| Last year, I had some trouble with our little Arab | | | | horse: |
| gelding. We purchased him late 2006 and brought | | | | 1. Frog pressure - The frog needs to be healthy, |
| him home from Arizona, where he had been living | | | | and compressed with every step. The digital |
| on the breeding farm with the brood mares and | | | | cushion pumps the blood and helps a healthy blood |
| foals. | | | | circulation, resulting in a healthy frog - shoes |
| Up until then, the footing he was used to was | | | | prevent this from happening. |
| very soft dirt with manure turned under and not | | | | 2. Flexion - a hoof needs to be able to flex and |
| too many rocks. All he had been doing so far, | | | | retract with every step - a metal horse shoe |
| was hanging out with his friends and some round | | | | prevents this from happening. |
| pen/turn out time every day. The good and lazy | | | | 3. Shock absorption - as the hoof flexes and |
| life! | | | | retracts the shock of the step is absorbed. This |
| When he came to live with us that changed over | | | | protects the joints - again metal shoes prevent |
| night. No, we didn't work him too hard the first | | | | this from happening. |
| few months. It was fall, soon winter and since we | | | | 4. Horses should not walk on their hoof walls; that |
| live at 4500 feet, it was pretty cold. But, he did | | | | is like having long fingernails and walking on them. |
| go from soft dirt to decomposed granite and a | | | | Just pull your nail away from your finger; that is |
| pretty hard footing all around. During the winter | | | | basically the same. Sure, the first week or so |
| and spring months, that wasn't too bad; except | | | | after new shoes, this doesn't happen, but we |
| that he was a little crazy Arab who loved to 'cut' | | | | usually only have the farrier come out every 6-8 |
| the fence, swing his but around and practically do | | | | weeks. This puts extreme, unnecessary pressure |
| a sliding stop every time he came to the end. | | | | on the lamina. |
| That was not so good for his hooves and they | | | | 5. The bars are part of the hoof wall and should |
| became visibly unbalanced. On top of that, we had | | | | be treated as such. I know this is not a good |
| him started under saddle and he was working 3 | | | | point for bare foot trimming, but traditionally |
| or 4 times a week instead of living the lazy life. | | | | farriers allow the bars to fold over and that |
| Okay, that being said, the problems began to | | | | creates pressure. |
| show up the next spring. We had him shoed, since | | | | 6. Contraction of the hoof occurs when the frog |
| now my daughter was riding him and training him | | | | is not allowed to have ground contact when the |
| in dressage and the ground was harder than ever. | | | | hoof is set down. This is typically the case in |
| Shortly after that, he started stumbling and falling | | | | shoed horses since the shoe prevents this. |
| flat on his face. Not a nice experience when | | | | 7. A 'Sinker' is created when the hoof wall is |
| you're on his back. It continued for a while and we | | | | forced to carry the complete weight of the |
| decided to take him to the lameness specialist 3 | | | | horse. If the frog and the sole had been allowed |
| hours away. | | | | to carry the weight the way they are supposed |
| After a thorough lameness examination and | | | | to, it would not have happened. Luckily this is |
| x-rays, he told us he needed shoes with pads for | | | | reversible. |
| 6 or 8 weeks, and just shoes thereafter. | | | | I could give you many more reasons. We are |
| According to him every horse that is ridden twice | | | | starting to understand, that the main reason for |
| a week or more, needs shoes and we should | | | | the problems our horse has is the abrupt chance |
| have shoed him a lot earlier. He needed hock | | | | of footing and work load. Should we have shoed |
| injections as well; at age 7! | | | | him earlier? Maybe, but maybe we could have |
| Upon coming home, one of my friends told me | | | | prevented the problems with riding boots too. |
| about natural hoof care, bare foot trimming and | | | | Each horse is an individual, and each horse's |
| thrush. After spending $800 to the 'expert' I was | | | | circumstances are different. One can easily learn |
| not ready to listen. I knew she was right. | | | | to do barefoot trimming by attending a weekend |
| Everything she told me and showed me made | | | | seminar and practice. It is something a horseman |
| sense and seemed logical. | | | | should at least look into. |
| Here are the 7 reasons you should not shoe your | | | | Now go ride a (sound) horse. |