I believe that barefoot horses PROPERLY TRIMMED can do everything a shoed horse can, if not more. Just look at those beautiul hooves, so healthy! So functional! Those must be some happy horses. :) But remember: You must use a special technique to trim a bareoot horse, bareoot hooves need as much care as shoed hooves.
@AmericanPitbulls1 I ride an unshod horse and he is not comfortable on some surfaces. Most wild horses are unsound, and they don't jump "very high every single day" - they only jump when they can't go around something. And the life expectancy of a wild horse is significantly lower than a domesticated horse.
Those hooves that are being shown at the end of the video are NOT typical of shod horses. In all cases those horses are the victims of GROSS NEGLECT AND MISTREATMENT, not consistent with the majority of shod horses.
If shoeing is so bad for horses, why do all the professional and top level riders shoe their horses? Why aren't their horses therefore all lame? This video all looks very nice but I have seen a lot of barefoot horses with very sore feet. I know a professional showjumper who shoes all of her own horses, one of her main resons for doing so being so she can put studs into their shoes as 99% of the time we jump off grass, and jumping 5ft plus fences without studs is unfair on the horse.
@everythingshiny I have seen many horse riders who care nothing for the horse they ride and how can you say a unshod horse cannot jump or walk on all terrain what about all the horses that are wild the very horses that brung all horses unto the world they walk on mountains, dirt, logs, water everything and JUMP very high every single day. Not to mention live very very long HAPPY lives.
If you average in all the horses that get founder, and are shot. And all the horses that go lame, and are sent to the slaughter house. Then you might find that the average life expectancy for a shod horse is half that of an unshod horse.
whether or not they live longer, how can anyone deny the ability of these horses in that terrain to move without difficulity!! maybe living longer means no mechanical founder from shoeing problems and having your horse have to be put down???
I certainly don't own a shod horse that can go that easily in that kind of terrain, and I used to endurance race!!! Wow this is self evident that these are healthy horses
More barefooters telling lies about shoeing and have no clue of what they are talking about. Barefoot is ideal, however their is no harm done with proper shoeing, proper trim and proper nailing. Most of the pictures at the end of this video are laminitic (founder) cases.
I am a huge barefoot advocate; I research and write about horse health for a living and promote barefoot whenever I can. However, I have never seen any data on life expectancy relating to horses being shod or unshod. I do agree that barefoot horses generally have fewer lameness issues, but I've known some healthy old horses that had been shod all their lives. Also, many of the "horror" photos they showed were extreme laminitic hooves -- a problem that can strike shod and barefoot horses alike.
You're saying the 30 year old horse who has lived in shoes his whole life would be 60 if only he had been unshod? doubt it. How do you account for all the horses who live to ripe old ages wearing shoes? Have had horses shod as well as barefoot. No shod horse I've known dropped dead at a younger age than any barefoot one I've known.
FINALLY some common sence when it comes to horses hooves. Our wild horses (Brumbys) have the toughest healthy hooves. Horses survived for millions of years before man interfeared with their hooves. All my horses are barefoot as it's not rocket science that their feet are better off as GOD made them NOT with lumps of metal attached..
Fantastic - barefoot is THE only way to maintain your horse. Would just like to clear up any confusion for others. I presume when you say (and type) ´nail´ you mean toe of the horse?!
I believe that barefoot horses PROPERLY TRIMMED can do everything a shoed horse can, if not more. Just look at those beautiul hooves, so healthy! So functional! Those must be some happy horses. :) But remember: You must use a special technique to trim a bareoot horse, bareoot hooves need as much care as shoed hooves.
622431326 1 month ago
@AmericanPitbulls1 I ride an unshod horse and he is not comfortable on some surfaces. Most wild horses are unsound, and they don't jump "very high every single day" - they only jump when they can't go around something. And the life expectancy of a wild horse is significantly lower than a domesticated horse.
everythingshiny 2 months ago
Those hooves that are being shown at the end of the video are NOT typical of shod horses. In all cases those horses are the victims of GROSS NEGLECT AND MISTREATMENT, not consistent with the majority of shod horses.
everythingshiny 5 months ago
If shoeing is so bad for horses, why do all the professional and top level riders shoe their horses? Why aren't their horses therefore all lame? This video all looks very nice but I have seen a lot of barefoot horses with very sore feet. I know a professional showjumper who shoes all of her own horses, one of her main resons for doing so being so she can put studs into their shoes as 99% of the time we jump off grass, and jumping 5ft plus fences without studs is unfair on the horse.
everythingshiny 5 months ago
@everythingshiny I have seen many horse riders who care nothing for the horse they ride and how can you say a unshod horse cannot jump or walk on all terrain what about all the horses that are wild the very horses that brung all horses unto the world they walk on mountains, dirt, logs, water everything and JUMP very high every single day. Not to mention live very very long HAPPY lives.
AmericanPitbulls1 2 months ago
If you average in all the horses that get founder, and are shot. And all the horses that go lame, and are sent to the slaughter house. Then you might find that the average life expectancy for a shod horse is half that of an unshod horse.
FirstClassSkeptic 6 months ago
whether or not they live longer, how can anyone deny the ability of these horses in that terrain to move without difficulity!! maybe living longer means no mechanical founder from shoeing problems and having your horse have to be put down???
I certainly don't own a shod horse that can go that easily in that kind of terrain, and I used to endurance race!!! Wow this is self evident that these are healthy horses
spatzhappy 6 months ago
Blimey who'd have believed it!
I've got both shod and unshod horses both aged 26. Both still ridden. I wasn't appreciating that the unshod one would live till it was in it's 60's.
But then you are making totally false claims.
horsegent1 1 year ago
Are any of the claims such as life expectancy actually proven? And will all shod feet end up like the ones at the end of the video?
mattyDlotus 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
More barefooters telling lies about shoeing and have no clue of what they are talking about. Barefoot is ideal, however their is no harm done with proper shoeing, proper trim and proper nailing. Most of the pictures at the end of this video are laminitic (founder) cases.
Farrierphil 1 year ago
Comment removed
Farrierphil 1 year ago
I am a huge barefoot advocate; I research and write about horse health for a living and promote barefoot whenever I can. However, I have never seen any data on life expectancy relating to horses being shod or unshod. I do agree that barefoot horses generally have fewer lameness issues, but I've known some healthy old horses that had been shod all their lives. Also, many of the "horror" photos they showed were extreme laminitic hooves -- a problem that can strike shod and barefoot horses alike.
blkgryphon 1 year ago
You're saying the 30 year old horse who has lived in shoes his whole life would be 60 if only he had been unshod? doubt it. How do you account for all the horses who live to ripe old ages wearing shoes? Have had horses shod as well as barefoot. No shod horse I've known dropped dead at a younger age than any barefoot one I've known.
blairasb 1 year ago
Brilliant - have posted on our site, for our members to see.
Sam
Natural Horse People
sammignano2 1 year ago
FINALLY some common sence when it comes to horses hooves. Our wild horses (Brumbys) have the toughest healthy hooves. Horses survived for millions of years before man interfeared with their hooves. All my horses are barefoot as it's not rocket science that their feet are better off as GOD made them NOT with lumps of metal attached..
boofheadrules 1 year ago
Fantastic - barefoot is THE only way to maintain your horse. Would just like to clear up any confusion for others. I presume when you say (and type) ´nail´ you mean toe of the horse?!
LaRanaTJ 1 year ago