Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Kisha,

 

A few winters ago, I removed shoes for the winter because I was laid up from surgery so I wasn't going to ride for 7-12 weeks.  We had a very snowy & cold winter that year.  I had no issues with sore feet, soft feet or anything.  Shoes went back on about 4 weeks before I needed them so he would get used to the shoes again.

 

Now have two horses...This past winter, I removed shoes from both horses.  One had no problems and the other ended up very sore about 6 weeks before I was ready to put them back on. BUT we had a very mild winter here...wet, muddy, nasty, rainy.  His feet ended up too soft and walking over any bit of rocks like the gravel driveway made him walk on egg shells.  I felt really bad for him.  He would actually stop and look at me like 'don't make me walk on that!'

 

A friend of mine always removed shoes for the winter.  One of her horses was so sore after removing shoes that she had to put them back on a week later.  She was fine after they were back on.  Now she won't remove shoes on that horse.

 

On the other hand, I have a group of friends who are avid barefoot people...not the kind who push their religion on you though.  All of their horses have great feet and no lameness, BUT most use protective boots of some kind if we are riding on rocky or gravel areas.

 

So...best I can tell you it not only depends on the horse but also the environment they are in when you remove the shoes.  Personally, I'll stick with the shoes.  I hate boots because they are a pain (for me) and I've seen them rub some nasty things on other horses.   I listen for the shoes to make sure they are on, but rarely have any issues because I have an awesome farrier....who by the way says if you put turpentine on the sole you will toughen the sole to remain barefoot without harming the hoof or the growth.  Old remedy from the days when we used horses as transportation instead of cars....  I know a few who have done it and swear by it.

 

Stacy

Kisha Smith <kisha-smith@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Would like to know if anyone pulls thier shoes during time off? Do your
> horses get sore after pulling shoes. I have friends who's horses have gone
> severly lame/founder after shoes are pulled or lost . Had one friend who
> thought of going barefoot and pulled her shoes and the horse instantly went
> lame on both fronts, he stood in his stall in the middle of a pile of
> shavings and wouldn't move, when the farrier put the shoes back on the next
> day he was instantly fine. (WIERD)!! The other horse lost a shoe while
>  out
> trail riding, had to walk about 1/2 mile down some gravel and foundered on
> that foot the next day. Can anyone explain what causes this? Bad shoeing
> over a long period of time? Please keep this friendly. Just very curious?
> Kisha
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Don?t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! 
> http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/
>
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
> Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
>
> Ride Long and Ride Safe!!
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=