Barefoot vs. Shoes

Dream isn't padded all the time, but she gets pour-in pads before especially bad rides. I like those because I feel they conform to the sole the best and they are fairly easy to remove when no longer needed (but before farrier comes out again).

Re the renegades, I did the photo consult and the owner/designer told me all this. What he sent me was a TIGHT fit. Perhaps I could have gone up one size and spared myself a little work, lol!
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I've never understood why people can be so against shoeing. What is done with the horse's feet should be what's best for the horse. I've seen horrible jobs with both. Every horse, just like every person, is different. A person could run a marathon with a barefoot sneaker/ shoe and finish strong. Another person could run a marathon with a barefoot sneaker/ shoe and not be able to walk after because based on their body then need support in a sneaker. Put that second person in a sneaker that supports them in the proper way for their body and they will finish a marathon strong.

I keep my mustang barefoot because he has really amazing rock hard hooves and my QH wears shoes but I might explore other options with him (fronts only, barefoot). My horses are ridden on grass or in arenas, so they are at low risk of damaging their hooves. I agree that it's really up to the individual horse.
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I tried riding with the boots but they were more hassle than what they were worth. When it's cold weather I do not want to spend all the extra time required to clean the feet and fit and fasted the boots on, only to have them become askew or come off during my ride. My horse is tall so it is hard for me to dismount and mount while riding on the trail. (Can't always find a stump, lol) Plus I was always worrying about them. I go out to ride to relax, not to worry! Plus my horse is more comfortable in steel shoes, he walks out much more sure footed.

I've never had horses that could go barefoot (based on their feet and farrier recommendation), so could someone explain to me if your horse is able to go barefoot (based on the quality of their feet) why would they need boots to protect their feet? If they are barefoot shouldn't their feet be hard/durable enough to go on the surface they're being ridden on?

One of the big potential problems is when the foot is being worn off faster than it can grow due to heavy use. A horse might be perfectly sound to ride on abrasive sand for 20 miles in a day.. but if you do that day after day, the hoof/sole is going to be worn away much faster than the horse can produce new, so is going to become sore.

I go barefoot because I believe it's healthier for their feet. I agree that you should do "what's best for the horse", but also believe that a lot of people are uneducated about the benefits of going barefoot and are very set in their ways with shoes. Very few horses actually "need" shoes - those would be the horses that really cannot carry a boot, are covering terrain too rough for a boot, or have hoof issues that require a boot (though my farrier did an incredible job correcting my horse's feet with great barefoot trims when a "traditional" farrier said he would need shoes).

Hoof protection is generally necessary in certain terrain. As many people have pointed out, horses have been shod for centuries in an effort to protect their feet from the terrain that we've asked them to travel on. Between domestication and the tasks we as of our horses, they will need this protection every now and then. Because my horse does not need protection except on endurance rides, when I'm asking him to travel over sometimes rocky terrain and do so quickly, I prefer to keep his feet barefoot and healthy.

Far fewer horses "need" shoes than people believe - and barefoot advocates often find themselves in the minority when it comes to hoof care.

My farrier had excellent training and first began as your typical farrier. However, when she completed her training in barefoot trimming, she more or less became a barefoot-only trimmer because of how much it really does support a strong, healthy hoof. She still has her anvil *just in case*, but hasn't touched it in years. In fact, though rare, not being able to go barefoot would be a deal-breaker for her when buying a horse because that would only be because the horse has major hoof issues.

Another reason for boots is transitioning. If a horse has had shoes and shoe trims for any amount of time, they're going to require time to rebuild natural protection and resilience. My thin-soled QH mare needed boots for almost a year before I could trot her barefoot down the gravel road. I didn't have to stop riding during her rehab.
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I too, would not purchase a recreational horse that could not go barefoot.
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