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 Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20917
  
Location: LouLouVille, OK | Wonder what everyone does for their performance horses and please share your experiences! |
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
 
Location: Louisiana | No preference...if they need shoes they get shoes, if they don't they don't. I have a 16yo open horse that just has great feet and has never needed them. My 5yo probably won't ever need them either. But we have a 3yo that we have fronts on now. He has super thin soles and has already had issues with his feet earlier this year bc of that. So while my husband is riding him he has shoes on...we'll pull them when he goes back out...husband likes to ride the young ones for 30-60 days and turn out for a couple months until they're ready for a job. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| I went barefoot over 5 seasons ago and have loved it. I was kinda stuck with that since my (then) trimmer would not even consider shoes for any reason whatsoever. My new DTF may or may not be able to make the transition from shoes to bare and my (then) trimmer had a fit and I had to find a new trimmer. He is also well versed in shoes so has no problem with the possiblility of Love needing shoes. This was a terrible year for the transition here in VA. We had record setting rain from April to September. I pulled her shoes in late March and have not been able to ride her pretty much since then. I will give her the winter months and then I will have to give in and put shoes back on at least her fronts. At least this time without shoes has corrected her contracted heel and frog! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Depends on what they need.. But I rather have them barefooted if possible. |
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Veteran
Posts: 289
Location: Northeast SD | Since most of the barrel races around here have gravel parking lots I prefer them to at least have fronts on but all the ones I have now are shod all the way around. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 357
| My horse is 17 and never had shoes on. I love it but since I moved can’t find a farrier that wants to just trim. So I have had to haul both my horses 4 hours to have their feet done back home. |
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Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20917
Location: LouLouVille, OK | I have always just done fronts only.. My horses go barefoot till they get started under saddle... then fronts. ..
I need to stick with the theory if it aint broke, don't fix it.  |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | After reading that some of your farriers won't just trim, that makes me so glad for ours--if we want shoes, he'll shoe, if we just want everyone trimmed, he's fine with that too. . . . |
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 Maine-iac
Posts: 3334
Location: Got Lobsta? | I have always ALWAYS had all 4 done. I thought if you compete the horse needs all 4 shoes. One good thing about getting older is keeping an open mind and trying different options. The one I am riding now has front shoes only. One size or option does not fit all.  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1520
Location: Illinois | I do all 4 on ones I'm running. I can tell a huge difference in my runs, they're more confident with their feet & can hold themselves on the ground better. Every place I run has such different footing, shoes just work better. And pretty much everywhere has white rock or gravel for parking & I end up with less bruising. Sometimes in wet weather that's the only place to warm up & cool out. The barefoot horses are always limping around on the rocks. My 4 year old has fronts right now since we started on the pattern, when she gets a a decent lope she'll get all around too. In winter when I don't ride from Nov-March they are barefoot. |
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  Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | Whatever they need. I love saving money on farrier work. But not at the expense of the horse. |
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Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20917
Location: LouLouVille, OK | Mainer-racer - 2018-10-24 7:51 AM I have always ALWAYS had all 4 done. I thought if you compete the horse needs all 4 shoes. One good thing about getting older is keeping an open mind and trying different options. The one I am riding now has front shoes only. One size or option does not fit all.
This is so true lol... the older I get the more my old opinions can be changed... I was always one to just shoe the fronts... my horses have always been confirmationally correct as they can be, including a good bone and good hoof... but I have had some that weren't as lucky... age... is a wonderful thing  |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | Usually fronts only unless I feel they need more on the back feet.
I don't mind running them barefoot but usually its the parking lots that get them. |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | The horse I'm currently running came with shoes, but a horrible shoe job. I pretty much immediately pulled them off and had them trimmed and he immediately began traveling better. I used to always shoe mine all the way around, but my farrier that did my horses for years got hurt and I've been unable to find another that I trust to do it right, so for now, we're staying barefoot and doing fine. If he starts not doing well barefoot, I guess I will try to find a good farrier, but they're so few and far between that I hope I don't have to find one....plus, I love the convenience of not having to find lost shoes, or worry about pulled ones. My budget likes it better, too. |
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