Hoof Boots, Shoes, and Barefoot...

[Annie&Dixie]

I just started thinking about this.

Dixie has been barefoot for years, she did great like this. Her feet hold up and she shows no signs of soreness except for the fact that she does get somewhat ouchy on the gravel, not horrible, but enough to make her walk in the grass. This could be related to her wanting to eat grass too...who knows? Food is always on her mind.

Anyways, so I had front shoes put on her in June, I think. I was planning on going on trail rides with rock and other kinds of terrain, I obviously do not want her to be ouchy.

I was planning and am still planning on taking her shoes off for the winter.

What about not getting shoes and using hoof boots? Would that work? What if I go on any more trail rides during the winter with harder terrain?

[Arrow]

I shoe Arrow from April through November. In the winter, if he's shod, you run the risk of ice balls in their feet when it snows. Also--it's usually either snowy or muddy, so why not barefoot Dec-March? Otherwise--he's shod.

[Annie&Dixie]

Oh yeah, that's still my plan.:) I'm just wondering if I use the boots for trail riding and maybe I won't have to get her shod at all? Or if the ouchy on the gravel is enough to get her shod in the summer/spring? Or should I get boots for the possibility of trails duing the winter?

I don't know, I'm just thinking of possibilites that I don't know the answer to :)

[Arrow]

Shoes don't hurt the horse, and they are just easier and simpler, and he has protection in the pasture as well as on the trail. Where are all barefooters...didn't they follow us from horse.com?

****crickets****

Ah well, I'm sure they'll scent out this thread soon enough!

[Annie&Dixie]

No I don't think shoes hurt the horses at all. Don't get wrong, I'm not a barefoot fanatic, I'm a get whatever that indiviual horse needs fanatic ;) I'm just weighing out other options that I could maybe do because really, Dixie is fine barefoot so I'm just wondering if it would be easier and save money for me to get hoof boots and then just put those on for trail rides.

[palomino]

Hey did you forget about me LOL????
My opinion is, if you have the dedication to go bare, and its something that you are interested in learning more about, there is LOADS of information online. The links are everywhere. I have a links page on my page if you like. I have tons of clients who go bare (alot of them used to shoe, and just like their horse better bare) and use boots to ride, and alot who dont even need boots to ride trails. It just depends on the horse.
I ride Inka bare, unless we go on rocky terrain, then she is booted. It doesnt bother me to boot, I know I take em off when we are done! LOL
If Dixie is fine bare, dont shoe her. Why shoe if she doesnt even need it? That always baffled me- why put holes in the horses hooves if they do just fine bare?
There are tons of sites with tons of info, mine included. Im not a barefoot crazy, but I am a barefoot enthusiast! I say, you want to shoe, fine by me, you want to go bare, I will talk your ear off LOL!

[vicklynn]

I think it depends on the horse. I have to keep City shod, and now Mysts fronts shod. They are on a dry lot and it has small gravel. Myst has alot of weight bearing on her front feet, and she has started getting ouchy.
City is just City, he needs them, Im just glad his hooves arent as thin as they were when I got him.

[westmanfarrier]

I think it depends on the horse.

Well said.

Remember, boots also wear out, tear, get pulled off, rub and cause sores. I think boots are a great tool, I sell them, but they too have draw backs. Boots cannot be fitted perfectly like a shoe can. There are many different hoof shapes, one boot shape. There are some great success stories using boots. I have also heard some horror stories.

Go bare when you can. When you need extra, have shoes applied. Nail holes grow out:rolleyes:

[Annie&Dixie]

Well, looks like my best option is to stick with shoes in the summer and barefoot in the winter. Thank you everybody! Especially westmanfarrier, you really helped me by giving more information about the boots, that's what I was really curious about.

Why shoe if she doesnt even need it?

She did need it, she was very ouchy on the gravel and I didn't want to be riding her over rocks and what-not without any protection.

[palomino]

Oh, Ok. You just posted that she was fine barefoot, so I was just wondering.

[westmanfarrier]

I have a lot of shoes for a lot of things in my closet. I have quality running shoes for jogging on pavement, cleats for softball for traction, hiking boots for support and traction, heavy boots for ATVing in the mountains, dirt bike boots to save my ankles at the dunes, court shoes for playing volleyball...and so on. When I play volleyball in the sand or run in the grass I go barefoot.

Your farrier has many options for your every need as well.

[rather-b-riding]

My horse is barefoot. I am not a barefoot fanatic, I believe you have to do what is right for the horse. I use boots on trailrides only, and not at all if I know we'll be on sandy trails. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the boots. They took a bit getting used to putting them on and taking them off, but now it takes me seconds. I only use them for the fronts but am considering getting them for the back.
btw, my horses feet have never looked better since I went barefoot and started getting her trimmed by a barefoot trimmer who specialized in the rahabilitating the foundered horses feet. I also get them done ever 5 wks MAX and I believe that has made a huge difference as well. jmho :)

[Buckpoco]

Our horses are barefoot. Both are TWH and mine came with heels, long toes-yuk! I had the shoes pulled on both horses and they are doing well. If we ride on soft ground then we don't use boots. If we ride on rocks, then we use the boots. We use and love Cavallo...I also heard Renegades were great. Nobody here likes the Easy Boots as they break and/or come off. I read that Boa can cause abscesses where the dial tightens. So far we've never lost a Cavallo Boot, even in water, mud, etc.