We all know that riders wear boots, but did you know that even horses could wear boots? Horse hoof boots are made of rubber, vinyl, or plastic, and they are designed to cover your mount’s hooves completely, even underneath. By doing so, the health of hooves improves, as does overall general health and longevity for horses. This entails keeping their feet properly trimmed, feeding them correctly, and having exceptional housing with a well-planned exercise regime. If you choose to keep your horse unshod, you must take care of its feet. Quite simply, trimming is less expensive than shoeing. Just like shoes in humans, you can select options such as the degree of cushioning and tread pattern that best suits your riding situation. You can fit barefoot horses with various boots appropriate to the current terrain or situation. This places unwanted strain on the horse’s joints and ligaments (especially the collateral ligaments). When shod, the hoof wall becomes “fixed” and loses the ability to bend and twist. Taking the load off the joints:Ī horse’s hoof should be able to bend and twist to a certain degree when crossing uneven terrain or turning sharply. A shod horse bares nearly all weight through the hoof wall. More efficient use of the foot:Īn unshod horse can evenly distribute weight through all areas of the foot, including the hoof wall, sole, frogs, and bars. This benefits the overall longevity of your horse’s feet, especially when they are ridden on harder substrates. Jonathan Roberts (BVSC), the remote veterinarian from, and asked him what the benefits are of leaving a horse unshod, and he provided the following information: Increased shock absorption:Įnergy is efficiently dissipated, and shock is better absorbed in a barefooted horse. However, there are many reasons why your horse may be better off in boots or barefoot than shoes. A lot of people think that horses need to wear shoes to protect their hooves.
You might be wondering if your horse needs shoes or boots.
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