# To Shoe or not to Shoe... That is my question.



## Be Bop N Bubba (Apr 28, 2011)

I am oficially just getting opnions.  Ive been riding with a new club in the area we are in now and there has been some static over me leaving my mare barefoot. 
  Im not one to shoe unless it is sincerely neccasary. however Alot of my riding partners/neighbors are arguing that my mare needs shod to ride trails.  Im not an over the top rider (I don't cowboy around rippin and tearin), I don't compete anymore and most of our rides are maybe 2 hours on various surfaces mostly dirt some rock and some road and the occasional gravel (which Laney will ouch on but is getting alot better, mind you this is her first season under saddle)
.  I do like to go twice a year to an organized ride in the mts its 3 days  each day is about 6 hours in the saddle and it ranges from rocky to sandy to river bed.  I just dont see the need for shoes for that ride.  My mare is young and her feet are still toughening up but I prefer barefoot.  I have 2 months before the first ride.  She gets a little tender yet on gravel roads but we have just started and I feel  she needs time to toughen her soles 2 months should be fine right?

I feel like Im ganged up on where I ride at now and its makin me second geuss myself. i don't know if its  because I am honestly the only one in the area who rides western and the critisim is getting to me.... Uggg.   Makes me wanna move again.

I actually considered getting old mac boots as well just for the tougher rides but I know absolutely nothing about them.  Im plannin on talkin to my farrier when he comes back out to see whaat he thinks.

thanks for your opinions and insites all are much appreciated.


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## currycomb (Apr 28, 2011)

that is what i would suggest, some sort of removeable boots to use only when you ride. having ridden over lots of various ground, some sort of protection is necessary. you sure do not want to have to walk your horse back because they got too sore to carry you. they are pestering you to get shoes because she ouches on the gravel part of the ride. sand and road riding will wear the feet to nubs, again causing discomfort to the horse. so to make everyone happy(except you when you buy the boots) get some boots. your horse will thank you.


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## Be Bop N Bubba (Apr 28, 2011)

Currycomb....  The prices are high on those jobbies....lol.   Kirt (farrier) has consistently commented on how hard my mares feet are and how good they are thats what also makes me wonder.   Growing up I was always told that horses needed to have their feet toughened up and going barefoot was best.  Im considering front shoes only.  *sigh*  Id really like to keep her bare foot, I rarely ride outside of the arena more than twice a week.   Geuss Ill have a good heart to heart with Kirt.  Thanks for helpin me


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## patandchickens (Apr 28, 2011)

Yes, it may be partly ideological/habit but I can understand their being uncomfortable with the "ouchy when on gravel" part. 

Two months is very, very, unlikely IMHO to be enough to for a young horse who's currently ouchy on gravel on shortish rides to go to where she's soundfooted for three consecutive 6-hr days that include gravel, rocks, etcetera. (I'd also be concerned about the plausibility of getting her overall conditioning up to that in just 2 months, meaning her tendons and so forth _not_ just her energy level)

It seems to me that it would be smart to a) invest in some boots -- it used to be the only choice was Easyboots which only fit some foot types, but now there are all sorts of options -- RIGHT NOW so you can get all the bugs worked out to make sure you COULD use them during your big 3day ride if necessary, without them turning out not to fit or rubbing the coronet or whatever; and b) regard the 3day ride as a "let's see what happens" thing rather than something obviously-feasible.

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## michickenwrangler (Apr 28, 2011)

If your horse is young and you are gearing up for a long weekend, you want to have her shod a few weeks in advance just to protect her feet OR invest in a good pair of Easy-boots and ride in them a few times BEFORE going to parcatice getting them off and on (harder than it looks) and to make sure they fit properly.

My horse does 150 miles of competition each year over the course of the summer with hundreds of conditioning miles in between and she is barefoot. I received some flak about it at first, but more people are competing on barefoot horses.

However ... we are in northern Michigan where deep, coarse sand is the norm and shoes are a slight detriment. In rockier areas, shoes may indeed be needed especially for long or extended rides.


