Since October 2020, my 13 year old mare has been on and off lame on her right front. After shoeing changes and several lameness exams and nerve blocks, the vet suspects a tendon tear of some kind very low in her hoof. He says he wouldn't be able to see it on ultrasound, and an MRI was the only sure diagnosis. I opted not to spend that money, since he said no matter what the treatment was the same- time off. We put her in wedges, and just let her be. In wedges, she is still lame at the trot, and has been since January.

Fast forward to two weeks ago. She ripped both shoes off somehow, to the point of she doesn't have enough hoof wall for us to put shoes back on. She's been barefoot and will be for another two weeks. Now that she's barefoot, she looks more sound than ever. Not normal still, but more sound than when she's in wedges.

Do I put wedges back on her, or regular shoes, or leave her barefoot? Anyone have similar experiences?

I'd definitely ask the vet and farrier and see what each of them suggest. That is interesting.

I've heard pulling shoes and letting them be natural fixes a lot of things!! Just where I live they don't do wel barefoot. Lol

I think this is a question for your Vet, they know the history of your horse.

The vet has said we can go either way ????‍?? Shoes back on or leave them off. 

Sounds like a soft tissue injury.  I'd address that and solve the problem.  The shoes/no shoes is just masking a bigger issue.  

I would just leave them off for awhile and see how she gos from there. 

I tryed leaving front shoes off my gelding for awhile, hes (IR, Insulin Resistance) Equine metabolic Syndrome) and he just gets to sore with out front shoes. He was a mystery lameness also, went threw a few Vets here in town and they just made matters worst, then I took him to the right Vet Dr. Huffman at Retama and he knew right off what his problem was.

I hadn't considered that since she was 95% improved with a nerve block..

I don't know - seems like a no brainer to me. She's moving better without the shoes, so leave 'em off. And give her more time. Tendon injuries are so slow.

You're absolutely right. I checked in with my vet and my farrier, and we're gonna let this mare tell us what she needs and stay barefoot for the time being.

My vet always says the horse is both the patient and the critic. They get to tell us what they like. If your horse is obviously doing better barefoot than I think that you should listen to her.