Ah, the perennial question. To shoe or not to shoe. Deciding whether to keep your horse barefoot or shod—and if so how many shoes to put on him—can be confusing indeed. How do you decide?
Well, you can make a seemingly difficult process relatively easy by considering your horse and the environment in which he lives. Follow up with a quick chat with your farrier, and you should have the answers to your shoeing questions as fast as you can say, well, "horseshoe!."
The KISS (keep it simple, stupid) method works well deciding whether to shoe your horse or let him go barefoot. Start by asking yourself four questions.
1. What is the quality of my horse's feet?
2. What kind of work is my horse doing, and how often?
3. What kind of footing is my horse living and working on?
4. Does my horse have any lameness or hoof issues that might affect my decision?
Let's start by answering the first question: What is the quality of your horse's feet? If you are among the lucky few your horse has good, solid feet you barely have to give a second thought to. If your horse has good feet, you probably know it. You haven't had to deal with any foot problems to speak of, and your farrier has good things to say. Feet that fall into the above category have solid heels, a thick wall without flares, a cup to the sole, and well-formed frogs that are free of disease. They are usually relatively even in the front and back. Feet like these hold a shoe well but are also very stable when the shoe comes off.
Okay, let's say your horse has good feet. Shoes, or no shoes?
Before you decide, you'll have to answer questions 2 and 3.
If your horse is doing very little work and lives and works on nice, soft, non-abrasive footing, then barefoot is the way to go. However, if your horse lives and rides on rougher footing, or is being worked hard, then you are most likely going to want your horse shod. There's a saying that horse people use when deciding whether or not to shoe. It goes, "If the hoof will stand the abuse of use, then don't shoe it. But if it will not stand the abuse, you have to shoe it."
Why go barefoot? Going barefoot enhances the overall health of the feet. The hoof wall thickens, the sole depth increases, and the heels expand. There is also increased circulation, movement, and expansion capability. A horse who is not working for some months out of the year—let's say the winter months—will benefit by having his shoes pulled during that period of rest.
Of course, there are many good reasons to shoe as well. Many horses can't go barefoot because the hoof breaks down faster than it can be replaced. Horses with foot issues, or horses that are in moderate to heavy work year-round, should be shod year-round. Horses with navicular disease should not go barefoot, nor should severely foundered horses. If your horse has splits or cracks wait until the cracks are gone before you have your horse go barefoot. Large breeds with small hooves, like the Quarter Horse, usually can't go without shoes. Nor can Thoroughbreds with paper-thin soles.
In the end, how do you know if going barefoot is working well or causing problems? Easy. A horse who adapts well to going barefoot will seem just as he did with shoes.
With a good look at your horse and his environment, you can decide whether to let you horse go barefoot, or whether he needs shoes. Remember, in the end it is the horse himself who lets you know what works best for him. Pay attention!