why do some horses need shoes and some don't?

Answer 1

Very good question...Horses may or may not need shoes for a variety of reasons. Mostly this depends on the health of the horse's sole (horses with thin soles tend to be more tender footed), wall (a thin wall will break off easy), and whether they need any corrective shoeing. Hoof health can be effected by a variety of elements like; ground-sand is more abrasive than dirt yet clay is harder than sand and rocky/gravel ground will often bruise a hoof, climate- wet or high humidity areas tend to cause more abscesses and bruises and dry areas will cause toe cracks and quarter cracks, diet- a horse that is not getting the proper nutrition will not grow healthy hooves, and maintenance- the better you take care of them (cleaning, farrier, and keeping living areas clean of debris and waste) the healthier they will be. Corrective shoeing is done for a variety of reasons like; toeing in or out, low heels, thin sole, club foot, founder, navicular, one low heel and one high, etc...too many to type. Shoeing can provide support and cushion to a performance horse that helps maintain their comfort and soundness.

Answer 2

Most do not.

Some reasons why a horse might need shoes:

- required for a show. Some sports still require them as part of the "attire"

- very painful and/or flat feet make walking on gravel uncomfortable. Some breeds are not bred for health (eg. Thoroughbreds) so they have all sorts of problems including flat, sore feet.

- horse is worked extensively and hoof growth can't keep up. For example Endurance riders who do 50-100 mile rides have shoes or rubber boots on their horses.

- medical needs. Sometimes a horse gets a problem with his feet and needs temporary protection or support. This may include things like canker or laminitis or support following foot surgery.

But overall most horses do better without shoes. Shoes can cause contracted heel, seperation, and/or reduce shock absorbtion.

Answer 3

Whether or not your horse needs shoes depends on the health and integrity of the horse’s hoof, the terrain the horse has to travel on and the discipline it will be used for.
If you pleasure ride or driveing on trails or in an arena with good footing and your horse’s hooves are healthy and strong, shoes will not be needed. Watch your horse carefully for signs of discomfort. Your blacksmith may find evidence of stone bruising if the horse’s soles are cleaned up. Or there may be excessive chipping or other problems. These might be signs your horse needs some protection or further care than basic trimming.

If you plan to head out on rocky trails, shoes might be recommended. Icy conditions might require the use of shoes with corks on the bottom for grip. If you will be riding or driving on roads a lot, such as during parades, shoes with borium might help prevent slipping. Pavement can be very slippery for a horse.
For jumping you might want shoes with studs. If you are just starting out in the jumping ring, your horse probably won’t need shoes. But if you are going to be very competitive and your horse needs traction maneuvering sharp turns and landing high jumps, shoes might be in order. Sports like horse trials, driving competitions, speed games, and long distance rides might present conditions where shoes are recommended.

Answer 4

Some horses have better feet than others.

The basic rule of thumb is that if a horses feet grow faster than they wear down then they don't need shoes.

An unshod horse will need more frequent trims though as the feet may wear unevenly, the horse may get a chip or a crack.

I had a Morgan gelding for 12 years and he NEVER needed shoes.

Answer 5

Hiya. Some horses may need shoes for medical reasons, such as weak hooves or laminitus, but many have shoes because they help in disciplines like show jumping. If a horse has shoes, they can wear studs which are safer. Ponies that doen't wear shoes are mainly smaller or doen't do much work/competition.

Answer 6

it all depends on a few things..
1: the horse may easily get stone bruising, because of soft hoofs.
2: the horse maybe be working on un even or stoney ground and need the shoes to pretect there hoofs from chipping and stone bruising
3: they may be doing alot of training either for racing, jumping or endurance and they use shoes to prectect there feet from the rocks or stones and if the horse is wearing down its own hoofs. and causing problems or laimness..
if your horse has white hoofs, or grey or very light brown, they tend to be softer then the dark hoofs. and then they can become bruised and very sore for the horse.. you can tell if your horse has stone bruising if they have light coloured hoofs if the have a pink spot or lines on them, this is the bruising..
if your planning to do alo of riding on ground that is hard and rocky or stoning, then i would suggest to get horse shoes or even horse boots, which in the long run, will work out much cheaper, i know they are for sale here in australia from $200 for only two boots so all up they will be $400.. but think about this, every 4 to 8 weeks, depending on your horse and how well the horse holds his shoes.. he will need new ones in this period.. and in australia this is from $60 to $100 everytime, so i would go for the boots. they will work out much cheaper and last about 1 yr to 2 yrs, depends on the amount of work you will be doing, i do endurance, and we use these.. and ours usually last about 8 to 12 months
i hope i could help

Answer 7

horses are shod for many reasons. If they are a working horse it is best to shoe them for better traction. If your horse is just in the pasture it is best to just trim it's feet and let it go barefoot. If your horse has tender frogs in the center of it's foot it is best to shoe the animal for some protecxtion for the foot.

Answer 8

It depends on their feet and the job that you want them to do. If they have brittle feet, flat feet, or tender frogs, shoes are often needed, at least in front. Also, shoes are used for grip. Therefore, if you are doing something such as show jumping or eventing, the horse needs shoes for grip

Answer 9

Some have harder hooves.
We shoe all our horses..regardless.
Race horses are running on some of the
best prepared turf in the world.
But they still need shoes.

Answer 10

i have camed to belive that a white hoffed horse is more tender footed then a black hoffed horse .all mt white hoved horses keep shoes but my black hoveed horses are never sore or lame