Horse Trail Chicks

Is your horse barefoot? Have two shoes? Four shoes? What is the best shoeing strategy for trail riding?

I recently had the opportunity to spend a day with my farrier, Jen Poulin, and interview her about farriery (yes, that is a word) for the trail horse. She gave me a lot of great information which I am very excited to share so that you can be more educated when you talk to your own farrier.

Jen graduated from the Mission Farrier School in Snohomish, Washington in 2010 after spending two years apprenticing with several farriers, and now practices full-time in northern Vermont. She is an Accredited Professional Farrier through the American Association of Professional Farriers (AAPF), serves on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Professional Farriers, and is a member of the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization and the Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners. Jen received a “Future Leader Award” from the AAPF in 2016 and was the first female to achieve this honor.

Why do we shoe horses?

Before Jen became a farrier she was a proponent of barefoot horses because it seemed more natural. After learning about hoof anatomy and physiology in school, she realized that asking horses to carry people on their backs, over terrain that they might not choose and for distances that they might not choose, puts stresses on hooves that are, actually, not natural.

You might have heard the saying “no hoof, no horse.” Our horses’ feet are critical to their overall health and soundness. According to Jen the reason we shoe horses is to protect their precious feet, which we ask to do so much work for us.

Basically, horses need shoes for 3 potential reasons:

• To prevent the hoof from wearing faster than it grows, which can happen if you ride a lot on rough terrain
• To increase traction
• For therapeutic or corrective reasons

On the third point, Jen said that most horses have small irregularities in their conformation or carriage that can benefit from correction. Just like a human, who might have a foot slightly turned in, horses don’t always carry themselves perfectly. A farrier’s goal is to shoe a horse for ease of movement so, even in the horse with no serious problems, shoeing is often corrective in some way.

Do I need to shoe my horse for trail riding?

Even if you have a completely sound horse with amazing feet, if you are riding on trails a couple of days a week or more – especially on rugged, rocky trails like we have here in the Northeast – shoes (or boots) will help protect those perfect feet from bruises and inflammation caused by concussive forces.

Trails are neither flat nor straight. A shoe with rounded edges and a sloped toe allows the hoof to turn over more smoothly through each stride. Take a look at any running shoe and you will see a similar slope on the toe.

How does the type of terrain affect decisions about shoeing?

If you are riding for pleasure exclusively on soft, even terrain such as grassy meadows with good traction and your horse is sound, your horse might not need shoes. On almost every other type of terrain – rocky or rough terrain, sandy soil, or pavement – shoes will protect the hooves from excessive wear as well as stone bruising.

Hooves have more traction than metal shoes. So, when we add shoes to protect the hooves, we have to consider the loss of traction if we ride on slippery terrain. Traction is provided by the groove (called the “crease”) in the shoe. Most shoes have a ¾ crease, as in this photo, with the groove on the sides but not the toe. You can get shoes with a full crease – which goes all the way around the shoe – to get increased traction. Another option is to add pins to the shoes. If you often ride on slippery surfaces such as pavement, slippery grass or leaves, or what we in New England call “ledge” (large deposits of granite or other smooth rock), you might talk with your farrier about adding pins to the shoes.

What options are available for shoe types?

There is a lot going on in new technology for shoeing, but mostly this is happening in the world of professional horseback riding. For now, pleasure riders with limited budgets have three main options for material: steel, aluminum, and composite. Shoes can be attached with nails or glue. Glueing is more expensive and requires accurate preparation for success, but it can be the only option for a poor quality hoofwall or horses that have trouble with nailing.

Most of us are probably most familiar with steel shoes. Steel is less expensive than aluminum and it wears slower. Aluminum is more expensive and wears faster, but it provides more traction. Jen finds that horses with aluminum shoes need reshoeing about every 4 weeks, as opposed to every 6-7 weeks for those with steel shoes.

The steel shoe on the left was worn by a horse for 12 weeks (two shoeings) and the aluminum shoe on the right was worn by a horse for 5 weeks. Note the difference in wear on the toes.

Should I put two shoes on my horse, or four?

The front feet take 60% of the horse’s weight and the hinds, 40%. This is why many horses are only shod on the front feet, since they take the majority of the work and the wear. Whether your horse needs 2 shoes or 4 depends upon the terrain and how much you are riding, and how sensitive your horse’s feet are. Jen’s rule of thumb is that if you are riding more than 20 miles per week on abrasive terrain, you might need 4 shoes. The best way to tell is that if your farrier is coming every 6 weeks and is not needing to trim anything off the hind feet, they are probably wearing too much and could benefit from shoes. Or, if your horse is barefoot on the hinds and is avoiding rough terrain, e.g. by walking on the shoulder of the road or trail, s/he might need 4 shoes.

When do horses need pads under the shoe?

In general it’s best to have the sole of the hoof open to air so it stays dry and so that the frog is engaged with each step. However, horses with very thin soles can be uncomfortable or develop bruises on rough trails. In this case, a pad can help. The farrier will fill the gap between the sole and the pad with a medicated “mud” that hardens to protect the sole from moisture and concussive forces; it effectively creates a thicker sole and can act as a cushion.

What should I do in the winter?

If you will be riding on snow or ice, consider starting with front shoes with studs for traction and snowball pads to prevent snow from building up under the hoof. If your horse is still slipping, you can add hind shoes with studs.

Can I use boots instead of shoes?

This is a huge question and we don’t have time to wade into it here (we will in a future post, I am sure), but Jen feels that boots can be a good alternative to shoes in a sound horse. It depends upon personal preference and the type of work you are asking your horse to do.

What should I do if a shoe comes loose on the trail?

If the shoe is just a little wobbly or is “sprung” (bent), leave it on until you get home. If it’s quite loose you can simply pull the shoe; you can continue your ride but be careful on rocky terrain. Most horses are fine with one shoe for a limited period of time.

On long rides or overnight trips some people carry a small hammer so they can tap a shoe back on, or they have a boot which they can use to replace a lost shoe. You can also temporarily duct tape a shoe in place. If you camp with your horse it’s wise to have a few tools including a hammer, shoe puller, and crease nail puller.

The Takeaway

As you can see, shoeing for the trail is a complex subject. Much more complex than I thought before I set out with Jen. But this is why we hire professionals, right? The takeaway message is: shoeing for the trail depends on your horse’s conformation, hoof health, the terrain you ride on, how much you ride, and your own personal preferences. Your farrier is the best person to guide you. Have a conversation with her or him and come up with a plan. Then see how your horse does and modify the approach if needed.

The information presented here is the opinion of one farrier based on her education, training, and experience. It is not intended to represent a professional consensus or guideline for your horse. Your horse’s hoof care should be provided by a professional farrier who knows you, your horse, and the type of riding you do.