I have a 4 yr old Pony, who until recently had Shoes on the front only. Would you recommend having shoes or not. The pony does have solid hoofs, although very tiny and I would image pretty vulnerable?
To shoe or not to shoe?
- Thread starter karen Parsons
- Start date
Our 11.2 Caspian Minature horse has never been shod.
Our Farrier joked it would be cheap to shoe him, he said just cut holes in 4 50pence piece coins. Anyway he dose not need shoeing as his hooves are pretty tough and he dosent do much roadwork.
I would ask the farrier.
Our Farrier joked it would be cheap to shoe him, he said just cut holes in 4 50pence piece coins. Anyway he dose not need shoeing as his hooves are pretty tough and he dosent do much roadwork.
I would ask the farrier.
I'd ask your farrier. I know that mine would prefer not to shoe if the horse or pony doesn't need it, and although each pony is different it seems that most of the native types have good enough feet to go without, even with roadwork.
Amanda
Amanda
Horn is as hard as horn, if you see what I mean. If a shire horse has good feet the horn will be as hard as the good horn on a tiny pony. Just because they are small does not make them vunerable.
I trimmed a set of feet that were one and a half inches across the other day...now that's tiny.
Our Mini Shetland wears shoes in the summer when she does a lot of road work, not in the winter though. The only reason we decided to shoe her was because she became foot sore on the road. She is so happy in her tiny shoes, (I'm not because they are a devil to put on, Shetland ponies' feet are too close to the ground!!) Her shoes are 2¾ inches. I'm going to get the local jeweller to make the next lot!!
If the horse is happy, sound and confident on grit and stones and the road then don't bother with shoes. If you are doing a lot of road work or on sharp gravel and she goes pottery then get some shoes on.
I trimmed a set of feet that were one and a half inches across the other day...now that's tiny.
Our Mini Shetland wears shoes in the summer when she does a lot of road work, not in the winter though. The only reason we decided to shoe her was because she became foot sore on the road. She is so happy in her tiny shoes, (I'm not because they are a devil to put on, Shetland ponies' feet are too close to the ground!!) Her shoes are 2¾ inches. I'm going to get the local jeweller to make the next lot!!
If the horse is happy, sound and confident on grit and stones and the road then don't bother with shoes. If you are doing a lot of road work or on sharp gravel and she goes pottery then get some shoes on.
yeah wally's right as always 
lol
i like my horses barefooted, but my horse has very shallow feet and can flake/crack easily. so unfortunatly she is shid, but if i can get away with not having shoes i like this sooo much more!!
most of our ponies at our yard go barefoot cos they have a native breed in them and are typically tough, and don't do that much road work!!
loli like my horses barefooted, but my horse has very shallow feet and can flake/crack easily. so unfortunatly she is shid, but if i can get away with not having shoes i like this sooo much more!!
most of our ponies at our yard go barefoot cos they have a native breed in them and are typically tough, and don't do that much road work!!
If you're going to be doing a lot of riding on hard surfaces (road, rocks, etc) then your horse should have shoes. Also, I was always taught that horses who are doing any sort of showing should be shod as well. For this reason, both of my geldings have shoes all around. But my broodmare, who is kept either in the pasture or in her stall, has been barefoot for almost a year and has no problems 
Shoes or no, don't forgot to have your farrier out reguarly to keep your horse's feet trimmed
Shoes or no, don't forgot to have your farrier out reguarly to keep your horse's feet trimmed
your pony had shoes only on the front feet????
that usually means that your pony either founders when the grass gets long and green and there is lots of clover or the grass and hills etc are slippery and they slip down the hills it really depends on what your farrier thinks have a little think about it
hope it helped
JOSH
that usually means that your pony either founders when the grass gets long and green and there is lots of clover or the grass and hills etc are slippery and they slip down the hills it really depends on what your farrier thinks have a little think about it
hope it helped
JOSH
it doesn't have to be, a couple of our ponies only have front ones, due to weight being mainly on the front, and so the horn cracks, more, and shoes get worn down!!
M
myEllie
Guest
Ozzie_Yarrah, I have never heard that. Actually I didn't understand most of your post, but the part I understood, I didn't agree with. A lot of horse only get shoes on the front feet if they are only in light work.
I had a welsh pony who never had shoes, even with roadwork. I spent a lot of time looking after his feet each day. and he won a first in a best grass kept class. he had oil every day and vaseline on his heels and frog. i also used to wipe a tincture of iodine around the edge of the bottom of the hoof (the groove between the hoof and the outer hoof - not sure what its called). but i can't remember why i did this - does anyone know?!
My mare has shoes on the front only, mainly because she has shallow soles on the front and we're (farrier and myself) worried that she would become sore without front shoes. Her back hooves are tougher so she's able to go without those. We don't do any roadwork so that isn't a consideration.
If we can get through the summer without shoes on behind, I might see about having the fronts pulled also next winter. The ground will be softer then and she won't be worked as much so will have a chance to acclimate and we can see how she goes.
If we can get through the summer without shoes on behind, I might see about having the fronts pulled also next winter. The ground will be softer then and she won't be worked as much so will have a chance to acclimate and we can see how she goes.
newrider.com