Barefoot or Metal Shoes?

[Chevalier]

Ex-racehorses, wet weather, white hoofs, sandcracks, cross country jumping, overreaching... what is best for hooves and legs?

I had many questions re: shoeing and spoke to a farrier, a hoof orthopedic specialist and a barefoot trimmer. And to make a long story short all our horses are now barefoot and get worked on roads, sand, and grass while being trained for melee, jousting and camp drafting. Cost saving was never a relevant issue as we still get the hoof specialist in every 4 to 6 weeks (transition phase). Anyway, here are the horses' stories:

Horse number 1 - the TB - is doing marvelously and has near picture-perfect feet. The only hiccup was one front foot developing an abscess when the growing out nail holes weakened the white stripe and opened an infection path - all fine now.

Horse number 2 is in treatment to reverse pedal bone rotation, which is often possible but takes around 8 month with weekly corrective trimming (also see http://www.hoofrehab.com/rehabilitations1.htm and http://www.equinebarehoofcare.org/art_Ambridge.html).

Horse number 3 is sound but has not 'prefect' feet yet - keeping the bridge down and brumby role up to return to an evenly shaped hoof.

I guess I could attach pictures but this is more of a discussion starter. So what are your thoughts?[/url]

[Chevalier]

Also have a look at the stunning story of the Houston Police Mounted Unit at http://www.thesoulofahorse.com/HoustonPatrolStory.htm and some pictures at http://easycareinc.typepad.com/photos/houston_police_mounted_pa/magnum_old_macs_3.html

[gt1cm2]

It depends on many many factors. How long have they worn shoes, how much damage has already been done, what kind of diet they are on, how much sugar they are getting, what sort of trim are they receiving, what sort of work are they in and surfaces etc.

Cracks and splints are mainly due to bad trimming, unbalanced trimming. Cracks are easily fixed by balancing the hoof, removing pressure from the crack (rolled toes) and I stuff ours with copper mixed in vaseline. It works and does everytime!

When I got back in riding a few years ago my main reason for going barefoot was the lack of good farriers in Wgtn, rare as hens teeth. Now it is due to the health of their feet. Also watching my mare and another shod mare galloping towards me kind of made my mind up, the shod mare came very close to running me down and had no control over her feet, where Shaasta hardly slipped and was able to stop safely before me.

Both of my two are barefoot, fed the exact same diet and both are very different in terms of how they cope.

Julius - ex racehorse, only retired due to snapping his hock ligaments etc and has been barefoot for 6? years now. He doesn't have perfect looking feet due to his hocks, one side becomes very long in the toe and the other side is much more upright. But he has very functional sound feet, quite happy to go where ever you point him without much fuss. Unfortunately because of this I tend to neglect his feet (might change now that Grayson is in Oz).

Shaasta - barefoot since birth and a pain in the butt about it to be honest. She has really nice looking feet but in summer once the ground has harden off she slows right down, she also will gimp along very slowly at the first sign of gravel. She needs a lot of attention spent on her bar's because if you don't her sole fills in very fast from excess bar and she will be sore, why? because it hinders the hoof mechanism for her. She is also pigeon toed (very slightly) and can wear her feet uneven causing cracks if your not onto it. So madam gets to wear Old Mac's when ever I ride her although sometimes we can go without depending on the ground.

Her problem could be a couple of things, diet, she gets no excess sugar as her mum tends to get laminitis and Shaasta is a good doer so I avoid sugar for that reason, so she could be affected by the grass. Unfortunately I don't have the facility to keep her in a dry paddock with only hay or the money to buy a ton of hay. The other thing with her is she is very sensitive to pain so it could also be a mind thing with her which a few people have noticed with her before I even point it out. She will happily walk on stoney grass because she can *see* the grass but take away the grass and its *oh no, I can't walk there*.


Anyway... I'm rambling and could keep going....

[Chevalier]

Hey, I wasn't aware you are a barefooter too - cool! I'd love to exchange more ideas - you'll be visiting or should I come over?

[gt1cm2]

Barefooter I am, but in saying that I don't frown upon people that shoe either as everyone does what they feel is best. And honestly I have considered shoeing Shaasta but I don't think her hoof wall would hold onto nails as her horn is soft.

Probably be over there at some stage although not until next year at the moment. I'll PM you a site to visit re barefoot.

[Callum]

Well I am a metal shoe person through and through. There are pros and cons to support both arguments but for a variety of reasons we metal shoe our horses. A couple we just shoe the fronts over Winter when they aren't josuting, others all 4 all year round.

We have an excellent farrier though.

My experiences with the people I know around our area who go barefoot are crap at trimming their horses and their horses are usually lame or sore because they have trimmed them too short or incorrectly.

So the way I see it there are just as many sins going barefoot as they are to shoeing. However many of the barefoot people tend to have a "holier than thou" attitude and they really piss me off. Each to their own I say.

[gt1cm2]

[Chevalier]

Having been around mostly shoers I was never sure how viable barefooting is for such horses as TBs and/or those with 'problem' hooves.

I have to admit that our trials have exceeded our expectations and I am looking forward to the big watershed of public competitions incl. endurance rides. I surely hope we can continue barefoot but it takes a lot of effort!

[Chevalier]

[gt1cm2]

You may find that your horses will do better other there than what they would do if they were here because of the sugar that we have in our grass, I have known a couple of people that have experienced this. It is recommended that you trim every 4 weeks instead of 6 weeks, you will get a faster transition and make better head way with problems. And lots of walking on roading is great as the hard ground helps the hoof tubular's compact and become harder in the new growth.

With your horse that have the negative PA, how is this being corrected?

And yes barefooting is much more work than shod!

[Callum]

[gt1cm2]

I'm just going of what I've been told by some kiwi's that have either moved there with their horses or owned some over there. Two found it much easier to have barefoot horses there, one really struggled with her mare in Chch but once she moved her to Perth she has been fine. In saying that thou she lives on hay and feed instead of grass. The third one isn't into barefoot but she found it much easier to keep her horse at a good healthy weight.

Either way, its one of the reasons I prefer to stay here!

[Chevalier]

I agree that Australian climate is much harsher on horses

Anyway, our feeding is complex as the foundered horse does much better in a 'paddock paradise' with just hay; and the stock horse is very hardy (easy to feed) while the TB always needs extra attention. Having said that, being thin is his body type.

As for the effort: we rasp the 'hoof roll' every week and have them trimmed every month while riding on the road several times a week - it is definitely much more work then just shoeing. Much more.
But the end of any overreaching problems (every farrier had recommended and put on different shoes before) is a bliss (the protective equipment was only used when riding and unsuitable for turnout). And, of course, I like the increased leg circulation during winter...

[Chevalier]

Jeremy, Adrian - do you shoe or trim? And why?

[Disenier]

Proper care of your horses hoof is important for their health, and generally if looked after a horse should not need shoeing. However there are circumstances where it may be best for the horse, particularly if you are working them regularly on abrasive surfaces which can wear the hoof away quicker than it can grow.

Other than that, I have always had my horses shoed as they were used for doing medieval displays, and all the evidence I have come across shows that it would be common for a knights horse to have iron shoes on.