Is your horse barefoot or shoed?

[horse_1987]

This is making me verrry confused some people tell me it is best to have shoes other people think it is best to have a barefoot horse, I have shoes on my horses front feet and barefoot in the back (as suggested by my farrier) But in the winter she is barefoot. I have been thinking about back shoes because we do alot of trail and road riding.
What do you think about shoes? should they be shoed or left barefoot?

------------------

Horse_1987

[blue_heeler]

Personally, I thinked its better to have the horse shoed. My grandparent's horses aren't shoed, but we don't ride them. There used for breeding purposes. My grandpa used to have them shoed but he hasn't had the time to go out there and show them.

------------------

[wyliepie]

I would go with what my farrier recommends. He has the knowledge and experience to evaluate the condition of their feet. I do not show my horses and I have 3 Arabians that are always barefoot. Their breeder, who trail rides a lot, does show and only has her horses shod when they're in a show. Arabs do have stronger hooves than other breeds, though. I did have a very old warmblood who only wore shoes the last few months of his life.

[horse_1987]

I only trail ride, so I have shoes in the front with corks in them, I don't know if I will bother with back shoes because if my mare ever kicks another there will be bad damage, Blue_Heeler, are your grampas horses shoed in the front or back or all four?

[blue_heeler]

Originally posted by horse_1987:


I only trail ride, so I have shoes in the front with corks in them, I don't know if I will bother with back shoes because if my mare ever kicks another there will be bad damage, Blue_Heeler, are your grampas horses shoed in the front or back or all four?

They are not shoed at all horse_1987. We don't ride them and we haven't had the time to shoe them. He shoes them himself.