Need some advice before the farrier comes!

equine.trailrider · 07-30-2008, 11:43 AM

My farrier is coming tomorrow at 4pm and I need some advice. All my horses are unshod and do well with that. I have a fairly new horse who has great hooves BUT she is very tender when walking on gravel. She's also built downhill, not excessively. Should I
1) leave her unshod and take the rest of the summer to toughen up her hooves or
2) have her shod to correct her being downhill and tender?

walkerfarms · 07-30-2008, 11:52 AM

One of mine is shod on the front due to being tender footed.I hate the shoes but she is just so tender.From reading other posts on here it takes a long time to toughen up so I believe it would depend on your plans for her???? Sorry not much help.

cook1745 · 07-30-2008, 11:53 AM

Can you buy some horse boots that you can put on only when being ridden? I just bought a pair of cavallo boots and also have the easy boots for my other mare front and back. The easy boots are a bit of a pain to put on but really stay on the cavallo boots seem to fit a rounder hoofed horse better. Also I've have the boa boots I like those the best but the run a little big and had to sell them because they twisted on the feet.

Good luck but I say stay barefoot and buy a pair of horse boots so her feet can tuffen up between rides.

ridgeviewfarm · 07-31-2008, 09:07 AM

I have two horses one 5 and 1 who is 16. I live in a very rocky, hard ground situation and we love to trail, however when I had shoes on just the fronts this past spring they both ended up with bruises on the back hooves? I would like them to go barefoot over the late fall and winter to save on shoeing costs and to get their feet to toughen? (I also have started them on a hoof supplement) I was thinking of purchasing the Cavallo boots as we could put them on to trail? Do I need boots on all fours or can I just boot the fronts? Any boot suggestions, or opinions I would love to hear as it is an investment!! Thanks!

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07-30-2008, 11:43 AM
equine.trailrider Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 901	Need some advice before the farrier comes! My farrier is coming tomorrow at 4pm and I need some advice. All my horses are unshod and do well with that. I have a fairly new horse who has great hooves BUT she is very tender when walking on gravel. She's also built downhill, not excessively. Should I 1) leave her unshod and take the rest of the summer to toughen up her hooves or 2) have her shod to correct her being downhill and tender? __________________ -I'll Take A Cold One. Make It A Draft! visit me at http://www.freewebs.com/sunshineacres

07-30-2008, 11:52 AM
walkerfarms Weanling Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: TY TY Georgia Posts: 348	One of mine is shod on the front due to being tender footed.I hate the shoes but she is just so tender.From reading other posts on here it takes a long time to toughen up so I believe it would depend on your plans for her???? Sorry not much help.

07-30-2008, 11:53 AM
cook1745 Greenbroke Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 3,525	Can you buy some horse boots that you can put on only when being ridden? I just bought a pair of cavallo boots and also have the easy boots for my other mare front and back. The easy boots are a bit of a pain to put on but really stay on the cavallo boots seem to fit a rounder hoofed horse better. Also I've have the boa boots I like those the best but the run a little big and had to sell them because they twisted on the feet. Good luck but I say stay barefoot and buy a pair of horse boots so her feet can tuffen up between rides. __________________ Home of my sweet girl Cinnamon. Not fancy but she is mine!!!

07-31-2008, 09:07 AM
ridgeviewfarm Newborn Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: CT Posts: 12	Hoof boot help? I have two horses one 5 and 1 who is 16. I live in a very rocky, hard ground situation and we love to trail, however when I had shoes on just the fronts this past spring they both ended up with bruises on the back hooves? I would like them to go barefoot over the late fall and winter to save on shoeing costs and to get their feet to toughen? (I also have started them on a hoof supplement) I was thinking of purchasing the Cavallo boots as we could put them on to trail? Do I need boots on all fours or can I just boot the fronts? Any boot suggestions, or opinions I would love to hear as it is an investment!! Thanks!