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## Goatmasta (Apr 28, 2011)

In my opinion there is little need for horses to be shod these days.  My wife and I have rode miles on end on our barefoot horses...    I saw One of Clinton Anderson's (downunderhorsmanship) shows where he went crazy in a gravel parking lot on a barefoot horse for well over a hour to prove that shoes are not needed most of the time....
   I would tell them (rider friends) that when you start having issues you will consider it but for now, we're barefoot!

  I agree that if you are doing long hard rides in a rocky region you may need shoes.


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## goodhors (Apr 28, 2011)

You may want to talk to Kirt about leaving more sole, a bit more length on the hoof walls, to allow bones in hoof better protection.

With a shod horse, the Farrier might take off a tad more of both sole and hoof wall, because the shoe is going to add length to the hoof, hoof does not need length left on to wear off, because shoe takes all the wear.  

The barefoot horse does not have the shoe length or protection of steel, and needs more length left on.  Length left on will allow horse in use, to wear it off on all those rough surfaces.  Horse still won't be sore, he had protection to begin with, is growing more each day.

My current horses get shod because they require traction in footing and they wear off more hoof than they can regrow, before the next Farrier session.  With that much hoof worn off, yes they will get sore if left barefoot.  We put plenty of work on them almost all the time this time of year, traction insures they keep their feet under them in all kinds of wet, slippery ground, on paved roads if needed.

However, I am a firm believer in letting a horse go barefoot if possible.  Some kinds of uses or competition require a horse to be shod to wear off metal in use or have traction devices added to his shoes to "keep the shiny side up" in using him.

Having ridden a LOT of miles over the years on barefoot horses, I find nothing wrong with going trail riding over all kinds of ground with no shoes.  "Back in the day" there were no hoofboots, you went barefoot or got shoes on him.  We usually did a lot of distance on our almost daily rides.  

Yes the horses got a chip now and again, it HAPPENS on rough ground.  Didn't hurt the horse, never lamed one that I can remember.  Certainly no blood!  As 4-H kids, we learned to run a rasp around the hoof edge, smooth off a chip if we were going to a show, or if chip was big and might snag on something.  No big deal to us.  We did have regular Farrier visits, but he really only smoothed them up, seldom took off any wall length.  He ALWAYS said how good they looked, and how HARD they were, because we kept the hooves short with all that riding.  He KNEW ENOUGH not to take off the sole or length on wall, kept horses protected from all those road rocks we went on cantering down the dirt roads.  Horses were NOT sore, no flinching unless they landed on a rock, while being ridden along.

However most folks NOW, have eyes trained to expect the "perfect" look of a shod hoof.  No chips, no rough edges from road riding.  Barefoot hooves can REALLY bother some folks when they are not used to looking at them!!  I have heard the spiel about getting my horse shod, how "tore-up the walls look" just because rough look bugs THEM!

Something to consider is that MANY horses do not have the "ideal" shape hoof to fit those boots.  I hear of many animals who get sores from boot rubbing parts of the lower pastern, especially if there is sand or other abrasive material to get under the edges of boots.  I find it unrealistic to need to stop every little while to check for boot rubs on my horse.  Boots are not cheap, though I hear they last a long time.  Boots that don't fit, can't be used, are money lost.  You can't sell them for what you paid for them.

Again, ask your Farrier to leave a bit more length on walls, barely remove any sole, so inside hoof bones are better protected from objects she may step on.  I DO NOT believe that horse usually need to "toughen up" to go barefoot.  I EXPECT my horses to have shoes off, go for a ride right after, any ground, with NO acting tender.  Just that many Farriers don't leave on enough hoof to allow bone protection going on those rough surfaces.  Farriers's trim horse EXACTLY the same way for shoeing as they do for going barefoot.

Another thing is this time of year with spring rains, may have left your ground more wet, soften up the hoof sole a bit more than it would be later in the year.

