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To Shoe or not to Shoe a Missouri Foxtrotter?

12K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  Zab 
#1 ·
I just recently added Cyndy(11 yr. old Missouri Fox Trotter) to my family.. She has got me riding again.. almost every day. But the question is ? Right now she has flat shoes on , would it be ok for her to go barefoot or put a different type of shoe with some grip on her.? I just had the slick shoes.. She does some sliding around where I ride. Thanks for any advice?
 
#2 ·
Of course you can! My horses are barefoot and i only shoe if I am going to be riding alot of rough terrain like rocky areas. You can find natural barefoot farriers, too!
 
#8 ·
My mare has always been barefoot. I mostly ride her on dirt trails that are grassy. She might occassionally cross the street or something of the sort, but no real work on rough terrain. Yes, I agree with all the above, if they can go barefoot, let them. Unless you have a horse that needs shoes or has been foundered/had some sort of hoof problem, shoes are often not necessary. I trim often though....good trimmings are very imp. if you decide to forego shoes.
 
#10 ·
One of my biggest concerns was- since she is a gaited mare would having shoes with heel/toes hurt her natural gait. She is such a great mare I want to do what ever is in her best interest,, but flat shoes do not work where we ride,, she slips quite a bit and I don't want to take a chance of her getting hurt..
 
#11 ·
One of my biggest concerns was- since she is a gaited mare would having shoes with heel/toes hurt her natural gait. She is such a great mare I want to do what ever is in her best interest,, but flat shoes do not work where we ride,, she slips quite a bit and I don't want to take a chance of her getting hurt..
A proper shoeing job begins with a proper trim (to the horse's anatomical correctness) and ends with a shoe being applied that will protect the trim (and thus the foot). The shoe must also give appropriate traction. In limited circumstances it might provide a therapudic (not cosmetic) change in way of going.

I'm not sure what you mean by a "flat" shoe.

There are ways to increase the traction of a shoe, but they are mostly used for "sport" horses (like Eventers and Hunt horses who must work on a variety of surfaces over the course of a year). There are other ways to better traction on paved surfaces. Anytime you use these techniques, however, you must be aware that under some circumstances they can put significant stress on the hoof and/or lower leg.

Again, if the trim is to anatomical correctness you'll get her "native" gait. That may or may not be the gait you want or a gait that will win any prizes. A correctly applied shoe will not change that.

G.
 
#12 ·
I ride on rocky roads and barefoot horses would have lameness issues. If I rode only on grass, I would try the barefoot option. (My mare threw a shoe and damaged her hoof just from waiting on the farrier to fix it for two days. She's ok now, but that was just from running in the pasture. Too many rocks... )
 
#13 ·
My appy is barefoot and can ride on anything with no lameness problems whatsoever, even ridding on gravel(the sharp driveway kind) he does fine.
My OTTB mare was 100% sound riding on anything until a crappy farrier rasped her sole :evil:and now she will needed to be booted when riding anywhere rocky, up until he touched her feet she was fine(I moved her to a boarding stable where my normal farrier wouldn't go) I now have a barefoot trimmer coming just for her.
 
#14 ·
^ Ditto.

The other day I went mustering with my dad, up in the hills on the property where he works/our horses live.

Big hills covered in rocks - When we were finished they had scratches on the walls of their hooves from bashing through the rocks after the sheep. They were both fine :]
 
#16 ·
If she wars her hooves ok and not too much, barefoot would be great. In any other case, regular shoes (same type as any other riding horse has, not any heavy, log or weird type) is enough. And a regular trim.

I have to keep my gaited horse shoed simply because he'd have no hooves left otherwise. He doesn't get sore but he wears down more than he can grow. Also, now I have some special shoes on the hindfeet, they're slightly wider on the outside. This is to correct his balance, he steps too much on the outside of the hoof and that makes a harmful twist to his legs. This shoe doesn't stop the twist but prevents it by giving him better support. It has nothing to do with his gaiting, and he's gaiting just as well before as after this :)

If he shoe is slippery, you can put small studs on it. Really small, you shouldn't really see them if the hoof is standing down on pavement, but it'll keep her from slipping around. Too big studs (or whatever you call them) will give a too good grip and in long term injure her legs because they hinder movement.
 
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