I would like to avoid putting shoes on my youngster and keep her barefoot. Can you advise?

I would like to avoid putting shoes on my youngster and keep her barefoot. Can you advise?

James Mundell DipWCF 
Registered Farrier who considers the 'individual' equine. Working with new and tradtional techniques from competition horses to donkeys including all remedial care answers your questions on Hoof Care 

If you have questions about Hoof Care please send an email to:  admin@voicesforhorses.co.uk

Question:
My youngster has never had shoes and is ready to be backed. I would like to avoid putting shoes on her and keep her barefoot. Is there anything I can do to help keep her feet strong and make this possible?
 
James Answers:
Some horses cope fine without shoes and some don't. However, this is a good time in a horses development  to find out.  By slowly increasing the work you will begin to condition the feet to different surfaces. The need for shoes is not actually dictated by how hard the feet are. It is by the amount of growth versus the work being done (which wears away the growth) If you can keep your horse in an equilibrium of growth versus work then it will likely never need shoes. It is when the amount of work being done out weighs the speed of growth that you need to put shoes on. A foot sore horse is one where the excess growth has worn away and all that is left is sensitive. There is no coming back from this unless you are willing to either cut back on the work being done or put shoes on the horse so it can cope with the amount of work being asked of its feet.