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Heard a trainer say all horses need shoes, and I had to speak up
I was at a clinic in Boise last month, and a well known trainer told a group of new owners that every horse, without fail, needs to be shod. That just doesn't sit right with me after 20 years in this trade. I've worked on plenty of backyard pleasure horses that do just fine barefoot with a good trim every 6 to 8 weeks. The idea that iron is a requirement ignores the horse's individual job, conformation, and the ground it lives on. Forcing shoes on a pasture pet that walks on soft dirt is a waste of the owner's money and can weaken the hoof over time. It's our job to assess each animal, not apply a blanket rule. What's the most sound, barefoot horse you've worked with lately?
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alicel105mo ago
That trainer must think horses are out here walking on hot coals all day. My old trail horse would laugh at shoes.
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jade6185mo ago
How do you even decide? My mare went barefoot for years on soft ground, but when we moved to rocky trails her feet got sore. Like @faith741 said, one rule doesn't fit all. We did front shoes only and it was the perfect fix for her.
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