Barefoot, boots and the limits of shoeing

The farrier's task is not to sell shoes — it is to give the horse the best hoof function. For many horses this actually means no shoes: a well-functioning barefoot hoof with thick sole edge healthy frog and even wear is biomechanically the natural starting point. The regulation's objectives recognize this directly: the apprentice must have knowledge of the barefoot concept and the most commonly used boots. The modern farrier must therefore be able to advise honestly about the full spectrum — from full shoeing through partial shoeing to barefoot with boots.

§When does barefoot work?

Whether a horse can go barefoot depends on three things: hoof quality, use and terrain. A horse with strong, dry horn and good sole thickness that primarily works on soft or even terrain can often manage without shoes — and the hoof gets to work freely, with full play in the hoof mechanism and natural wear. Conversely, a horse with thin, brittle horn, high work load on gravel and asphalt or need for extra grip will typically wear the horn faster than it grows. The practical goals require that the apprentice can perform barefoot trimming — for barefoot trimming is its own discipline where the bearing edge, sole and frog are left with different proportions than under a shoe.

§Transition from shoe to barefoot

A horse that has worn shoes for years cannot just be unshod and expected to move unchanged. The sole and ray must gradually become accustomed to bearing and feeling the ground and horn quality must be monitored closely. During the transition period the horse is often tender on hard and stony ground and here boots are the obvious tool: they protect while the hoof adjusts. Honest advice also includes that the transition can fail — some horses never get the horn quality or sole strength their use requires and for them shoeing is the right choice. It is not ideology; it is a concrete individual assessment of horse use and hoof.

§Boots — the removable shoe

• 01Riding boots: put on for work and taken off afterwards — the hoof goes barefoot the rest of the time.
• 02Treatment boots: used for hoof abscesses, wound care and after trims, where the hoof should be kept clean and the bandage protected.
• 03Rehabilitation boots with cushioning soles: used among other things in courses following contracture where the horse should be relieved without nails in a weakened hoof wall.
• 04Fit is everything: a boot that is too large will twist and chafe; one that is too small will pinch. The blacksmith can help with measuring — the hoof size right after trimming is the starting point.

§The farrier's role in the barefoot world

Barefoot trimming is performed in practice by both farriers and specialist barefoot trimmers, and the debate between schools can be sharp. The farrier's strength is breadth: a training covering anatomy, pathology, blacksmithing and trimming makes it possible to choose freely from the entire range — and to discover conditions requiring veterinary care, regardless of which concept the owner prefers. The professional attitude is the horse's function first: some horses are best served barefoot, others with shoes, and many alternate between them throughout their lives, depending on season, use and hoof condition.

§The consultation

When an owner asks about going barefoot, it's an advisory task, not a battle. Review the horse's horn quality and sole strength, its use and ground surface, and lay out a plan with clear checkpoints: how should the hoof look after four, eight, and twelve weeks, and what triggers a change in strategy? Document with photos in the hoof journal so decisions are based on development rather than gut feelings. The regulation's competency requirements for customer communication and advisory services are just as important here as the trimming itself—the farrier who advises honestly keeps the customer, regardless of whether the horse ends up shod or barefoot.

“The best shoe is the one the horse doesn't need. The next best is the one that is chosen with open eyes.”

— Modern shoeing principle