The design and technology of boots is changing all the time. I know that driving horses cannot always cope barefoot, especially the larger draft horses, due to their weight distribution and way of moving when being driven.

I don't know if any boots have been designed to compensate for the hoof wear for driving horses. Nearer the time you might be better asking on driving forums, or perhaps the designers of hoof boots such as Easyboot.

I'm in favour of barefoot wherever possible, too, but please don't write off shoes completely. Sometimes its better to have a well shod horse than a badly treated barefoot one.

Do you feel confident that you've got enough knowledge to keep his hooves in good enough condition for barefoot?

Also, make sure you're fully aware of how to fit a hoofboot. I think its worth considering using a trained fitter to do this as its more complicated than it can seem.

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best way is to take a good trimming course like I did, then you can do most of the upkeep yourself. None of my horses are shod, 3 never have been, the hooves adapt to the ground although roads being unatural do wear down hooves so go track wherever you can or perhaps investigate glue on's if you need to hack using the road. We are lucky we can go completely off road but frequent rasping is a must just like with our finger nails. Using conrnucresine helps strong hoof to grow too

I have barefoot horses they arent shod


My riding mare cant cope without shoes, she just wears her heels right down. I had a cob who for years was "barefoot" until he was driven regulary and he was shod as he wore down very quickly. Its to do with the way they use their hinds when pushing a cart especially with hill work.

Im afraid I havent bought into the using a bare foot trimmer thing at all, a good farrier and trim a well levelled hoof and charge half the price.

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Doglets: Teal, Dylan and Buster

Ponies: Toffee, Samba and Jake

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Fishes: Bess, Gerald, Barney and Claus

Many horses are fine with a farrier trim, but the bare foot trimmer thing isn't just a trim. A good trimmer will also be able to offer advice on a number of separate issues and help with suggestions for conditioning of the hoof for the work intended.

Not all horses and owners are in a situation where they can go barefoot, but it could be that your mare could cope barefoot if she had a change in diet, steady conditioning and a tweak to the trim.

If it ain't broke don't fix it though and if you and your horse are happy with shoes it can be a much easier route to follow that's for sure! I wish all horses were okay with shoes, this barefoot lark can be hard work, especially if you trim your own.

Two - my 8"2 miniature shetland - lovely feet, I manage them.

My other is my welsh late teens mare (very sensitive to grass, prone to lami) pony. She is seen every eight weeks by trimmer and edges rolled by me in between. She also checks littles feet for me to make sure I am doing ok.

My two are on a mud patch in summer with hay - and now out muzzled on longer grass for winter and in at night.

I have a trimmer simply because I couldn't find a decent farrier who was reliable, did a good trim and books weren't full. Too many bad farriers made me switch, but if you have a decent farrier then Im quite jealous!

That said, my trimmer is fantastic - she has sorted littles problems with picking his feet up, and is unbelievably tolerant of doing madams feet (skin condition leaves her very grouchy )

Diet is our big thing. Currently little grass, mostly hay diet with small bit of speedibeet and equilibra 500 as a fit/min with omega oils for her skin. Her feet instantly flare at the sniff of molasses and grass (as does her temper, she's horrendous on chaff/mollases)

All mine are barefoot and worked every day on the beach. They are retired now

I have two barefoot, but only because 1, they are not ridden on a road or if it is its literally about 10m to the grassy lane and 2, its A LOT cheaper. My TB had 4 shoes when i got him, and i kept that up and his feet just got tired and the farrier told me he wouldn't do him again for at LEAST a year but after that year his feet were so strong and i really didnt need shoes. My spanish horse just has rocks for hooves so never needed shoes anyway.

My arab is barefoot and has amazing feet

He was shod when I got him although had previously been barefoot. He had to be shod every 4-5 weeks or would wear his shoes out He also tripped quite a lot which funnily enough stopped when the shoes came off

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All 4 of mine are kept barefoot. I don't get this thing about not being able to do road work if your horses are barefoot. Mine do roadwork and their feet grow enough so they don't get sore, they never have been sore. You need to make sure that their diet is correct for keeping thm barefoot and that the feet have time to toughen up to cope with the work asked of them. I have used hoof boots on my 16.1hh sports horse last year as he felt the stones on the track but he hasn't had them near him this year as he now goes over them without even noticing that they are there.
Keeping them barefoot isn't the easy option as having shoes on is easier but i believe it is loads better for the horse to be kept barefoot so there wont be any shoes going on my horses feet.