The damage that is
usually done to a shod horse when they lose a shoe is due to the hoof wall
being too long(to ride barefoot) and breaking off, often too high. A
horse that is kept barefoot and ridden that way, generally keeps the hoof wall
worn (or owner keeps it rasped) to sole level and beveled a bit, so there is
rarely any chipping or breaking or leverage forces on the wall. The sole is
what gets sore on some horses, likely due to genetics, feed, lack of freedom of
movement as a youngster, or other issues. I haven’t yet seen a horse with
hooves worn to nubs, only read of it happening, mostly with DG or sand footing.
I guess it wears down the protective sole callous.
Kathy
A lot of riders In my
area shoe their horses only in the front. What are the pros & cons with
doing that? I think it,s done to save money, surely not because it,s what,s
best for the horse if in fact the horse gets ridden anywhere other than a few
times around the ring or a mile down the trail.
Can,t imagine doing 100 mile rides without shoes. The 100s I rode back
in the day, the horse the was lucky to get thru a ride with his shoes still on
and no damage to his hooves. Judy
