I would keep the shoes on. It takes time for
a horse to get use to going barefoot and I wouldn't take the chance of the feet
getting too short for shoes. My mare gets too short when I ride barefoot
because of all the sand we have around our place. The only time her shoes
are taken off is when the riding season is over. Then she goes barefoot
from Nov to late March or early April. I have to be careful when I started
riding her in earnest again so there will be enough foot for my farrier to get
shoes on. Of course, each horse is different.
Jeanie
