you can hear the studs chewing into the ice but never a slip.
Again if properly shod and no barefooters can apply.:lol::lol:


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## arabchica (Jul 5, 2009)

I had a little old horse that never had shoes on I owned him for thirty years he did competitive trail barefoot. I would recomend using barrielle (sp) or hoofflex to keep the hoof strong and flexable and if you see any chipping of the hoof wall put boots on and don't worry what everybody else says they must have too much money and want to buy shoes for their horse every year


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Like RiosDad, I enjoy riding all winter. I'l avoid the really nasty days with wind blowing snow sideways. But love to get out on a sunny day.

My horses are always barefoot in the winter. Riding in fluffy snow is no big deal barefoot. If it warms up and the snow gets sticky, Even a barefoot horse will get snow balls under his hooves. And there has been a couple of ride cut short because of that. My horses kept getting taller and taller and when I got off and looked they were standing on stilts of snow 4" tall. When I tried to use a hoof pick to pull the ice balls out. Nothing doing. I've learned to keep some PAM in the trailer in the winter and spray their feet on warmer days when the snow is sticky.

I don't ride on ice or roads in the winter. We choose remote locations where the snow is still fluffy and not packed. Beside areas like the desert have less snow than the mountains. The mountains that I ride in the summer get 500" of snow in the winter and turn into ski resorts. The desert that is too hot/dry to ride in the summer becomes a winter wonderland to enjoy in the colder months.

This is the end of February riding in the San Rafael Swell area of Utah. A week earlier this area had 18" of snow. But it has melted off fast.


















Plus so much more wildlife to see in the winter with no leaves on the trees.









A good ride through the snow bare foot really cleans out my horses hooves.









We are fortunate here in Utah that our snow is very light and fluffy. It's not the wet heavy concrete that you get back east. Hence Utah's great Ski industry and the saying "The Greatest Snow on Earth"


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Lori1983 said:


> LoL, good Lord, what DO you do? I HATE winter. We get snow once, if that, for a week. And by the end of the week I'm over it. :lol: But seriously, I think it's awesome that everyone keeps riding through the elements. I feel lucky to live where the ground is soft for the most part, and the weather is mild. :wink:


You live in Indiana and get snow for only a WEEK?? Where is Indiana do you live?? My hubby is from there and they get (almost) as much snow as we do in NE Ohio! (although in NE Ohio I'm on the edge of the "snow belt" so our lake effect snow is definitely heavier and there's more of it!)


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

kevinshorses said:


> Hence the need for shoes. There are very few absolutes in ddealing with horses. A conclusion is not a destination it's just a convenient place to stop thinking.


And that's why I was saying I use Renegade boots for my horses when I'm doing long/severe riding.


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