Should You Pull Horseshoes for Winter?

Sometimes, when the snow is just right, even the barefoot horse can start making snowballs.

Reasons to Pull Horseshoes for Winter

• You’re going to save some dough. Shoes are def more expensive than having your horse be barefoot. BUT – can they handle the footing in cold weather without shoes?

• Your riding and training routines are reduced. Limited daylight, wacky cold weather, your school schedule, you name it. Sometimes horses need rest in winter.

• Their number one talent is making hoof snowballs. Dangerous, yes, reduced when barefoot, yes.

• Let things chill and breathe. For SOME horses, being barefoot lets things expand and get back to a less supported state. For SOME horses, being barefoot is basically like unraveling the seams and all H. E. Double Hockeysticks breaks loose.

Some barefoot horses benefit from some oil on their hooves before turnout to help stop snowballs.

Reasons to Keep Your Horse Shod in the Winter

• Their feet are too tender without shoes for too long. This is common for any horse transitioning, and if you are going barefoot for retirement, you can work through it. But for a few weeks or months, is it worth the discomfort to your horse?

• You keep riding! I’m a firm believer in warm fuzzy clothing for me and keeping my horse active in winter, for loads of reasons.

• Your climate doesn’t give you much snow. Shoes love to collect snow into balls, but if it’s cold without snow, or occasional snow, NBD.

• The ground gets HARD. Frozen ground is dangerous, and can easily create bruises and road founder. Uneven frozen ground creates spikes that can harm even the shod horse.

• They have thin soles, navicular syndrome, or a history of laminitis or other hoof problems. Your vet and farrier can, with the help of X-rays, determine if you should not pull horseshoes for winter.

You can read more about the transition from shod to barefoot here.

Your farrier also has pads and inserts to help keep snowballs from forming.

Factors to consider: hoof health, traction, specialty shoeing needs, weather

• When deciding about the shod or barefoot life in winter, consider a few things:

• Weather. Do you have endless snow, and barefoot is best? Or endless ice where shoes are best with some borium for added traction?

• Hoof health. Consider beyond past bruises, thin soles, and a history of laminitis, and factor in hoof wall health, growth rate, and a tendency to develop white line disease.

• Footing. The ground your horse lives on could be rocky, which can “stab” the hoof, or rough, which acts like a nail file. If the footing and ground are perfect all the time, then barefoot can be best.

• Transition time. Has your horse had plenty of time to build up sole and hoof wall before you pull shoes? Pulling horseshoes in winter starts in late summer or fall, so your horse can adjust before the ground changes.

• How can you support a transition to barefoot? Are you available to use/switch protective boots as needed, or can your boarding barn do that?

• What’s on the schedule? If you’re going to a clinic or show, you may want to leave your horse shod.

The ground (and what covers the ground) might help you decide if pulling shoes is best.

What the CJF farriers say about pulling shoes in winter

• Pulling shoes has many advantages, especially for sole depth and hoof wall health. However, the process requires different trims before and after the transition. A skilled farrier knows how to facilitate this, including decreasing the risks of cracks and discomfort.

• For horses that remain shod, using snow pads and inserts can increase safety and comfort. The style of pad may vary with location and climate.

This article shows some of the snow pad options.

Read this article that details the prep work for barefoot life and more from a CJF.

Protecting the Barefoot Horse

• There’s always a period of change with hoof care. One of the easiest things you can do is add hoof boots to your horse’s life as their newly naked hooves adjust.

• There are endless styles to consider, many of which are suited for turnout and riding vs. stall rest. Bulky, heavily cushioned boots are best for supporting healing hooves, such as those with laminitis, bruises, or other painful conditions.

• Tighter, more streamlined boots are appropriate for riding and turnout. These slide on and fasten around the pastern and may be secured with adjustable straps, velcro, or another method that provides leverage to hold them in place.

There’s always the chance that your horse’s hooves and their environment don’t get along after you pull horseshoes for winter. It’s perfectly fine to put them back on.