Anytime I am sure of my reasons, I just thank the folks for their advice/concerns on my horse's hooves.  You can say you will think about it and ignore them.  I can't tell you HOW MANY times I go to a Western activity and someone will slip me a Farrier name to "fix my horse's feet, make them smaller" so they look like everyone else!!  Since my current horses are about 1400-1500 pounds, they NEED to have the size 4-5 hooves under them to manage their jobs.  But hooves that size on a Western saddled horse just BUG them, think I SHOULD do something to change things that are working perfectly for ME!  Just amazing to me, but ALWAYS kindly meant.  Even had a Quarter Horse FARRIER come up once, said they needed hoof work, he could FIX them!!  I go the the activities to learn things, and feel sorry for those other horses who are lame, trimmed and shod QH style.  Riders can't even TELL the horse is lame!  Scary!!

So just don't argue, thank them for the advice while you continue your experiment.

Keep on with the barefoot for a while more.  See if horse improves, less tender stepping unless sharp rocks, when Farrier gives her more length of hoof.  If not, talk to him.  Could be you need some Vet Xrays to tell you if horse just has no depth of sole, maybe other issues going inside the hoof.  There are some horses natually thin soled, do need to be shod for your kind of activities.  Those kind will NEVER get tough feet, cruel to keep them bare.  Xrays will tell you after a fair trial going barefoot.  Best of luck with the barefoot try out.


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## Be Bop N Bubba (Apr 29, 2011)

Thanks all.  You have definetly given me alot to think about.  Laney is never lame or sore after any of our rides she simply picks her way across the gravel road not limping simply a "oooh yup tiny stones....ahhhh." deal no wincing just slows down and goes gently..
  Any other terrain is fine, so my theory on the boots was then it (stones. Gravel etc)  wouldnt poke the sole.  Ive done alot of reading on them and they simply sound like a pain.  Kirt comes out for our 6 week visit Next friday so lots to ask  I don't know that my work schedule is going to allow me to go all three days I at least want to go for that Friday of the ride thats when Id be able to ride with my old friends and get to catch up.   
@ Goodhors    I have only ever had one horse that needed shod and he had bar shoes due to founder.   Ive been avoiding riding with a few of the women as well because the incesint *spelling* comments about not just my horses feet but just about every thing they can comment on.... Nylon tack being cheap, my truck my trailer, my horses breed etc etc.  I know my girl is healthy and happy and I noticed her being "ouchy"so it will be resolved, but I wish theyd just shut up.  
I am hoping to find a different place to ride trails. i have been trying to keep the peace the best I can but Im reaching my limit especially with one in particular..... Anyway  Thank you again I feel better prepared to talk with Kirt.


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## goodhors (Apr 29, 2011)

Some folks are never happy unless they are running someone else down.  As you say, can be the breed, tack, your riding style, vehicles, as long as they leave feeling superior.  They do this because they NEED to appear knowledgable, have better stuff than others do.  Pretty sad kind of folks.  Maybe you can learn when they ride and avoid most of them!!

You can save up a few, thought out comments, for responses if you like.  Have them ready for when others finally run out of remarks.  

My trucks and trailers are ALL elderly, but the wheels go around, horses are safe inside, get a comfortable ride going places, get me where I want to go.  Sure beats RIDING to all the "meet up" places, horse shows, like I had to as a kid!!  So they are GOOD vehicles.

Tack is what it is, helps or hinders you.  Nylon is nice, goes in the washer, no work to keep up, inexpensive if you get tired of it to buy in other colors!  Non-leather saddles are light to pick up and put on, don't have to keep them conditioned.  Older leather saddles are soft, comfortable, don't have to worry about being scratched.  Feel nice when you do condtion them.

No ribbons to be won in the parking lot with matchy-matchy blankets, leg wraps, halters, or fancy saddles and blankets.  No truck ribbons either, comparing everyone's outfit.  You can always ask after the litany "And your point is exactly what?"

Breed is what YOU enjoy.  Horse does as asked, in the tack you like using, what more can anyone want?  And maybe your horse does it all better, quieter, than THEIR animals, which is the frosting on the cookie to bug them!

We can all learn horse stuff from others, improve ourselves, our animal, but not when they start with mean remarks just because they can.  There HAS to be some other riders around that will be lots more fun than this bunch.  Heck I would rather ride alone!


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