Why do Some Horses Need Horseshoes? Is Barefoot Better?

A Quick History of Horseshoeing

Some horses are best when barefoot. Some are best when shod, while others can perform equally well both barefoot and shod. That is all.

• Horses were not always companions and our sporting partners. They were often literal beasts of burden and modes of transportation. Roman-era horses sometimes wore pads, and years later, around 500 A.D., metal shoes were first nailed onto their hooves. Horseshoes protected the hoof from the wear and tear of the horse’s job, their literal reason for existing and breeding.

• Fast forward a few millennia, and here we are. Many horses are still shod! And the fundamental reason is this – a horse’s hoof may wear down faster than it grows. It boils down to adding extra protection to the hooves.

Read more about the history of why horses need horseshoes here.

Reasons That Horses Need Horseshoes

• For every reason a horse “should” go barefoot, there’s a reason they should be shod. Healthy hooves are never guaranteed, and no horse will require precisely the same hoof care routine throughout their lifetime. There are too many variables in a horse’s life.

Your horse’s conformation

• Conformation is primarily dictated by genetics, and sometimes by injury. Your horse’s conformation can help determine if horseshoes will benefit their hoof health. There are many instances where an extra layer of protection is beneficial.

• Thin-soled horses need horseshoes. Thin soles create a tender-footed, likely to bruise, and generally uncomfortable equine on rocky, uneven, or hard surfaces. A horse’s sole will not get used to it and thicken up. An experienced farrier may help a horse develop a thicker sole through trimming and balance, but it’s not guaranteed. Bony changes inside the hoof may require rebalancing and support from horseshoes.

• Horseshoes may help navicular syndrome, laminitis, chronic abscesses, broken bones, contracted heels, and various hoof injuries. It may be necessary to use a wedge, block, or custom frog support, which typically requires a shoe and is often referred to as corrective shoeing.  

• It’s an entirely different novel to write about genetics and breeding in the horse, but it’s safe to say that modern horse breeding can sometimes forget about hoof health. 

Hoof boots are an option for barefoot horses on questionable footing. 

Diseases and injuries in other parts of the body

• There are cases of ringbone around the pastern, tendon injuries to the lower legs, and arthritic legs that benefit from mechanical support on the hoof or shoeing. It’s all connected! 

• Special shoes can also provide additional support with hoof wall defects, collateral ligament strains, and other medical conditions.

• Laminitis is one condition that creates significant damage inside the hoof capsule and forever alters the natural state of the hoof. Initially, corrective shoeing may help reduce pain, and further corrective shoeing may be necessary to support healed tissues.

This article looks at options for helping laminitis.

The footing your horse lives on 

• The ground and arena footing can act as sandpaper for the hoof. Things will wear down! Rocky ground can create hoof bruises, and uneven terrain can create excessive wear around the hoof capsule.

• Icy conditions present another challenge for traction and sole health. The risk of injury grows exponentially with ice, and shoes can provide hoof protection, especially if borium is added to reduce slipping.

• Horses with thin or weak walls may experience more wear than their unshod counterparts, which could tip over into a dangerous zone. A horse’s conformation and gait may also reveal that one part of the hoof is wearing more than others, exacerbating the wear and imbalance. Shoes provide physical protection from excessive and uneven wear and can help prevent irregular hoof growth.

• We also ask our equine partners for repetitive movements on those surfaces. Does the surface type make a more significant impact than genetics and overall hoof health? Do uneven ground, muddy conditions, or softer ground affect hoof care needs? Absolutely.

• Hoof boots are an option for barefoot hooves on questionable footing. 

This hoof is not the hoof of a wild horse, but a horse that can be comfortable barefoot. 

Why Don’t Wild Horses Need Horseshoes? 

• It’s presumptuous to assume that wild horses don’t need horseshoes when the reality is that shoes are not an available option. Many wild equines could benefit!

• Wild, or feral, horses don’t wear shoes for several reasons. Their terrain is matched to their hooves – providing natural trimming. It’s also possible that wild horses move more on varying ground than our domesticated horses. Also, remember that wild horses breed naturally, which helps keep unhealthy conformation at bay.  

• Wild horses are also not subject to the rigors of training, competing, manufactured surfaces, and questionable breeding.  

• For reference, wild equines have a significantly shorter lifespan, typically around 15 years.

• It’s also worth noting that there may be wild horses that could benefit from farrier care if their diets, terrain, natural hooves, or injury upset their hooves.  

The Best of Both Worlds – Horseshoes and Other Options

• Does your horse need something on their hooves, but you are not sure what? Luckily, there are tons of choices. 

• Steel shoes are the standard for shod horses, although aluminum shoes are also available. Both come in lots of styles for multiple reasons. These do require nails.  

• There are ways to glue the traditional shoe on. There are also special glue-on shoes made from composite materials, such as plastics and resins. Some are more flexible than others.  

• Pads come in all sorts of densities and materials, too. Pour-in pads conform to every nook and cranny of the sole, while leather pads or composite pads and wedges are nailed or glued between the hoof and the shoe.  

• Let’s not overlook the dozens of boots available. You can find ice boots for soothing a bruised or laminitic hoof, thick, squishy boots for laminitis, hoof boots for riding, and hoof boots for turnout. 

• Some barefoot horses absolutely thrive in their home training environment. This is great! And it’s easy to toss on some boots or glue-on shoes if you’re going to an event or show where the footing may be different, harder, or rockier than usual. Unfortunately, many show organizations do not allow hoof boots in competition; in such cases, temporary glue-on horseshoes are a great option.  

This article examines hoof boot options and how to decide if they are an appropriate choice.

This is the mesh that surrounds part of the hoof to secure a glue-on shoe.

When Barefoot Might be Best

• Horseshoes are not always necessary! In fact, many equines do best without them.

• If horses need horseshoes, it may not always be the case. Removing them can help with a few things. One, the hoof wall no longer bears all the weight. The heels can open up, allowing the frog to contact the ground more effectively, and many issues, such as back pain or problems associated with improper trimming, can be resolved.

• Barefoot may also be best when the footing is not too abrasive for the work you are asking for.

• If you are considering transitioning to barefoot, be aware that it may take several weeks to months for the hooves to adapt, and your horse will need support, such as hoof boots, in the meantime.

Read more about making the transition from shod to barefoot hooves here.

This article has insights into barefoot hoof care.