Conflicting ideas exist concerning the need for shoes. Some people believe that shoes are completely unnecessary, while others feel uncomfortable if their mount is not shod every six to eight weeks.
If you are considering removing your horse’s shoes, the most imperative thing to contemplate is whether or not your particular mount can go throughout his or her day unshod and still remain comfortable. But how do you know if your horse is going to end up lame, possibly for weeks or months, if you pull his or her shoes? The answer is quite simple: if the horse grows more hoof than he or she wears down, then it’s a pretty safe bet that your horse can go without shoes at least while they are having some time off and the workload is light. If on the other hand, your horse wears his or her hooves down faster than they grow, either shoes will have to constant necessity or the conditions in which the horse lives will have to be modified. Often horses that have good hard hooves, good conformation and that live on dry hard ground will do fine without shoes even when riding on rocky ground. If a horse lives in softer footing and then is asked to work on hard terrain, this might create a problem.
Keep in mind that some horses inherit the inability to go without shoes; consequently it is a good idea to talk to your veterinarian or your farrier before pulling your horse’s shoes. Shoeing just two of your equine friend’s feet is also an option. Choose either the fronts or the backs depending on how they wear. Of course it is best to try pulling the shoes during the time of year when they are not working daily. This will give them a chance to adapt. There are those equines who become sore right after the shoes are pulled, especially if they live on hard packed ground. Putting a 7% iodine solution painted onto the sole of the foot for a week or two can help. Applying pine tar is also a solution. Both of these products will help to toughen the soles that are soft and will assist in alleviating soreness.
If you choose to allow your horse to go barefoot, be sure to remind your farrier that you need to keep your horse's hooves trimmed a little longer. This means that the hoof wall, sole and the frog will be trimmed less than when your horse wears shoes. Remember that your farrier has a busy schedule and works with many horses throughout the month, so he or she may forget that you are not trimming them as short as when your horse is shod. So, a gentle reminder is always a good idea. Some horses will have to be trimmed more often and some less often depending on the way their hooves wear down and the time of year. As you know, the seasons do affect hoof growth.
Watch the hoof wall for wear, check for bruises, underrun heels, or damaged frogs along with tenderness to determine if your horse can go without shoes for any length of time.
What are the benefits of allowing a horse to go barefoot? Pete Ramey is a professional in the field of natural hoof care practitioners, and he says: “It's not about the foot alone; it's about improved overall health. Recent blood-flow studies by Robert Bowker, VMD, PhD, show that the horse's foot gets at least twice as much circulation when he or she is barefoot on yielding terrain, as compared to when he or she is wearing a metal shoe. The back part of the foot is designed by nature to flex, twist and distort with uneven terrain and turns--it helps reduce stress and prevent injury to joints, ligaments and tendons. Metal shoes prevent most of that twisting and flexion the hoof was designed for.”
“Every horseshoeing textbook I've read (and I've read all or most of them) clearly states that we farriers should avoid back-to-back shoeing, and allow shod horses a barefoot period to allow the hooves to heal. But the books fail to teach how to actually make a foot improve during that bare period. It's simply amazing how much a competent trimmer and six months of barefootedness can improve most hooves.”
So consider taking the shoes off during part of the year, and see if it doesn’t help to improve the condition of your horse’s hooves.
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